Teradyne, Inc.

Other

Benjamin J Brown

Peter A Reichert

John Robert Pane

Robert Bruce Gage

John F Donaldson

Bradford B Robbins

Mark B Donahue

Chiyi Jin

Andrew Damian Firth

Binwei Yang

Alexander Joffe

Peter Huber

Brian J Arkin

Erik V Hultine

Kurt B Gusinow

Automatic test equipment for testing non-deterministic packet data from a device-under-test is disclosed. The automatic test equipment includes a memory for storing expected packet data and a receiver for receiving the packet data from the device-under-test. A data validation circuit is coupled to the receiver for validating non-deterministic packet data based on the expected packet data from the vector memory.

Apparatus and method for testing non-deterministic device data

Automatic test equipment is disclosed for testing a semiconductor device and including a computer workstation and pin electronics circuitry coupled between the semiconductor device and the computer. The pin electronics circuitry includes a plurality of channels, each channel having timing circuitry operative in response to desired programmed timing information, driver/comparator circuitry coupled to the timing circuitry for driving test waveforms at a period T, and sampling data from the waveforms at a beat period T &plus;/&minus;&Dgr;t, and a timing measurement unit. The timing measurement unit is coupled to the driver/comparator circuitry for measuring the relative timings of the sampled data. The plurality of channels cooperate to produce substantially real-time timing measurement data in parallel.

ATE timing measurement unit and method

A semiconductor memory test system with improved fault data processing and display capabilities. The memory tester includes a lossless data compressor for failure data. Compression allows failure data to be more rapidly transferred to a display device that is part of a work station controlling the memory tester. It also reduces the amount of data that must be stored in the display memory, thereby providing a cost effective way to store data from multiple tests. By allowing data for multiple tests to be stored, the data from a prior test can be used to control the formatting of data for a subsequent test. Such formatting is useful for such things as observing failure mechanisms as the operating temperature or speed of the semiconductor memory under test increases.

Memory tester with data compression

A tester having a fast but flexible pattern generator which is implemented using readily available memories. The tester includes a pattern memory which holds test vectors. The vectors are organized into modules. The order of execution of the modules is selected from a list stored in memory. In the preferred embodiment, memories which operate in burst mode are used to implement the pattern memory. To compensate for the decrease in data rate which occurs when execution switches between modules in the middle of a burst, the memory refresh rate is dynamically altered upon switching between modules.

Memory architecture for automatic test equipment using vector module table

An analog clock apparatus is disclosed including a digital clock source for producing a digital waveform of a predetermined frequency and a direct-digital-synthesizer. The synthesizer has an input to receive the digital waveform and is operative to generate a resultant analog waveform. Prediction logic is coupled to the digital clock source and the synthesizer for determining the relative phase relationships between the digital waveform and the analog waveform. The prediction logic is responsive to a prediction clock having a clock frequency approximating that of said digital clock source.

Analog clock module

A semiconductor tester with features to facilitate testing of embedded memories. The circuitry allows tests to be generated algorithmically, but can be used in conjunction with scan test structures of semiconductor devices. Programming and debug time can be significantly reduced. The tester includes an algorithmic pattern generator that can generate a pattern for testing a memory. The tester also includes serializer circuits coupled to the algorithmic pattern generators that can convert the test pattern generated by the algorithmic pattern generator into one or more serial bit streams useful for scan testing an embedded memory.

Semiconductor tester for testing devices with embedded memory

Apparatus and method for detecting timing hazards which might be introduced in a pattern for execution on a tester when edges are improperly programmed in the pattern. The apparatus includes hazard detection circuits associated with the pins of the tester. Each circuit receives control inputs which specify which edges are involved in the hazard and limits on the permissible time between the specified edges. In operation, the pattern is executed repeatedly, once for each hazard which must be detected. The programmed times for the selected edge as well as the drive and format for each period of the pattern are variable inputs to the circuit.

Timing hazard detector accelerator

Automatic test equipment with a programmable timing generator. In the timing generator, the required delay is split into a course delay, a frequency adjustment delay, and a fine delay. The fine delays for successive cycles are temporarily stored. As the course delays pass, the fine delays are retrieved and used to generate edge signals. The frequency adjustment delay is used to offset the time at which the fine delay is retrieved by a fraction of a the resolution of the course delay. This arrangement allows the fine delay values to be retrieved at a higher rate than the rate at which the signals representing the required delays were generated. With this arrangement, the edges can be generated in a high frequency burst mode even though much of the timing generator is implemented with circuitry that has a lower operating frequency. A significant cost savings results by providing high frequency operation with less expensive components of lower operating frequency.

Low cost timing generator for automatic test equipment operating at high

A high speed timing generator including a pattern generator circuit, a plurality local generator circuits associated with respective nodes of a device under test, and a plurality of distribution paths. The pattern generator circuit has a high speed pattern generator which generates a high speed address and a divider circuit which divides the high speed address into a plurality of lower speed address patterns at a lower frequency. Each local generator circuit has a plurality of signal generator circuits which operate at the lower frequency of the lower speed address patterns and provide lower frequency signals and a high speed formatter circuit which uses the lower frequency signals to provide a high frequency signal. The plurality of distribution paths provide the lower speed address patterns to the local generator circuit.

High speed timing generator

A high speed timing generator including a pattern generator circuit, a plurality local generator circuits associated with respective nodes of a device under test, and a plurality of distribution paths. The pattern generator circuit has a high speed pattern generator which generates a high speed address and a divider circuit which divides the high speed address into a plurality of lower speed address patterns at a lower frequency. Each local generator circuit having a plurality of signal generator circuits which operate at the lower frequency of the lower speed address patterns and provide lower frequency signals and a high speed formatter circuit which uses the lower frequency signals to provide a high frequency signal. The plurality of distribution paths provide the lower speed address patterns to the local generator circuit.

An apparatus for processing failure information received from a node of a circuit under test. The apparatus includes a fail processor which receives test data from a node and generates failure data based upon the test data, a plurality of fail memories, each memory being configured to receive and store certain fail data, and a sequence memory configured-to store sequence information indicating in what order the failure data is stored in the plurality of fail memories.

High speed fail processor

'The present invention provides an interpolator circuit including a register, a pulse swallower, a ramping circuit and a compare circuit. The interpolator may be employed in a high speed timing generator'.

Growing community of inventors

Westlake Village, CA, United States of America

Benjamin J Brown