Tsinghua University

Industrial Technology Research Institute

Faraday Technology Corporation

Global Unichip Corporation

National Science Council of R.o.c.

Spirox Corporation/national

Cheng-Wen Wu

Chih-Tsun Huang

Kun-Lun Luo

Chi-Feng Wu

Chih-Wea Wang

Ding-Ming Kwai

Yeong-Jar Chang

Wen-Ching Wu

Chin-Lung Su

Chih-Kang Chiu

Jin-Fu Li

Rei-Fu Huang

Hsiu-Chuan Shih

Jing-Reng Huang

Chung-Chiang Teng

Yung-Fa Chou

Chuang Cheng

Jung-Chi Ho

Pei-Wen Luo

Fang-Diahn Guo

Shen-Tien Lin

Po-Yuan Chen

Shu-Yu Wu

Chin-Jung Su

Kao-Liang Cheng

Sau-Kwo Chiu

Jen-Chieh Yeh

Chi-Kang Chen

Kuo-Liang Cheng

Yu-Tsao Hsing

Jin-Hua Hong

Ching-Hong Tsai

A memory system comprises a memory controller and a memory device having one or more memory ranks and multiple memory electrically connected to the one or more memory ranks. The memory controller includes at least one analysis module and at least one switching determination module. The analysis module analyzes states of multiple memory control commands corresponding to a particular memory rank to generate a control parameter. The switching determination module determines whether at least one switching command is sent according to the control parameter, a current operation mode of the particular memory rank, and an operation state of the particular memory rank. When the memory device receives a first switching command of the at least one command, the particular rank and at least one part of the memory internal circuits are switched from the normal voltage operation mode to the low voltage operation mode.

Memory controlling method and memory system

The present invention discloses a data error-detection system and the method thereof. The system includes an initializing module, an encoding module, a decoding module and a restoring module. The initializing module arranges the transmitting data in a 3D matrix to produce information data. The encoding module encodes the information data to produce checking data, and outputs encoding data which includes information data and checking data. The decoding module receives encoding data and detects information data according to the checking data to correct the information data and then produces 3D matrix receiving data. The restoring module produces receiving data according to the 3D matrix receiving data. Herewith, the effect of error-detection and correction of the data can be achieved.

Data error-detection system and data error-detection method thereof

A method for testing a TSV comprises charging a through-silicon-via under test to a first predetermined voltage level charging a capacitance device to a second predetermined voltage level; performing charge-sharing between the through-silicon-via and the capacitance device; and determining that the through-silicon-via under test is not faulty if the voltage level of the through-silicon-via after the charge-sharing step is within a predetermined range.

Method for testing through-silicon-via

This invention discloses a double Through Silicon Via (TSV) structure, including a first die unit, a first signal path, a second signal path, a receiving unit and a second die unit. The first and the second signal paths respectively include a driving unit and a TSV unit. Each driving unit includes a first end, a second end and a third end. The invention divides the signal paths of the conventional double TSV into two different signal paths by two driving units and the receiving unit having OR gate or NOR gate, to avoid generating the problem of signal degradation from the TSV unit with short defect. The invention further disposes a first switch unit, a second switch unit, a first exchange unit, a second exchange unit, a first VDD keeper and a second VDD keeper, to avoid generating the problems of open defect and leakage current.

Double through silicon via structure

A probing system for an integrated circuit device, which transmits a testing data/signal between an automatic test equipment (ATE) and an integrated circuit device, is disclosed. The probing system includes a test head having a first transceiving module. There is a test station having a test unit coupled to the test head to perform a test operation. A communication module has a second transceiving module configured to exchange data with the first transceiving module in a wireless manner. There is an integrated circuit device having a core circuit being tested, and a test module having a self-test circuit coupled to the core circuit and the communication module for performing the core circuit self-testing.

Probing system for integrated circuit devices

Disclosed is a build-in self-diagnosis and repair method and apparatus in a memory with syndrome identification. It applies a fail-pattern identification and a syndrome-format structure to identify at least one type of faulty syndrome in the memory during a memory testing, then generates and exports fault syndrome information associated with the corresponding faulty syndrome. According to the fault syndrome information, the method applies a redundancy analysis algorithm, allocates spare memory elements and repairs the faulty cells in the memory. The syndrome-format structure respectively applies single-faulty-word-syndrome format, faulty-row-segment-syndrome format, and faulty-column-segment-syndrome format for different faulty syndromes, such as faulty row segments and single faulty words, faulty column segments and single faulty words, all of single faulty words, faulty row segments and faulty column segments, and so on.

Method and apparatus of build-in self-diagnosis and repair in a memory with syndrome identification

A built-in memory current test circuit to test a memory on a chip is disclosed, comprising a built-in self-test circuit and a dynamic current generation module. The built-in self-test circuit is disposed on the chip to receive and process a test signal and generate a control signal to control operation of the memory and a current control code. The dynamic current generation module, also disposed on the chip, produces a test current into the memory based on the current control code. The current switch time is reduced in the built-in memory current test circuit, and an integrated test combining functional and stress tests can thus be performed.

Built-in memory current test circuit

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for a memory build-in self-diagnosis and repair with syndrome identification. It uses a fail-pattern identification and a syndrome-format structure to identify faulty rows, faulty columns and single faulty word in the memory during the testing process, then exports the syndrome information. Based on the syndrome information, a redundancy analysis algorithm is applied to allocate the spare memory elements repairing the faulty memory cells. It has a sequencer with enhanced fault syndrome identification, a build-in redundancy-analysis circuit with improved redundancy utilization, and an address reconfigurable circuit with reduced timing penalty during normal access. The invention reduces the occupation time and the required capture memory space in the automatic test equipment. It also increases the repair rate and reduces the required area overhead.

In a method of testing a multi-port memory in accordance with a test pattern, test clock signals having the same test clock frequency but with different delay periods introduced therein are generated for controlling memory access through the different access ports of the memory. Consecutive memory operations of a test element of the test pattern are then conducted in a folded sequence upon a memory cell through the different access ports in accordance with the test clock signals such that the memory operations are completed within the same test clock cycle of the test element.

Multi-port memory testing method utilizing a sequence folding scheme for testing time reduction

The present invention discloses a diagonal testing method for flash memories. The testing method regards the flash memory as several squares, and executes in the direction from top to bottom and from left to right. Each square is provided with a first diagonal in &#x2212;45 degrees from the upper left to the lower right, and a second diagonal in +45 degrees from the lower left to the upper right. The present invention is to program the cells in the first diagonal or the second diagonal, and then read the cells except the first diagonal or the second diagonal; or, program the cells except the first diagonal or the second diagonal, and then read the cells in the first diagonal or the second diagonal so as to detect the disturb fault in the flash memories and normal memory fault models.

Diagonal testing method for flash memories

A test pattern generation and comparison circuit creates test pattern stimulus signals for and evaluates response signals from logic or memory such as random access memory (RAM). It utilizes both parallel and serial interfaces to the logic/memory under test. The test pattern generation and comparison circuit further provides a method for testing logic and memory utilizing built-in self test (BIST) techniques. The method uses a programmable logic/memory commands which are translated into physical logic signals and timings for the logic or memory under test. The results of the test pattern generated and applied to the logic or memory are compared to expected results. The result of the comparison is a pass/fail designation. In addition, the comparison of the expected test results with the actual test results provides information on the exact location of the failure. Also, since the test pattern generation and comparison circuit architecture is compatible with hardware description languages such as Verilog HDL or VHDL, the test pattern generation and comparison circuit can be automatically generated with a silicon compiler.

Test pattern generator for SRAM and DRAM

A built-in programmable self-diagnostic circuit for finding and locating faults in a static random access memory (SRAM) unit. The circuit includes a plurality of multiplexers, a demultiplexer, a test pattern generator, a fault location indicator and a controller. The circuit uses either internal test instructions or pre-programmed test instructions to test the SRAM unit so that the exact location of any fault in the SRAM unit can be found and subsequently repaired.

Built-in programmable self-diagnostic circuit for SRAM unit

In the present invention a built in self test (BIST) for an embedded memory is described. The BIST can be used at higher levels of assembly and for commodity memories to perform functional and AC memory tests. A BIST controller comprising a finite state machine is used to step through a test sequence and control a sequence controller. The sequence controller provides data and timing sequences to the embedded memory to provide page mode and non-page mode tests along with a refresh test. The BIST logic is scan tested prior to performing the built in self test and accommodations for normal memory refresh is made throughout the testing. The BIST also accommodates a burn-in test where unique burn-in test sequences can be applied.

Programmable built in self test for embedded DRAM

An IEEE Std. 1149.1 boundary scan circuit which is capable of performing built-in self-testing includes a logic circuit, cascaded input boundary-scan cells that form an input boundary-scan register connected to input nodes of the logic circuit, cascaded output boundary-scan cells that form an output boundary-scan register connected to output nodes of the logic circuit, and a test access port system for controlling operation of the input and output boundary-scan cells. The test access port system provides a built-in self-test control signal to the input and output boundary-scan cells when executing built-in self-testing. The input boundary-scan register is reconfigurable to operate as a test pattern generator that provides test patterns to the logic circuit for a predetermined number of clock cycles upon receipt of the built-in self-test control signal. The output boundary-scan register is reconfigurable to operate as an output response analyzer that is driven by the logic circuit for the predetermined number of clock cycles upon receipt of the built-in self-test control signal. A family of input and output boundary-scan cells that can be reconfigured as a linear feedback shift register and as a multiple-input shift register is also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Hsinchu, Taiwan

Cheng-Wen Wu