The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 08, 2006
Filed:
Feb. 25, 2005
Pierre J. Bouchard, Burlington, VT (US);
Mark C. Hakey, Fairfax, VT (US);
Mark E. Masters, Essex Junction, VT (US);
Leah M. P. Pastel, Essex, VT (US);
James A. Slinkman, Montpelier, VT (US);
David P. Vallett, Fairfax, VT (US);
Pierre J. Bouchard, Burlington, VT (US);
Mark C. Hakey, Fairfax, VT (US);
Mark E. Masters, Essex Junction, VT (US);
Leah M. P. Pastel, Essex, VT (US);
James A. Slinkman, Montpelier, VT (US);
David P. Vallett, Fairfax, VT (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A diagnostic system and method for testing an integrated circuit during fabrication thereof. The diagnostic system has at least one integrated circuit chip that has an electrical signature associated with it; a sacrificial circuit that is adjacent to the integrated circuit chip and has a known electrical signature associated with it and intentionally mis-designed circuitry; and a comparator adapted to compare the electrical signature of the integrated circuit chip with the known electrical signature of the sacrificial circuit, wherein a match in the electrical signature of the integrated circuit chip with the known electrical signature of the sacrificial circuit indicates that the integrated circuit chip is mis-designed. The diagnostic system further includes a semiconductor wafer that has a plurality of integrated circuit chips and a kerf area separating one integrated circuit chip from another integrated circuit chip. A mis-designed integrated circuit chip has abnormally functioning circuitry.