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:
Oct. 02, 2007
Filed:
Dec. 01, 2006
Warren M. Farnworth, Nampa, ID (US);
William K. Waller, Garland, TX (US);
Leland R. Nevill, Boise, ID (US);
Raymond J. Beffa, Boise, ID (US);
Eugene H. Cloud, Boise, ID (US);
Warren M. Farnworth, Nampa, ID (US);
William K. Waller, Garland, TX (US);
Leland R. Nevill, Boise, ID (US);
Raymond J. Beffa, Boise, ID (US);
Eugene H. Cloud, Boise, ID (US);
Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID (US);
Abstract
A circuit for isolating a short-circuited integrated circuit (IC) formed on the surface of a semiconductor wafer from other ICs formed on the wafer that are interconnected with the short-circuited IC includes control circuitry within the short-circuited IC for sensing the short circuit. The control circuitry may sense the short circuit in a variety of ways, including sensing excessive current drawn by the short-circuited IC, and sensing an abnormally low or high voltage within the short-circuited IC. Switching circuitry also within the short-circuited IC selectively isolates the short-circuited IC from the other ICs on the wafer in response to the control circuitry sensing the short circuit. As a result, if the wafer is under probe test, for example, testing can continue uninterrupted on the other ICs while the short-circuited IC is isolated.