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. 12, 2008
Filed:
Oct. 19, 2006
John Wallberg, Richardson, TX (US);
Robert B. Staszewski, Garland, TX (US);
Vanessa M. Bodrero, Saint Laurant du Var, FR;
John Wallberg, Richardson, TX (US);
Robert B. Staszewski, Garland, TX (US);
Vanessa M. Bodrero, Saint Laurant du Var, FR;
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
A novel testing mechanism operative to test large capacitor arrays such as those used in a digitally controlled crystal oscillator (DCXO). The invention is adapted for use in DCXO circuits that employ dynamic element matching in their array decoding circuits. The invention combines the use of DEM during regular operation of the DCXO with a testing technique that greatly reduces the number of tests required. The invention tests the capacitors in the array on a row by row, wherein all the capacitors in a row are tested lumped together and treated as a single entity, which results in significantly reduced testing time. This permits the measurement of significantly higher frequency deviations due to the larger capacitances associated with an entire row of capacitors being tested.