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:
Jan. 27, 2009
Filed:
Jun. 09, 2006
Chen-hui Hsieh, Chu-Pei, TW;
Kun Lung Chen, Taipei, TW;
Shine Chien Chung, Taipei Hsien, TW;
Grigori Grigoriev, Nepean, CA;
Chen-Hui Hsieh, Chu-Pei, TW;
Kun Lung Chen, Taipei, TW;
Shine Chien Chung, Taipei Hsien, TW;
Grigori Grigoriev, Nepean, CA;
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Hsin-Chu, TW;
Abstract
A system for improving reliability of a memory device includes one or more memory banks, each of which has one or more regular memory cell rows and one or more redundant memory cell rows. At least one built-in-self-test (BIST) unit is coupled to the memory banks for testing the redundant memory cell rows to determine their respective quality standards, and testing the regular memory cell rows to identify the regular memory cell row that fails to pass a predetermined quality standard. At least one built-in-self-repair (BISR) unit is coupled to the BIST unit for replacing the failed regular memory cell row with the redundant memory cell row having a quality standard equal to or higher than the predetermined quality standard. The BIST unit repeatedly tests the regular memory cell rows a number of times, with each time applying a different quality standard.