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. 27, 2009
Filed:
Mar. 02, 2006
Hans Martin Von Staudt, Weilheim, DE;
Tony Coffey, Highworth, GB;
Hans Martin Von Staudt, Weilheim, DE;
Tony Coffey, Highworth, GB;
Dialog Semiconductor GmbH, Kirchheim/Teck-Nabern, DE;
Abstract
A method and implementation is described by which I/O input and output circuitry of a CMOS chip are measured without the need to probe the chip. Output driver transistors are used to provide marginal voltages to test input circuits, and the output driver transistors are segmented into portions where a first portion is used to provide a representative 'on' current, which is coupled to a test bus that is further connected to a current comparator circuit contained within the chip. Both leakage and 'on' current of the driver transistors is measured using segmented driver transistors. The output of the current comparator circuit is connected to a test scan register or to a test output from which test results are obtained digitally. The testing techniques are also applicable for other semiconductor devices.