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.

Date of Patent:
Jan. 22, 2013

Filed:

Oct. 19, 2009
Applicants:

Indrajit Manna, Fort Collins, CO (US);

James Pfiester, Fort Collins, CO (US);

David Leary, Loveland, CO (US);

Inventors:

Indrajit Manna, Fort Collins, CO (US);

James Pfiester, Fort Collins, CO (US);

David Leary, Loveland, CO (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G11C 29/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract

A test system and a method for efficiently repairing marginally failing memory cells in an embedded dynamic random access memory on an integrated circuit identify marginally failing cells in the embedded memory and when two or more marginally failing cells are located in the same column, indicating a partial column failure due to a weak sense amplifier associated with the column, the system and method apply a spare column preferentially to repair the failing cells in the column. The test system can be arranged in a built-in self test engine on the integrated circuit. In an alternative embodiment, the test system can be implemented in test equipment coupled to the integrated circuit that houses the embedded dynamic random-access memory.


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