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. 13, 2015
Filed:
Nov. 08, 2012
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Valarie H. Chickanosky, South Burlington, VT (US);
Kevin W. Gorman, Fairfax, VT (US);
Suzanne Granato, Essex Junction, VT (US);
Michael R. Ouellette, Westford, VT (US);
Nancy H. Pratt, Essex Junction, VT (US);
Michael A. Ziegerhofer, Jeffersonville, VT (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
Each register in each built-in self-test (BIST) controller contains a BIST controller-specific start count value that is different from at least one other BIST controller-specific start count. A test controller provides a start command simultaneously to all the BIST controllers. This causes each of the BIST controllers to simultaneously begin a countdown of the BIST controller-specific start count values, using a counter. Each of the BIST controllers starts a test procedure in a corresponding BIST domain when the countdown completes (in the corresponding BIST controller). Thus, the test procedure starts at different times in at least two of the BIST domains based on the difference of the BIST controller-specific start count values in the different registers. Further, during the test procedure, each stagger controller can stagger the start of each BIST engine within the corresponding BIST domain to which the stagger controller is connected.