Circuit for measuring on-chip power supply integrity
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A test circuit and method for measuring power supply integrity is provided. The circuit may be incorporated on-chip and is small enough to be integrated many times across the surface of the die for measuring integrity parameters at several locations on the chip. The circuit instantaneously measures, e.g., the rail voltage of a power supply, which may be fluctuating at the time of measurement. In addition, the circuit isolates itself from all chip power rails for the duration of the measurement, thereby eliminating any influence of external noise on the measurement. A storage capacitor is charged up to full power rail voltage for powering up a comparator. Then, the comparator is isolated from the power rails and the measurements are taken. Based upon the measurements, certain power supply integrity parameters are quantified including ground bounce and power droop.
7 Citations
98 Claims
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1-52. -52. (canceled)
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53. A computer readable storage medium storing a computer readable program for measuring a parameter of a circuit under test, said computer readable program being configured to operate a computer to:
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(a) charge a first portion of a test circuit up to a first voltage level;
(b) charge a second portion of said test circuit up to a second voltage level;
(c) disconnect said test circuit from respective voltage terminals providing said first and second voltage levels; and
(d) measure said parameter of said circuit under test with said test circuit. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75)
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54. (canceled)
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76. A processor system, comprising:
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a processor; and
a communications link coupled to said processor and also coupled to a computer readable storage medium, wherein said computer readable storage medium stores a computer program for measuring a parameter of a circuit under test, said computer program configured to operate said processor to;
(a) charge a first portion of a test circuit up to a first voltage level;
(b) charge a second portion of said test circuit up to a second voltage level;
(c) disconnect said test circuit from respective voltage terminals providing said first and second voltage levels; and
(d) measure said parameter of said circuit under test with said test circuit. - View Dependent Claims (78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98)
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77. (canceled)
Specification