Utilizing fuses to store control parameters for external system components

• US 20060136858A1
• Filed: 12/17/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kothandaraman, Chandrasekharan, Fifield, John A., Paone, Phil C., Tonti, William R., Erickson, Karl R.
• Application Number:
  US11/016,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20060136858A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 716/116
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 17/18 Auxiliary circuits, e.g. for writing into memory

Abstract

Techniques and systems whereby operation of and/or access to particular features of an electronic device may be controlled after the device has left the control of the manufacturer are provided. The operation and/or access may be provided based on values stored in non-volatile storage elements, such as electrically programmable fused (eFUSES).

Claims

1. A method for insitu modification of integrated circuit based system parameters, comprising:

determining if a system parameter is outside of a predetermined range;

blowing at least one electrically programmable fuse corresponding to the system parameter if the system parameter is determined to be outside of the predetermined range;

reading the at least one electrically programmable fuse on startup of the system; and

configuring the system parameter in accordance with a state of the at least one electrically programmable fuse.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the system parameter is outside of the predetermined range comprises:

sensing the system parameter with a sensor;

communicating the sensed parameter to a system controller; and

comparing the sensed system parameter with stored normal parameters with the system controller to determine if the sensed system parameter is within the predetermined range.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the electrically programmable fuses comprise antifuses; and

blowing at least one electrically programmable fuse corresponding to the system parameter comprises applying a voltage to selected antifuses, wherein the voltage applied is sufficient to blow the selected antifuses.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein blowing at least one electrically programmable fuse corresponding to the system parameter comprises applying a current to selected electrically programmable fuses in a bank of electrically programmable fuses, wherein the current applied is sufficient to blow the selected electrically programmable fuses.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the bank of electrically programmable fuses comprise a sequence of blown and intact electrically programmable fuses that cooperatively represent the system parameter; and

configuring the system comprises a system controller setting the system parameter to a numerical value that corresponds with sequence of blown and intact electrically programmable fuses in the bank of electrically programmable fuses.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the system parameter comprises at least one of a voltage, a current, a power application, a signal frequency, and a temperature.

7. A method for insitu diagnosis and correction of system parameters in integrated circuit based devices, comprising:

monitoring a system parameter;

determining if the monitored system parameter is outside of a predetermined range; and

blowing an electrically programmable fuses that controls the monitored system parameter if the monitored system parameter is determined to be outside of the predetermined range.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining if the monitored system parameter is outside of a nominal range further comprises:

receiving system parameter information in a system controller from a system parameter sensor; and

comparing the system parameter information to predetermined system parameter information to determine if the system parameter information is outside the nominal range.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein blowing the electrically programmable fuses that controls the monitored system parameter further comprises blowing a specific sequence of electrically programmable fuses to generate a bank of electrically programmable fuses that contains a parameter control sequence configured to control the system parameter within the nominal range.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

reading the parameter control sequence with a system controller on startup of the system; and

configuring system components such that the system parameters are within the nominal range.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the reading and configuring operations are conducted by a system controller.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein determining if a system parameter is outside of a nominal range comprises determining operating parameters of an external device in communication with the system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein blowing the electrically programmable fuses that controls the monitored system parameter further comprises blowing a sequence of electrically programmable fuses to generate a device control sequence that is configured to modify internal device parameters to be compatible with the external device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the internal device parameters comprise at least one of a voltage, a current, a power, a signal frequency, and a temperature.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising reading the device control sequence with a system controller upon startup of the system and configuring the system to be compatible with the external device in accordance with the device control sequence.

16. An apparatus for diagnosing and correcting integrated circuit operating parameters insitu, comprising:

a system controller;

at least one parameter sensor in communication with the system controller; and

an electrically programmable fuse bank in communication with the system controller, wherein the system controller is configured to burn a parameter sequence into the electrically programmable fuse bank in accordance with information received from the at least one parameter sensor.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one parameter sensor comprises at least one of a voltage sensor, a current sensor, a temperature sensor, and a signal frequency sensor.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the system controller is configured to compare information received from the parameter sensor to predetermined nominal values to determine the parameter sequence to be burned into the electrically programmable fuse bank.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the system controller is configured to read the optimal parameter sequence from the electrically programmable fuse bank upon startup and configure system devices in accordance with the parameter sequence.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the system devices comprise external components in communication with the integrated circuit having the system controller.

21. A system, comprising:

one or more peripheral devices; and

an integrated circuit (IC) device having a bank of electrically programmable fuses storing operating information about the one or more peripheral devices, wherein the IC device is configured, on power up, to read the operating information and configure the one or more peripheral devices based on the operating information.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the operating information comprises one or more voltage levels at which one or more or the peripheral devices should be operated.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the operating information comprises a speed at which one or more of the peripheral devices should be operated.