Testing system using configurable integrated circuit

• US 20070103351A1
• Filed: 09/08/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell World Trade Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Sutardja, Sehat
• Granted Patent: US 7,512,504 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/120
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2884 using dedicated test connectors, test elements or test circuits on the IC under test G01R31/2855 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31721 Power aspects, e.g. power supplies for test circuits, power saving during test for scan test G01R31/318575
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31908 Tester set-up, e.g. configuring the tester to the device under test [DUT], down loading test patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/02 Detection or location of defective auxiliary circuits, e.g. defective refresh counters
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/021 in voltage or current generators
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/028 with adaption or trimming of parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/50008 of impedance

Abstract

A testing system comprises a configurable integrated circuit that selectively communicates with one or more of N external impedances, that has M predetermined configurations that are selected based on an electrical characteristic of the one or more of the N external impedances, where N and M are integers greater than one. The configurable integrated circuit generates a selected one of M discrete values of an output characteristic of the configurable integrated circuit based on the selected one of the M predetermined configurations. An integrated circuit is tested in accordance with an output of the configurable integrated circuit.

Claims

1. A testing system comprising:

a configurable integrated circuit that selectively communicates with one or more of N external impedances, that has M predetermined configurations that are selected based on an electrical characteristic of said one or more of said N external impedances, where N and M are integers greater than one,

wherein said configurable integrated circuit generates a selected one of M discrete values of an output characteristic of said configurable integrated circuit based on said selected one of said M predetermined configurations; and

an integrated circuit that is tested in accordance with an output of said configurable integrated circuit.

2. The testing system of claim 1 wherein said integrated circuit includes at least one of a memory circuit and a central processing unit.

3. The testing system of claim 1 further comprising a test module that tests operation of said integrated circuit while said integrated circuit operates based upon at least two of said M discrete values of said output characteristic.

4. The testing system of claim 3 wherein said test module is integrated with said integrated circuit.

5. The testing system of claim 3 wherein said test module is separate from said integrated circuit.

6. The testing system of claim 1 further comprising:

said N external impedances;

N switches, each associated with one of said N external impedances.

7. The testing system of claim 6 further comprising a power supply connected to said N switches.

8. The testing system of claim 1 wherein said configurable integrated circuit includes:

a measurement circuit that measures said electrical characteristic of said one or more external impedances and that determines a digital value corresponding to said measured electrical characteristic;

a storage circuit including memory locations having contents accessible as a function of said digital value, wherein each of said contents corresponds to a respective one of said M predetermined configurations; and

a controller that configures said selected one of said M discrete values of said output characteristic of said configurable integrated circuit based on said contents of said memory locations corresponding to said digital value.

9. The testing system of claim 8 further comprising:

a value determiner that determines said digital value corresponding to said measured electrical characteristic; and

an address generator that converts said digital value to a first digital address corresponding to one of said memory locations.

10. The testing system of claim 1 wherein said at least one external impedance is selected from a group consisting of a resistor, a capacitor, and combinations thereof.

11. The testing system of claim 1 further comprising:

P configurable integrated circuits, wherein at least one of said P configurable integrated circuits communicate with said configurable integrated circuit; and

P additional integrated circuits that communicate with respective ones of said P additional configurable integrated circuits, wherein P is an integer greater than zero.

12. The testing system of claim 11 wherein said P configurable integrated circuits are connected in a daisy-chain configuration.

13. The testing system of claim 6 further comprising a selection module that selectively connects one or more of said N external impedances to said configurable integrated circuit.

14. The testing system of claim 1 wherein said configurable integrated circuit is a power management interface circuit.

15. A method comprising:

configuring a configurable integrated circuit using one or more of N external impedances;

selecting one of M predetermined configurations based on an electrical characteristic of said one or more of said N external impedances, where N and M are integers greater than one;

generating a selected one of M discrete values of an output characteristic of said configurable integrated circuit based on said selected one of said M predetermined configurations; and

testing an integrated circuit in accordance with an output of said configurable integrated circuit.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said integrated circuit includes at least one of a memory circuit and a central processing unit.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising testing operation of said integrated circuit while said integrated circuit operates based upon at least two of said M discrete values of said output characteristic.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising performing said testing operation using a test module that is integrated with said integrated circuit.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising performing said testing operation using a test module that is separate from said integrated circuit.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising providing N switches, each associated with one of said N external impedances.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising providing a power supply that is connected to said N switches.

22. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

measuring said electrical characteristic of said one or more external impedances;

determining a digital value corresponding to said measured electrical characteristic;

providing a storage circuit including memory locations having contents accessible as a function of said digital value, wherein each of said contents corresponds to a respective one of said M predetermined configurations; and

configuring said selected one of said M discrete values of said output characteristic of said configurable integrated circuit based on said contents of said memory locations corresponding to said digital value.

23. The method of claim 15 wherein said one or more of N external impedances are selected from a group consisting of a resistor, a capacitor, and combinations thereof.

24. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

providing P configurable integrated circuits, wherein at least one of said P configurable integrated circuits communicate with said configurable integrated circuit; and

providing P additional circuits that communicate with respective ones of said P additional configurable integrated circuits, wherein P is an integer greater than zero.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising connecting said P configurable integrated circuits in a daisy-chain configuration.

26. A testing system comprising:

configurable integrated circuit means for selectively communicating with one or more of N external impedance means for providing impedance,

wherein said configurable integrated circuit means has M predetermined configurations that are selected based on an electrical characteristic of said one or more of said N external impedance means, where N and M are integers greater than one,

wherein said configurable integrated circuit means generates a selected one of M discrete values of an output characteristic of said configurable integrated circuit means based on said selected one of said M predetermined configurations; and

integrated circuit means for being tested in accordance with an output of said configurable integrated circuit means.

27. The testing system of claim 26 wherein said integrated circuit means includes at least one of storing means for storing data and processing means for processing data.

28. The testing system of claim 26 further comprising testing means for testing operation of said integrated circuit means while said integrated circuit means operates based upon at least two of said M discrete values of said output characteristic.

29. The testing system of claim 28 wherein said testing means is integrated with said integrated circuit means.

30. The testing system of claim 28 wherein said testing means is separate from said integrated circuit means.

31. The testing system of claim 26 further comprising:

said N external impedance means;

N switching means for switching, each associated with one of said N external impedances.

32. The testing system of claim 31 further comprising power means for supplying power that communicates with said N switching means.

33. The testing system of claim 26 wherein said configurable integrated circuit means includes:

measurement means for measuring said electrical characteristic of said one or more of said N external impedance means and for determining a digital value corresponding to said measured electrical characteristic;

storage means for storing including memory locations having contents accessible as a function of said digital value, wherein each of said contents corresponds to a respective one of said M predetermined configurations; and

control means for configuring said selected one of said M discrete values of said output characteristic of said configurable integrated circuit means based on said contents of said memory locations corresponding to said digital value.

34. The testing system of claim 33 further comprising:

value determining means for determining said digital value corresponding to said measured electrical characteristic; and

address generating means for converting said digital value to a first digital address corresponding to one of said memory locations.

35. The testing system of claim 26 wherein said one or more of said N external impedance means is selected from a group consisting of a resistor, a capacitor, and combinations thereof.

36. The testing system of claim 26 further comprising:

P configurable integrated circuit means for providing M predetermined configurations, wherein at least one of said P configurable integrated circuit means is configured by said configurable integrated circuit means; and

P integrated circuit means for being tested and that communicate with respective ones of said P additional configurable integrated circuit means, wherein P is an integer greater than zero.

37. The testing system of claim 36 wherein said P configurable integrated circuit means are connected in a daisy-chain configuration.

38. The testing system of claim 31 further comprising selection means for selectively connecting one or more of said N external impedance means to said configurable integrated circuit means.

39. The testing system of claim 26 wherein said configurable integrated circuit means is a power management interface circuit.