Semiconductor memory redundant element identification circuit

• US 4,586,170 A
• Filed: 04/16/1984
• Issued: 04/29/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Components-Mostek Corporation
• Inventors: Proebsting, Robert J., O'Toole, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fears, Terrell W.
• Application Number:
  US06/600,208
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 365/200, 365/210, 371/8, 371/10, 371/22, 371/29
• US Class Current: 365/200
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/44 Indication or identification of errors, e.g. for repair
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/835 with roll call arrangements for redundant substitutions

Abstract

A test circuit (10) for a semiconductor memory is provided. The semiconductor memory includes a redundant decoder (70) for receiving memory address signals (66, 68) which is connected to a redundant circuit element via a signal line (72). The redundant decoder (70) can be programmed in accordance with the address of a defective circuit element, such that when the decoder (70) is addressed by the memory address signals (66, 68) the decoder (70) selects a predetermined redundant circuit element. The test circuit (10) generates an output signal (14) indicating that the circuit element selected by the decoder (70) is a redundant circuit element. The output signal (14) is applied to an indicator circuit (16) which is enabled in a test mode by an abnormal condition detector (26). The output (18) of indicator circuit (16) is applied to an external pin (20).

Claims

1. In a semiconductor integrated circuit having at least one redundant circuit element for substitution for an original circuit element, a test circuit comprising:

means for indicating at an external pin of the semiconductor integrated circuit whether a redundant circuit element has been substituted for an original circuit element.

2. In a semiconductor integrated circuit having at least one redundant circuit element for substitution for an original circuit element, a test circuit comprising:

means for indicating at an external pin of the semiconductor integrated circuit whether a redundant circuit element has been substituted for an original circuit element when the original circuit element is addressed.

3. The test circuit of claim 2 wherein the semiconductor integrated circuit comprises a semiconductor memory circuit and the original circuit elements comprise column signal lines and the memory bits associated with column signal lines.

4. The test circuit of claim 2 wherein the semiconductor integrated circuit comprises a semiconductor memory circuit and the original circuit elements comprise row signal lines and the memory bits associated with row signal lines.

5. The test circuit of claim 2 wherein the semiconductor integrated circuit comprises a semiconductor memory circuit and the original circuit elements comprise individual memory bits.

6. The test circuit of claim 2 wherein the semiconductor integrated circuit comprises a semiconductor memory circuit and the original circuit elements comprise column signal lines and row signal lines and the memory bits associated with column signal lines and row signal lines.

7. The test circuit of claim 2 wherein the semiconductor integrated circuit comprises a semiconductor memory circuit and the original circuit elements comprise column signal lines and the memory bits associated with column signal lines and individual memory bits.

8. The test circuit of claim 2 wherein the semiconductor integrated circuit comprises a semiconductor memory circuit and the original circuit elements comprise row signal lines and the memory bits associated with row signal lines and individual memory bits.

9. The test circuit of claim 2 wherein the semiconductor integrated circuit comprises a semiconductor memory circuit and the original circuit elements comprise column signal lines, row signal lines and the memory bits associated with column signal lines and row signal lines and individual memory bits.

10. A test circuit for a semiconductor memory integrated circuit having at least one redundant circuit element, the redundant circuit element being programmable to replace a defective circuit element, the memory being addressed with address signals and further having a redundant decoder programmed in accordance with the address of a defective circuit element for selecting a redundant circuit element and generating an output signal, the memory having external pins, comprising:

means for indicating the selection of a redundant circuit element on an exteral pin of the semiconductor memory integrated circuit.

11. The test circuit of claim 10 wherein said indicating means includes:

detector means responsive to the output signal for generating an indicator signal for application to the external pin.

12. The test circuit of claim 11 and further including:

means for applying said indicator signal to the external pin.

13. The test circuit of claim 10 wherein the external pin is not used for other memory signals.

14. The test circuit of claim 10 wherein the external pin is also used for other memory signals.

15. The test circuit of claim 10 wherein said means for indicating is enabled by an abnormal condition on one or more of the external pins.

16. The test circuit of claim 10 wherein the external circuit pin performs a specific function for the semiconductor circuit and said means for indicating disables the specific function for indicating the selection of a redundant circuit element on the external pin.

17. The test circuit of claim 10 wherein the external pin performs a specific function for the semiconductor integrated circuit and said means for indicating operates without disabling the specific function.

18. A test circuit for a semiconductor memory integrated circuit having at least one redundant circuit element, the redundant circuit element being programmed to replace a defective circuit element, the memory being addressed with address signals and further having a redundant decoder programmed in accordance with the address of a defective circuit element for selecting a redundant circuit element, the memory having external pins, comprising:

means connected to the decoder for indicating the selection of a redundant circuit element on an external pin of the semiconductor memory circuit.

19. In a semiconductor memory integrated circuit having a plurality of original circuit elements and a plurality of redundant circuit elements for substitution for ones of the plurality of original circuit elements and the memory receiving address signals and having an external pin, a test circuit comprising:

means for indicating at the external pin whether one of the plurality of redundant circuit elements has been substituted for a defective one of the plurality of original circuit elements when the defective one of the plurality of original circuit elements is addressed.

20. The test circuit of claim 19 wherein said indicating means includes:

decoder means programmed in accordance with the address of a defective one of the plurality of original circuit elements which has been substituted, said decoder means being addressed by the address signals and generating an output signal; and

detector means interconnected between said decoder and the external pin being responsive to said output signal for providing an indication at the external pin of the substitution of a redundant circuit element.