Circuit and method for determining the operating performance of an integrated circuit
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A circuit for determining the operating performance of an integrated circuit comprising:
- a clock circuit which produces a clock signal;
a first signal path through the integrated circuit and coupled at a first end to the clock circuit;
a second signal path through the integrated circuit and coupled at a first end to the clock circuit; and
a comparison circuit having first and second inputs coupled at second ends of the first and second signal paths for determining a time delay between the clock signal along the first signal path and the clock signal along the second signal path.
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Abstract
A circuit and method for determining the operating performance of an integrated circuit which may be used to screen integrated circuits prior to sale or delivery, or to optimize the frequency of the integrated circuit during use. The circuit employs a comparison circuit to compare a first time of arrival of a clock pulse, which is propagating through the integrated circuit with a second time of arrival of the clock signal at a second input. The comparison circuit produces an output signal which may be used to reject or accept the integrated circuit, or to automatically adjust the frequency to minimize the delay.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A circuit for determining the operating performance of an integrated circuit comprising:
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a clock circuit which produces a clock signal; a first signal path through the integrated circuit and coupled at a first end to the clock circuit; a second signal path through the integrated circuit and coupled at a first end to the clock circuit; and a comparison circuit having first and second inputs coupled at second ends of the first and second signal paths for determining a time delay between the clock signal along the first signal path and the clock signal along the second signal path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A circuit for determining the operating performance of an integrated circuit comprising:
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a single frequency clock circuit which produces a clock signal; a first signal path through the integrated circuit and coupled at a first end to the clock circuit; a second signal path through the integrated circuit and coupled at a first end to the clock circuit; a D-type flip-flop, having first and second inputs coupled at second ends of the first and second signal paths and an output, for determining a time delay between the clock signal along the first signal path and the clock signal along the second signal path; and a delay monitoring circuit coupled to the output of the D-type flip-flop.
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15. A circuit for optimizing the operating performance of an integrated circuit comprising:
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a voltage-controlled oscillator which produces a clock signal; a first signal path through the integrated circuit and coupled at a first end to the voltage-controlled oscillator; a second signal path through the integrated circuit and coupled at a first end to the voltage-controlled oscillator; a D-type flip-flop, having first and second inputs coupled at second ends of the first and second signal paths and an output, for determining a time delay between the clock signal along the first signal path and the clock signal along the second signal path; and a feedback circuit between the D-type flip-flip and the voltage-controlled oscillator for minimizing the delay between the first and second signal paths; wherein the output signal of the D-type flip-flip has a first polarity when the clock signal at the first input of the D-type flip-flip arrives before the clock signal arrives at the second input of the D-type flip-flip, and has a polarity opposite to the first polarity when the clock signal at the first input of the D-type flip-flip arrives after the clock signal arrives at the second input of the D-type flip-flip. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method for determining the operating performance of an integrated circuit comprising the steps of:
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(a) coupling a clock signal from a clock circuit to a signal path through the integrated circuit, wherein the signal path terminates at a first input of a comparison circuit; (b) coupling the clock signal to a second input of the comparison circuit; and (c) comparing a first time of arrival of a clock pulse at the first input with a second time of arrival at the second input by the comparison circuit. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification