Method and apparatus for parallel testing of memory

• US 5,546,537 A
• Filed: 03/27/1995
• Issued: 08/13/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: McClure, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wright, Norman M.
• Application Number:
  US08/410,383
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 371/21.1, 371/21.2, 371/21.4, 371/15.1, 395/183.16, 395/183.18, 395/183.21, 395/183.22, 395/185.01, 395/185.06, 395/185.07, 365/201
• US Class Current: 714/45
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/28 Dependent multiple arrays, e.g. multi-bit arrays

Abstract

A memory includes a number of memory groups. Each memory group includes a set of memory subgroups and a number of data bus drivers, wherein each data bus driver has a true input and a complement input and a true output and a complement output. The true and complement inputs are connected to a memory subgroup by at least one sense amplifier. A true connection point also is included in the memory, and the true output of one of the data bus drivers from each of the memory groups are connected together at the connection point, and a "wired" configuration is created. In addition, the memory includes a complement connection point, wherein the complement output of one of the data bus drivers from each of the memory groups are connected together at the connection point, creating a "wired" configuration. The memory also has a data bus circuit with a true input connected to the true connection point and a complement input connected to the complement connection point and a first circuit. This data bus circuit is responsive to signals from the true and complement connection points created by the simultaneous addressing of multiple groups or a subset of the memory subgroups in testing mode. The first circuit has an output for providing an indication of an error in addressing of the multiple groups or the subset of the memory subgroups.

Claims

1. A memory comprising:

a number of memory groups, wherein each memory group includes;

a set of memory subgroups,

a number of data bus drivers, wherein each data bus driver has a true input and a complement input and a true output and a complement output, the true and complement inputs being connected to a memory subgroup by at least one sense amplifier;

a true connection point, wherein the true output of one of the data bus drivers from each of the memory groups are connected together at the true connection point, wherein a wired configuration is created, wherein simultaneous addressing of a subset of the memory subgroups generates signals at the true and complement connection points;

a complement connection point, wherein the complement output of one of the data bus drivers from each of the memory groups are connected together at the complement connection point, wherein a wired configuration is created;

a data bus circuit having a true input connected to the true connection point and a complement input connected to the complement connection point and having a first circuit responsive to signals from the true and complement connection points created by simultaneously addressing of a subset of the memory subgroups, the first circuit having an output providing an indication of an error in addressing the subset of the memory subgroups during a test mode,

wherein the data bus circuit includes a true output and a complement output and the first circuit includes a first transistor and a second transistor, the first transistor having a gate connected to the true output of the data bus circuit and the second transistor having a gate connected to the complement output of the data bus circuit, the first transistor having a drain connected to an upper power supply voltage, the second transistor having a source connected to the lower power supply voltage, and the source of the first transistor and the drain of the second transistor being connected to an output of the first circuit.

2. The memory of claim 1, wherein the data bus circuit has a second circuit producing a low output at the output of first circuit when both the true and complement inputs of the data bus circuit are low and otherwise producing a Hi-Z output at the output of the first circuit.

3. The memory of claim 2, wherein the second circuit includes:

a first pair p-channel MOSFETs connected in series with a source connected to an upper power supply voltage and a drain connected to the complement output of the data bus circuit and a second pair n-channel MOSFETs connected in series with a source connected to a lower power supply voltage and a drain connected to the complement output of the data bus circuit, wherein the gates of one MOSFETs in each pair is connected to the output of a NOR gate having a first input connected to the true connection point and second input connected to the complement connection point and the gates of the other MOSFETs in each pair is connected to a signal source used to enable the second circuit during testing of the memory; and

a p-channel transistor having a source connected to the upper power supply voltage and a drain connected to the true output of the data bus circuit to provide a pull-up on the true output during testing mode.

4. The memory of claim 1, wherein the data bus circuit has a second circuit for producing a high output at the output of first circuit when both the true and complement inputs of the data bus circuit are low and otherwise producing a Hi-Z output at the output of the first circuit.

5. The memory of claim 4, wherein the second circuit includes:

a first pair p-channel MOSFETs connected in series with a source connected to an upper power supply voltage and a drain connected to the true output of the data bus circuit and a second pair n-channel MOSFETs connected in series with a source connected to a lower power supply voltage and a drain connected to the true output of the data bus circuit, wherein the gates of one MOSFETs in each pair is connected to the output of a NOR gate having a first input connected to the true connection point and second input connected to the complement connection point and the gates of the other MOSFETs in each pair is connected to a signal source used to enable the second circuit during testing of the memory; and

a p-channel transistor having a source connected to the upper power supply voltage and a drain connected to the complement output of the data bus circuit to provide a pull-up on the complement output during testing mode.

6. The memory of claim 1, wherein the data bus circuit has a second circuit for producing a low output at the output of first circuit when both the true and complement inputs of the data bus circuit are low and otherwise producing a high output at the output of the first circuit.

7. The memory of claim 6, wherein the second circuit includes a first pair p-channel MOSFETs connected in series with a source connected to an upper power supply voltage and a drain connected to the true output of the data bus circuit and a second pair n-channel MOSFETs connected in series with a source connected to a lower power supply voltage and a drain connected to the true output of the data bus circuit, wherein the gates of one of the MOSFETs in each pair is connected to the output of an OR gate having a first input connected to the true connection point and second input connected to the complement connection point and the gates of the other MOSFETs in each pair is connected to a signal source used to enable the second circuit during testing of the memory.

8. The memory of claim 1, wherein the data bus circuit has a second circuit for producing a high output at the output of first circuit when both the true and complement inputs of the data bus circuit are low and otherwise producing a low output at the output of the first circuit.

9. The memory circuit of claim 8, wherein the second circuit includes a first pair p-channel MOSFETs connected in series with a source connected to an upper power supply voltage and a drain connected to the complement output of the data bus circuit and a second pair n-channel MOSFETs connected in series with a source connected to a lower power supply voltage and a drain connected to the complement output of the data bus circuit, wherein the gates of one MOSFETs in each pair is connected to the output of an OR gate having a first input connected to the true connection point and second input connected to the complement connection point and the gates of the other MOSFETs in each pair is connected to a signal source used to enable the second circuit during testing of the memory.

10. The memory of claim 1, wherein the data bus circuit has a second circuit for producing a Hi-Z output at the output of first circuit when both the true and complement inputs of the data bus circuit are low and passing data at the output of the first circuit if either the true or complement input is low and the other input is high.

11. The memory of claim 7, wherein the second circuit includes:

a first and second p-channel transistor connected in a parallel configuration and having drains connected to a source of a third p-channel transistor, the third p-channel transistor having a drain connected to true output of the data bus circuit, and a first, second, and third n-channel transistor connected in series with a drain of the first n-channel transistor connected to the true output of the data bus circuit, wherein the first and second p-channel transistors each have a source connected to an upper power supply voltage and the third n-channel transistor has a source connected to a lower power supply voltage;

a fourth and fifth p-channel transistor connected in a parallel configuration and having drains connected to a source of a sixth p-channel transistor, the sixth p-channel transistor having a drain connected to complement output of the data bus circuit, and a fourth, fifth, and sixth n-channel transistor connected in series with a drain of the fourth n-channel transistor connected to the complement output of the data bus circuit, wherein the fourth and fifth p-channel transistors each have a source connected to an upper power supply voltage and the sixth n-channel transistor has a-source connected to a lower power supply voltage;

an exclusive OR gate with an input connected to the true connection point and an input connected to the complement connection point, the exclusive or gate has an output connected to a gate of the first and fourth p-channel transistor, a gate of the second and fifth n-channel transistor;

the complement connection point being connected to a gate of the second p-channel transistor and to a gate of the third n-channel transistor;

the true connection point being connected to a gate of the fifth p-channel transistor and to a gate of the sixth n-channel transistor; and

a test signal connected to a gate of the third and sixth p-channel transistor and connected to a gate of a first and fourth n-channel transistor for enabling and disabling the second circuit.

12. A memory testing apparatus comprising:

a plurality of data bus drivers, each data bus driver having a true input and a complement input connected to a set of memory cells and having a true output and a complement output, wherein the true outputs are connected together at a first point and the complement outputs are connected together at a second point;

a data bus circuit, wherein the data bus circuit has a pair of inputs, a true input connected to the first point and a complement input connected to the second point, and a pair of outputs, a true output and a complement output;

testing means for simultaneously accessing a plurality of memory cells in a memory, wherein each of the memory cells has the same data written into it for given output; and

a sensing circuit connected to the true and complement output of the data bus circuit, the sensing circuit having an output, wherein an absence of error is indicated if the data from all of the memory cells accessed are identical,

wherein the true and complement connection points are precharged and are both discharged upon the occurrence of an error.

13. A memory testing apparatus comprising:

a plurality of data bus drivers, each data bus driver having a true input and a complement input connected to a set of memory cells and having a true output and a complement output, wherein the true outputs are connected together at a first point and the complement outputs are connected together at a second point;

a data bus circuit, wherein the data bus circuit has a pair of inputs, a true input connected to the first point and a complement input connected to the second point, and a pair of outputs, a true output and a complement output;

testing means for simultaneously accessing a plurality of memory cells in a memory, wherein each of the memory cells has the same data written into it for given output; and

a sensing circuit connected to the true and complement output of the data bus circuit, the sensing circuit having an output, wherein an absence of error is indicated if the data from all of the memory cells accessed are identical,

wherein the data bus circuit is a data bus latch.

14. A memory testing apparatus comprising:

a plurality of data bus drivers, each data bus driver having a true input and a complement input connected to a set of memory cells and having a true output and a complement output, wherein the true outputs are connected together at a first point and the complement outputs are connected together at a second point;

a data bus circuit, wherein the data bus circuit has a pair of inputs, a true input connected to the first point and a complement input connected to the second point, and a pair of outputs, a true output and a complement output;

testing means for simultaneously addressing a plurality of memory cells in a memory, wherein each of the memory cells has the same data written into it for given output; and

simultaneously reading data form the plurality of memory cells into a data bus circuit having a pair of inputs, a true input connected to the first point and a complement input connected to the second point, and a pair of output connected to a sensing circuit, the sensing circuit having an output, wherein an absence of error is indicated if the data from all of the memory cells accessed for a given output are identical;

wherein data is read from the plurality of memory cells by simultaneously addressing the plurality of memory cells and, wherein the data bus circuit includes a true output and a complement output and the first circuit includes a first transistor and a second transistor, the first transistor having a gate connected to the true output of the data bus circuit and the second transistor having a gate connected to the complement output of the data bus circuit, the first transistor having a drain connected to an upper power supply voltage, the second transistor having a source connected to the lower power supply voltage, and the source of the first transistor and the drain of the second transistors being connected to an output of the first circuit.

15. The memory testing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the data bus circuit has a second circuit producing a low output at the output of first circuit when both the true and complement inputs of the data bus circuit are low and otherwise producing a Hi-Z output at the output of the first circuit.

16. The memory testing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the data bus circuit has a second circuit for producing a high output at the output of first circuit when both the true and complement inputs of the data bus circuit are low and otherwise producing a Hi-Z output at the output of the first circuit.

17. The memory testing apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second circuit includes a first pair p-channel MOSFETs connected in series with a source connected to an upper power supply voltage and a drain connected to the complement output of the data bus circuit and a second pair n-channel MOSFETs connected in series with a source connected to a lower power supply voltage and a drain connected to the complement output of the data bus circuit, wherein the gates of one MOSFETs in each pair is connected to the output of a NOR gate having a first input connected to the true connection point and second input connected to the complement connection point and the gates of the other MOSFETs in each pair is connected to a signal source used to enable the second circuit during testing of the memory;

and

a p-channel transistor having a source connected to the upper power supply voltage and a drain connected to the true output of the data bus circuit to provide a pull-up on the true output during testing mode.

18. The memory testing apparatus of claim 16, wherein the second circuit includes:

a first pair p-channel MOSFETs connected in series with a source connected to an upper power supply voltage and a drain connected to the true output of the data bus circuit and a second pair n-channel MOSFETs connected in series with a source connected to a lower power supply voltage and a drain connected to the true output of the data bus circuit, wherein the gates of one MOSFETs in each pair is connected to the output of a NOR gate having a first input connected to the true connection point and second input connected to the complement connection point and the gates of the other MOSFETs in each pair is connected to a signal source used to enable the second circuit during testing of the memory; and

a p-channel transistor having a source connected to the upper power supply voltage and a drain connected to the complement output of the data bus circuit to provide a pull-up on the complement output during testing mode.

19. The memory testing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the data bus circuit has a second circuit for producing a low output at the output of first circuit when both the true and complement inputs of the data bus circuit are low and otherwise producing a high output at the output of the first circuit.

20. The memory testing apparatus of claim 19, wherein the second circuit includes a first pair p-channel MOSFETs connected in series with a source connected to an upper power supply voltage and a drain connected to the true output of the data bus circuit and a second pair n-channel MOSFETs connected in series with a source connected to a lower power supply voltage and a drain connected to the true output of the data bus circuit, wherein the gates of one of the MOSFETs in each pair is connected to the output of an OR gate having a first input connected to the true connection point and second input connected to the complement connection point and the gates of the other MOSFETs in each pair is connected to a signal source used to enable the second circuit during testing of the memory.

21. The memory testing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the data bus circuit has a second circuit for producing a high output at the output of first circuit when both the true and complement inputs of the data bus circuit are low and otherwise producing a low output at the output of the first circuit.

22. The memory testing apparatus of claim 21, wherein the second circuit includes a first pair p-channel MOSFETs connected in series with a source connected to an upper power supply voltage and a drain connected to the complement output of the data bus circuit and a second pair n-channel MOSFETs connected in series with a source connected to a lower power supply voltage and a drain connected to the complement output of the data bus circuit, wherein the gates of one MOSFETs in each pair is connected to the output of an OR gate having a first input connected to the true connection point and second input connected to the complement connection point and the gates of the other MOSFETs in each pair is connected to a signal source used to enable the second circuit during testing of the memory.

23. The memory testing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the data bus circuit has a second circuit for producing a Hi-Z output at the output of first circuit when both the true and complement inputs of the data bus circuit are low and passing data at the output of the first circuit if either the true or complement input is low and the other input is high.

24. The memory testing apparatus of claim 23, wherein the second circuit includes a pair of p-channel MOSFETs connected in parallel with their drains connected to an upper power supply voltage and their sources connected together.

25. The memory testing apparatus of claim 23, wherein the second circuit includes:

a first and second p-channel transistor connected in a parallel configuration and having drains connected to a source of a third p-channel transistor, the third p-channel transistor having a drain connected to true output of the data bus circuit, and a first, second, and third n-channel transistor connected in series with a drain of the first n-channel transistor connected to the true output of the data bus circuit, wherein the first and second p-channel transistors each have a source connected to an upper power supply voltage and the third n-channel transistor has a source connected to a lower power supply voltage;

a fourth and fifth p-channel transistor connected in a parallel configuration and having drains connected to a source of a sixth p-channel transistor, the sixth p-channel transistor having a drain connected to-complement output of the data bus circuit, and a fourth, fifth, and sixth n-channel transistor connected in series with a drain of the fourth n-channel transistor connected to the complement output of the data bus circuit, wherein the fourth and fifth p-channel transistors each have a source connected to an upper power supply voltage and the sixth n-channel transistor has a source connected to a lower power supply voltage;

an exclusive OR gate with an input connected to the true connection point and an input connected to the complement connection point, the exclusive or gate has an output connected to a gate of the first and fourth p-channel transistor, a gate of the second and fifth n-channel transistor;

the complement connection point being connected to a gate of the second p-channel transistor and to a gate of the third n-channel transistor;

the true connection point being connected to a gate of the fifth p-channel transistor and to a gate of the sixth n-channel transistor; and

a test signal connected to a gate of the third and sixth p-channel transistor and connected to a gate of a first and fourth n-channel transistor for enabling and disabling the second circuit.