×

Apparatus and method for determining the speed of a semiconductor chip

  • US 5,818,250 A
  • Filed: 07/03/1996
  • Issued: 10/06/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/03/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A method of testing a speed of a semiconductor chip, comprising the steps of:

  • starting a time interval;

    running an oscillator, wherein the oscillator is included as part of the semiconductor chip being tested;

    ending the time interval;

    determining a number of cycles of the oscillator that had occurred during the time interval;

    determining the speed of the semiconductor chip based upon the number of cycles of the oscillator;

    loading a test value into a counter;

    incrementing the counter for each cycle of the oscillator during the time interval;

    determining whether the counter overflows at the end of the time interval, wherein the semiconductor chip passes the test if the counter had overflowed and the semiconductor chip fails the test if the counter did not overflow;

    increasing the test value repeatedly until the semiconductor chip fails the test.

View all claims
  • 15 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×