Semiconductor integrated circuit device

• US 6,601,218 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2001
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Uchiyama, Kunio, Sato, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dinh, Paul
• Application Number:
  US09/803,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20010022743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 716/1-6, 716/16-18, 365/154, 365/189.07, 365/201
• US Class Current: 365/189.07
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2029/0401 in embedded memories
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2029/1206 Location of test circuitry on chip or wafer
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/12 Built-in arrangements for testing, e.g. built-in self testing [BIST] or interconnection details

Abstract

A logic test having less over-head for testing a logic circuit in a chip is implemented by constituting a test circuit in the chip without introducing a novel device process of FPGA. A memory of a self-configuration type is provided in the chip and a test circuit is constituted in the memory of a self-configuration type or an ordinary memory through a tester HDL, thereby testing other memories and logic circuits in the chip. The test circuit is reconstituted such that the memory used in the structure of the test circuit can be operated as an ordinary memory.

Claims

1. A semiconductor integrated circuit device comprising:

a storage circuit for reading and writing data in response to an input of an address signal;

a feedback path for feeding back a signal corresponding to data read from the storage circuit to an input terminal of the address signal; and

a switch matrix for switching an input address signal sent to the input terminal and a signal read from the storage circuit and fed back through the feedback path, and supplying the switched signal to the storage circuit;

wherein an input signal of a logic circuit is input as the address signal to the storage circuit and data are written to the storage circuit such that the data read from the storage circuit are changed into a logical output signal expected to the input signal.

2. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 1, further comprising storage means for storing control information of each switch in the switch matrix.

3. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 1, wherein the storage circuit is a volatile memory.

4. A semiconductor integrated circuit device comprising a plurality of storage circuits for reading and writing data in response to an input of an address signal, a part of the storage circuits including a memory array for reading and writing data from a memory cell specified by the address signal;

an address decoder for decoding the address signal and generating a signal to select the memory cell;

comparing means for comparing data written to the memory array with data read from the memory array; and

variable address converting means for converting the address signal supplied to the address decoder based on a result of the comparison of the comparing means, wherein data are written to the storage circuit such that the data read from the storage circuit are changed into a logical output signal expected to the input signal so that the storage circuit operates as a logic circuit having desirable logic function.

5. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 4, further comprising data holding means for holding data read from the memory array;

a feedback path for feeding back the data held in the data holding means to an input side of the address decoder;

a switch matrix for switching an input address signal or an output signal of the data holding means supplied through the feedback path so as to supply the switched signal to the variable address converting means; and

storage means for storing control information of each switch in the switch matrix.

6. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 4, wherein the variable address converting means is constituted by a memory array including a plurality of memory cells;

an address decoder for selecting a memory cell in the memory array based on an input address signal;

reading means for amplifying a signal read from the memory array; and

means for updating the input address signal based on a control signal.

7. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 4, further comprising a test access port to be an interface circuit for a test;

and the storage circuit constituting the test circuit for inputting and outputting a signal to and from an external device through the test access port.

8. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 4, wherein the storage circuit is a volatile memory.

9. A semiconductor integrated circuit device comprising a plurality of storage circuits;

a first signal line group for supplying an address signal to the storage circuits; and

a second signal line group for transmitting a write data signal and a read data signal of the storage circuits;

the storage ciruits including a memory array for reading and writing data from a memory cell specified by the address signal;

an address decoder for decoding the address signal and generating a signal to select a memory cell in the memory array;

a feedback path for feeding back data read from the memory array to an input side of the address decoder;

a switch matrix for switching an input address signal or a signal fed back through the feedback path so as to supply the switched signal to the address decoder, and storage means for storing control information of each switch in the switch matrix.

wherein the switch matrix and the storage means for storing control information of each switch in the switch matrix for optionally connecting a signal line of the first signal line group and a signal line of the second signal line group.

10. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 9, further comprising a test access port to be an interface circuit for a test;

and the storage circuit constituting a the test circuit for inputting and outputting a signal to and from an external device through the test access port.

11. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 9, wherein the storage circuit is a volatile memory.