Integrated circuit with embedded FeRAM-based RFID

• US 7,883,019 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2006
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Incorporated (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Incorporated (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Inventors: Kang, Hee-Bok, Ahn, Jin-Hong
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess; Daniel A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Savusdiphol; Paultep
• Application Number:
  US11/468,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20070170267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,623 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 365/145, 438/3
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07775 the antenna being on-chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07779 the inductive antenna being a coil
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/54433 containing identification or tracking information
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/54446 Wireless electrical read out
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/544 Marks applied to semiconductor devices or parts, e.g. registration marks, alignment structures, wafer maps test patterns for characterising or monitoring manufacturing processes H01L22/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

An integrated circuit (IC) includes a high capacitance solid state circuit region configured to perform predetermined operations, a RFID block comprising a FeRAM block for storing data, and an interface unit configured to transfer to the RFID block an externally-provided unique ID for wirelessly identifying the IC, the unique ID being stored in the FeRAM block. The IC further includes a conductive trace extending through predetermined regions of the IC, the conductive trace being configured as an antenna for the RFID block, wherein the RFID block is configured to receive and transmit information to an external source via the antenna.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit (IC) die comprising:

a high capacitance solid state circuit region configured to perform predetermined operations;

an RFID block configured for wireless communication with an external source, the RFID block being further configured to generate an internal BIST command in response to an external command received by the RFID block directly through the high capacitance solid state circuit region; and

a built-in self-test (BIST) block coupled to carry out testing of the high capacitance solid state circuit region in response to the internal BIST command,

wherein the RFID block is configured to store information relating to the testing,

wherein the RFID block is further configured to enable wireless retrieval of the test results from the testing of the high capacitance solid state circuit region.

2. The IC die of claim 1 wherein the high capacitance solid state circuit region comprises one or more of DRAM, Flash memory, FeRAM, CPU, system on chip (SoC), and ASIC.

3. The IC die of claim 1 further comprising a BIST interface unit coupled between the RFID block and the BIST block, the BIST interface unit being configured to transmit the internal BIST command from the RFID block to the BIST block.

4. The IC die of claim 1 further comprising a conductive trace extending through predetermined regions of the IC die, the conductive trace being configured as an antenna for the RFID block, wherein the RFID block is configured to receive and transmit information to an external source via the antenna.

5. The IC die of claim 1 further comprising an interface unit configured to transfer to the RFID block an externally-provided unique ID for wirelessly identifying the IC die.

6. The IC die of claim 5 wherein the RFID block comprises an FeRAM block configured to store the unique ID.

7. The IC die of claim 5 wherein the interface unit is further configured to enable communication between the RFID block and the high capacitance solid state circuit region.

8. The IC die of claim 1 wherein the RFID block is configured to store information relating to the testing via wireless communication and wired communication.

9. The IC die of claim 1 further comprising an interface unit configured to allow data transfer to or from the RFID block via IC pins.