Tagging of functional blocks of a semiconductor component on a wafer
First Claim
1. An integrated circuit under test that is implemented as part of a semiconductor component that is formed onto a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
- a first functional block characterized as being assigned to a first unique identification number; and
a second functional block characterized as being assigned to a second unique identification number,wherein the first unique identification number and the second unique identification number are wirelessly provided to the first functional block and the second functional block, respectively,wherein the first functional block is configured to execute a self-contained testing operation to determine whether it operates as expected and to provide information resulting from execution of the self-contained testing operation to the second functional block,wherein the second functional block is configured to execute the self-contained testing operation using the information to determine whether it operates as expected, andwherein the first functional block and the second functional block are further configured to provide a first and a second indication of operability, respectively, in response to the execution of the self-contained testing operation, the first and the second indications of operability including the first unique identification number and the second unique identification number, respectively.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are disclosed to simultaneously, wirelessly test semiconductor components formed on a semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor components transmit respective outcomes of a self-contained testing operation to wireless automatic test equipment via a common communication channel. Multiple receiving antennas observe the outcomes from multiple directions in three dimensional space. The wireless automatic test equipment determines whether one or more of the semiconductor components operate as expected and, optionally, may use properties of the three dimensional space to determine a location of one or more of the semiconductor components. The wireless testing equipment may additionally determine performance of the semiconductor components by detecting infrared energy emitted, transmitted, and/or reflected by the semiconductor wafer before, during, and/or after a self-contained testing operation.
48 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An integrated circuit under test that is implemented as part of a semiconductor component that is formed onto a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
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a first functional block characterized as being assigned to a first unique identification number; and a second functional block characterized as being assigned to a second unique identification number, wherein the first unique identification number and the second unique identification number are wirelessly provided to the first functional block and the second functional block, respectively, wherein the first functional block is configured to execute a self-contained testing operation to determine whether it operates as expected and to provide information resulting from execution of the self-contained testing operation to the second functional block, wherein the second functional block is configured to execute the self-contained testing operation using the information to determine whether it operates as expected, and wherein the first functional block and the second functional block are further configured to provide a first and a second indication of operability, respectively, in response to the execution of the self-contained testing operation, the first and the second indications of operability including the first unique identification number and the second unique identification number, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A semiconductor wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits, comprising:
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an integrated circuit under test, from among the plurality of integrated circuits including a first functional block that is tagged with a first unique identification number and a second functional block that is tagged with a second unique identification number, wherein the first functional block is configured to execute a plurality of first testing routines of a self-contained testing operation to determine whether it operates as expected and to provide information resulting from execution of the plurality of first testing routines to the second functional block, wherein the second functional block is configured to receive the information and to execute a plurality of second testing routines of the self-contained testing operation using the information to determine whether it operates as expected, and wherein the first functional block and the second functional block are further configured to provide a first and a second indication of operability, respectively, in response to execution of the self-contained testing operation, the first and the second indications of operability including the first unique identification number and the second unique identification number, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification