Testability/manufacturing method to adjust output skew timing
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus comprising:
- an output driver circuit configured to (i) receive a data input signal, an input clock signal, and a first control signal and (ii) generate a data output signal and an output clock signal, wherein said data output signal is a delayed version of said data input signal and a length of delay between said data input signal and said data output signal is determined in response to said first control signal; and
a trimming circuit configured to be enabled during production testing by a command received by said apparatus from automated test equipment and to generate said first control signal in response to a second control signal, wherein said data input signal is generated during said production testing in response to a test pattern and a test clock received by said apparatus from said automated test equipment and said trimming circuit is enabled to (i) vary a value of said first control signal to minimize a phase difference between said data output signal and said output clock signal, (ii) determine whether the apparatus passes or fails said production test based upon a trimming result, and (iii) notify the automated test equipment about the pass or fail status of the apparatus under test.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus includes an output driver circuit and a trimming circuit. The output driver circuit may be configured to (i) receive an input signal and a first control signal and (ii) generate an output signal. The output signal may be a delayed version of the input signal. A length of delay between the input signal and the output signal is determined in response to the first control signal. The trimming circuit may be configured to generate the first control signal in response to a second control signal. The trimming circuit is generally enabled to vary a value of the first control signal to minimize a phase difference between the output signal and an output clock signal.
23 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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an output driver circuit configured to (i) receive a data input signal, an input clock signal, and a first control signal and (ii) generate a data output signal and an output clock signal, wherein said data output signal is a delayed version of said data input signal and a length of delay between said data input signal and said data output signal is determined in response to said first control signal; and a trimming circuit configured to be enabled during production testing by a command received by said apparatus from automated test equipment and to generate said first control signal in response to a second control signal, wherein said data input signal is generated during said production testing in response to a test pattern and a test clock received by said apparatus from said automated test equipment and said trimming circuit is enabled to (i) vary a value of said first control signal to minimize a phase difference between said data output signal and said output clock signal, (ii) determine whether the apparatus passes or fails said production test based upon a trimming result, and (iii) notify the automated test equipment about the pass or fail status of the apparatus under test. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of adjusting output skew timing of an output driver circuit comprising the steps of:
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enabling a trimming circuit generate a first control signal during production testing in response to a command received from automated test equipment; generating a data input signal to said driver circuit during said production testing in response to a test pattern and a test clock received from said automated test equipment; generating a data output signal and an output clock signal using said output driver circuit, wherein said data output signal is a delayed version of said data input signal and a length of delay is determined in response to said first control signal; varying a value of said first control signal until a phase difference between said data output signal and said output clock signal is minimized; determining whether the output driver circuit passes or fails said production test based upon a trimming result; and notifying the automated test equipment about the pass or fail status of the output driver circuit under test. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus comprising:
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means for (i) receiving a data input signal, an input clock signal, and a first control signal and (ii) generating an output clock signal and data output signal, wherein said data output signal is a delayed version of said data input signal and a length of delay between said data input signal and said data output signal is determined in response to said first control signal; and means for generating said first control signal in response to a second control signal, wherein (i) said data input signal is generated during a production testing in response to a test pattern and a test clock received by said apparatus from automated test equipment and (ii) said means for generating said first control signal is configured to be enabled during said production testing by a command received by said apparatus from said automated test equipment, and to vary a value of said first control signal to minimize a phase difference between said data output signal and said output clock signal, to determine whether the apparatus passes or fails said production test based upon a trimming result, and to notify said automated test equipment about the pass or fail status of the apparatus under test.
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Specification