Apparatus and method for measuring characteristics of dynamic electrical signals in integrated circuits
First Claim
1. A method for measuring characteristics of an electrical signal inside of an integrated circuit, said method comprising:
- disposing a signal analysis circuit within said integrated circuit;
wherein said electrical signal inside said integrated circuit causes a change in a condition of said signal analysis circuit;
detecting said condition of said signal analysis circuit in a wireless manner; and
determining said characteristics of said electrical signal inside said integrated circuit based on said detected condition, wherein said detecting of said condition of said signal analysis circuit comprises recording an arrival time of photon emissions produced by said signal analysis circuit.
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Abstract
Systems and methods consistent with principles of the present invention allow contactless measurements of voltage characteristics of dynamic electrical signals in integrated circuits. The invention utilizes a signal analysis circuit, such as a voltage comparator, disposed with the circuit under test, which is optically coupled with the external timing measurement equipment. The signal analysis circuit changes its state depending on the characteristics of the measured electrical signal applied thereto. The changes in the condition of the signal analysis circuit are sensed by the external timing measurement equipment provided outside the circuit under test. To this end, the signal analysis circuit is optically coupled with the external measurement equipment registering specific changes in the condition of the signal analysis circuit. The information on the condition of the signal analysis circuit registered by the external measurement equipment is used to study the characteristics of the dynamic electrical signals within the circuit.
44 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method for measuring characteristics of an electrical signal inside of an integrated circuit, said method comprising:
- disposing a signal analysis circuit within said integrated circuit;
wherein said electrical signal inside said integrated circuit causes a change in a condition of said signal analysis circuit;
detecting said condition of said signal analysis circuit in a wireless manner; and
determining said characteristics of said electrical signal inside said integrated circuit based on said detected condition, wherein said detecting of said condition of said signal analysis circuit comprises recording an arrival time of photon emissions produced by said signal analysis circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
- disposing a signal analysis circuit within said integrated circuit;
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17. An apparatus for measuring characteristics of an electrical signal inside of an integrated circuit, said apparatus comprising:
- a signal analysis circuit disposed within said integrated circuit;
wherein said electrical signal inside said integrated circuit causes a change in a condition of said signal analysis circuit; and
a detector for detecting said condition of said signal analysis circuit in a wireless manner;
wherein said characteristics of said electrical signal inside said integrated circuit are determined based on said detected condition, and wherein said detector records an arrival time of photon emissions produced by said signal analysis circuit. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
- a signal analysis circuit disposed within said integrated circuit;
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33. An integrated circuit comprising a signal analysis circuit disposed within said integrated circuit;
- said signal analysis circuit changing its condition based on a measured electrical signal applied to said signal analysis circuit;
wherein said signal analysis circuit comprises a photon emitting structure for transmitting information on said condition of said signal analysis circuit to an external measuring equipment, and wherein said external measuring equipment records an arrival time of photon emissions produced by said photon emitting structure. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
- said signal analysis circuit changing its condition based on a measured electrical signal applied to said signal analysis circuit;
Specification