System and method for increasing die yield
First Claim
1. A reduced performance circuit salvage method comprising:
- preparing a chip for testing;
testing said chip; and
performing a functional component configuration process on said chip and based upon results of said testing configuring said chip as a reduced performance circuit, wherein tasks are performed at a different performance level in said chip configured as said reduced performance circuit and said chip still be classified as a useful chip, and wherein said functional component configuration process comprises;
receiving art indication of a defective functional component;
determining if said defective functional component is one of a plurality of similar functional components;
disabling said defective functional component if it is one of said plurality of similar functional components;
enabling one or more non-defective functional components; and
providing notification of said disabling and said enabling to a second component other than said defective functional component, wherein said second component is configured to communicate information to at least one of said plurality of similar functional components and bypass said defective functional component to which said second component would otherwise communicate information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention systems and methods facilitate increased die yields by flexibly changing the operational characteristics of functional components in an integrated circuit die. The present invention system and method enable integrated circuit chips with defective functional components to be salvaged. Defective functional components in the die are disabled in a manner that maintains the basic functionality of the chip. A chip is tested and a functional component configuration process is performed on the chip based upon results of the testing. If an indication of a defective functional component is received, the functional component is disabled. Workflow is diverted from disabled functional components to enabled functional components.
394 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A reduced performance circuit salvage method comprising:
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preparing a chip for testing; testing said chip; and performing a functional component configuration process on said chip and based upon results of said testing configuring said chip as a reduced performance circuit, wherein tasks are performed at a different performance level in said chip configured as said reduced performance circuit and said chip still be classified as a useful chip, and wherein said functional component configuration process comprises; receiving art indication of a defective functional component; determining if said defective functional component is one of a plurality of similar functional components; disabling said defective functional component if it is one of said plurality of similar functional components; enabling one or more non-defective functional components; and providing notification of said disabling and said enabling to a second component other than said defective functional component, wherein said second component is configured to communicate information to at least one of said plurality of similar functional components and bypass said defective functional component to which said second component would otherwise communicate information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A die classification process comprising:
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fabricating a plurality of die with similar configurations; preventing a component from participating in productive contribution within one of said plurality of die without eliminating the ability of said one of said plurality of die to perform a function associated with said component and classifying said plurality of die in classes based on differentiated performance levels for said functionality, wherein die in said classes are considered useful wherein a first die and a second die included in said plurality of die are included in different products that are sold at different prices in correlation to a performance level at which functionality is provided, and wherein a determination of which manufacturer data sheet information applies to a die included in said plurality of die is not made until after testing is performed. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A die classification process comprising:
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fabricating a plurality of die with similar configurations, wherein similar configuration is determined if dies have substantially the same fabrication costs; preventing a component from participating in productive contribution within one of said plurality of die without eliminating the ability of said one of said plurality of die to perform a function associated with said component; and classifying said plurality of die based on differentiated performance levels for said functionality, wherein a first die and a second die included in said plurality of die are included in different products that are sold at different prices in correlation to a performance level at witch functionality is provided. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification