Method and apparatus for testing to determine minimum operating voltages in electronic devices

US7486096B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Sang Hoo Dhong · San Jose, US
• Brian Flachs · Austin, US
• Gilles Gervais · Austin, US
• Charles Ray Johns · Austin, US
• Brad W. Michael · Cedar Park, US
• Makoto Aikawa · Sagamihara, JP
• Iwao Takiguchi · Yokohama, JP
• Tetsuji Tamura · Tokyo, JP

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 31, 2006
• Grant date: Feb 3, 2009
• Expiry date: Jul 24, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01R31/3004
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

In one embodiment, a test system tests a device under test (DUT). The DUT includes an internal test controller that executes built-in self-test (BIST programs. Built-in self-test programs include array-based automatic built-in self-test programs, discrete and combinational logic built-in self-test programs, and functional architecture verification programs (AVPs). An external manufacturing system test controller manages the internal test controller within the DUT and determines minimum operating voltage levels for a power supply input voltage that supplies the DUT. A logic simulator provides a modeling capability to further enhance the development of minimum voltage power supply input operational values for the DUT.