Patent · US Active

Programmable logic device with built in self test

US7944765B1 · kind B1 · utility

6Cited by
2References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 25, 2009
Grant dateMay 17, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 3, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C2029/0401
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In one embodiment of the invention, an integrated circuit such as a programmable logic device includes volatile memory, nonvolatile memory, and a data shift register for reading data from the nonvolatile memory and for reading data from and writing data to the volatile memory. A built in self test (BIST) circuit is operable to test the nonvolatile memory without the data shift register reading data from the nonvolatile memory. The BIST circuit may include a finite state machine for performing at least one of the following tests on the nonvolatile memory: bulk erase, bulk program; margin bulk program; and/or margin bulk erase. A memory controller responsive to the finite state machine is operable to write data to and read data from the nonvolatile memory during testing of the nonvolatile memory.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.