Circuit aging sensor
US9714966B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 7, 2013 |
| Grant date | Jul 25, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 29, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R31/2884
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An integrated circuit includes a circuit aging sensor that provides information regarding operational degradation of the integrated circuit due to aging. The aging sensor includes a ring oscillator that includes inverting drivers and tuning circuits. The drivers are sequentially coupled to form a ring. An output of each of the drivers is coupled to an input of one of the tuning circuits, and an input of each of the drivers is coupled to an output of one of the tuning circuits. Each of the tuning circuits includes a first signal path and a second signal path. The first signal path selectably applies a tuning delay to an input signal received from one of the drivers for provision to an input of a successive one of the drivers. The second signal path selectably routes the signal received around the tuning delay to the input of the successive one of the drivers.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.