Patent ID: 9335370
Filing Date: 2016-05-10
CPC Classification: G01R

Claim Text:
1. A method of testing an on-chip coupling capacitor of an integrated circuit having an amplifier for receiving signals through the on-chip coupling capacitor, said method comprising: a) setting said coupling capacitor to a fully charged state using a first current or voltage source (first source); b) determining, using a second current or voltage source (second source) connected to an output of said amplifier on a data path isolated from said coupling capacitor, an offset voltage contribution of said coupling capacitor when in said charged state; c) storing said determined offset voltage value in a memory storage device; d) controlling a current or voltage supplied by said second source to a value sufficient to detect a coupling capacitor discharge state change at said isolated data path; e) initiating a discharging state of said coupling capacitor, and initiating a counter device to begin a counting; f) detecting when a signal representing said discharging state on said isolated data path has dropped below a threshold, and in response terminating counting by said counter device resulting in a count value; and g) evaluating a status of said on-chip coupling capacitor based on the count value.