Patent ID: 7945868
Filing Date: 2011-05-17
Classification: H03J

Abstract:
1. A method for use with a circuit, the circuit comprising first and second components, said first and second components disposed on a common semiconductor substrate, said first and second components originating from the same semiconductor-fabrication process, each said component defining an operational value capable of being measured post-fabrication, each said component comprising a respective number of respective sub-components, each of said sub-components contributing a fractional portion of the operational value of the respective component, each of said sub-components disposed to be operational or non-operational under configurable control, the operational value being a consequence of the aggregate of the sub-components, the method comprising the steps of: carrying out a plurality of post-fabrication measurements of the operational value for the first component, each post-fabrication measurement carried out with respect to a respective combination of operational and non-operational sub-components thereof; carrying out a plurality of post-fabrication measurements of the operational value for the second component, each post-fabrication measurement carried out with respect to a respective combination of operational and non-operational sub-components thereof; selecting a subset of said sub-components for the first component, based upon its measured operational values; selecting a subset of said sub-components for the second component, based upon its measured operational values; and configuring said selected sub-components to render inoperable the unselected sub-components, and to render operable said selected sub-components, whereby said configuration of said selected sub-components gives rise to an aggregate of sub-components, said aggregate giving rise to the operational value for the respective component of the sub-components, wherein said rendering of said sub-components as inoperable or operable is based on one or more electrical signals, each of the electrical signals operatively connected with a respective one of the sub-components so as to select or deselect the respective one of the sub-components.