Patent ID: 7408371
Filing Date: 2008-08-05
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for measuring on-chip characteristics in a semiconductor circuit, the apparatus comprising: an oscillation unit configured to selectively output a first oscillation signal responsive to a first control signal; a timing test unit configured to generate a second oscillation signal using an input clock signal, generate a pulse from the second oscillation signal responsive to a second control signal, and provide an output indicating whether an operating time violation has occurred based on a comparison of the second oscillation signal and the pulse; and a selection unit configured to select one of the output of the oscillation unit and the output of the timing test unit responsive to a test mode signal, wherein the apparatus is configured to measure an on-chip delay using a period of the first oscillation signal and/or to measure a timing margin of the semiconductor circuit using the output of the timing test unit based on an output of the selection unit.