Patent ID: 7185225

Claim:
A self-reparable semiconductor, comprising: M functional units each including N sub-functional units, wherein each of said M functional units perform the same function, wherein M and N are greater than 1, and wherein each corresponding ones of the N sub-functional units perform the same function; a first spare functional unit including X sub-functional units, wherein X is greater than or equal to one and less than or equal to N and wherein said X sub-functional units of said first spare functional unit are functionally interchangeable with corresponding sub-functional units of said M functional units; and a plurality of switching devices that replace at least one of said N sub-functional units with at least one of said X sub-functional units when said at least one of said N sub-functional units is non-operable, wherein m is equal to a column number of said first spare functional unit and z is equal to a column number of said first non-operable sub-functional unit, wherein when z is greater than m, said switching devices shift z-m sub-functional units adjacent to said first non-operable sub-functional unit over one sub-functional unit in one direction towards said column m, and wherein when z is less than m, said switching devices shift m-z sub-functional units adjacent to said first non-operable sub-functional unit over one sub-functional unit in an opposite direction towards said column m.