Patent ID: 7741834

Claim:
A method for detecting and reporting a condition, comprising the steps of; a) providing a substrate that comprises an electrically conducting line; b) mounting an integrated circuit chip to said substrate with electrical connection of said integrated circuit chip to said line; c) mounting a sensor to said substrate and in electrical connection with said integrated circuit chip, said sensor being operable to generate an electrical signal upon detection of a condition selected from a condition of said substrate and a condition of an electrical connection to said substrate, said condition is a result of the application of a stress selected from the group consisting of thermal and power cycling stress; connecting a signal generator device to said substrate, said signal generating device being operable to receive said electrical signal and upon receipt thereof, operable to emit a warning signal; whereby said warning signal is received by said integrated circuit chip as input to determine longevity of said substrate from predictive reliability models programmed onto a portion of said integrated circuit chip.