Patent ID: 8493075

Claim:
A decoupling capacitor (decap) wearout monitor for an integrated circuit (IC) device having a power transmission line supplying power to IC semiconductor circuits, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of decoupling capacitors (decaps) embedded within said IC, each individual decap adapted to connect to said power transmission line in parallel with said circuits at a respective first terminal; a switch device responsive to a first control signal for selecting a target decap of said plurality for connection to said power transmission line and to couple noise signals present at said target decap to a noise monitor circuit embedded within said IC, said noise monitor circuit comprising: a noise sensor for generating from noise signals received from said target decap a corresponding constant voltage level signal; and, a comparator device for comparing said constant voltage level signal with a determined threshold voltage level, and generating an output signal when a noise signal level exceeds said determined threshold voltage level; and, a control device embedded within said IC, responsive to said output signal for generating a second control signal to disconnect said target decoupling capacitor from said parallel circuit connection; and, further generating a further first control signal to connect a second target decoupling capacitor of said plurality in parallel with said circuits.