Patent Document

FIELD  
       [0001]     This invention relates to the field of integrated circuits. More particularly, this invention relates to a design for a controller of a memory subsystem within an integrated circuit.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Integrated circuits are often formed using an application specific integrated circuit architecture, which tends to reduce the design costs of the integrated circuit by using predetermined logic blocks in a somewhat customized arrangement to produce an integrated circuit according to a customer&#39;s specifications. One aspect of such a customizable integrated circuit design is referred to as RRAM.  
         [0003]     RRAM (Reconfigurable RAM) contains sets of memories of the same type that are placed compactly within a memory matrix. RRAM also contains sets of embedded tools that are used for mapping arbitrary logical customer memory designs to the physical memories in the matrix. All RRAM memory ports are ports of the customer memories. Ports of memories from the matrix are invisible from the outside of the RRAM. So from the customer&#39;s point of view, the RRAM is the set of the customer&#39;s memories.  
         [0004]     The current strategy of testing the memory matrices is to test every memory of every matrix separately. That testing strategy requires additional ports to the RRAM, especially for all the ports of physical memories. On the other hand, it would be better to prepare different, non-trivial test-vectors for testing every memory.  
         [0005]     What is needed, therefore, is an RRAM subsystem that overcomes problems such as those described above, at least in part.  
         [0006]     As the term is used herein, “integrated circuit” includes devices such as those formed on monolithic semiconducting substrates, such as those formed of group IV materials like silicon or germanium, or group III-V compounds like gallium arsenide, InP, or mixtures of such materials. The term includes all types of devices formed, such as memory, and all designs of such devices, such as MOS and bipolar.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0007]     The above and other needs are met by a master controller for an RRAM subsystem. An interface communicates with at least one RRAM controller. A main control unit selects and implements test and repair operations on the RRAM subsystem through the RRAM controller. A timer determines a maximum number of test and repair operations that can be implemented within a given time.  
         [0008]     Thus, a master controller is included in the RRAM subsystem. The master controller has a relatively simple interface, and performs test and repair operations on the RRAM subsystem. The advantages of using the master controller include an elimination of additional test ports, simplification of the process of preparing the test vectors for RRAM testing, and the master controller is able to accumulate test results and initiate repairs based on those results. In this manner, the RRAM subsystem has a self-repair functionality.  
         [0009]     According to another aspect of the invention there is described a master controller for an RRAM subsystem of an integrated circuit. An interface communicates with at least one RRAM controller. A main control unit selects and implements test and repair operations on the RRAM subsystem through the RRAM controller. A timer determines a maximum number of test and repair operations that can be implemented within a given time.  
         [0010]     According to yet another aspect of the invention there is described a master controller for an RRAM subsystem of an integrated circuit. An interface communicates with a plurality of RRAM controllers, where each RRAM controller communicates with a given one of a plurality of RRAMs within the RRAM subsystem. A main control unit selects and implements independently implemented test and repair operations on the plurality of RRAMs through the RRAM controllers. A timer determines a maximum number of test and repair operations that can be implemented within a given time on a given one of the plurality of RRAMs.  
         [0011]     In various preferred embodiments of the invention according to the aspects described above, the main control unit further selects and implements unique test vectors for different ones of the plurality of RRAM controllers, receives results from the plurality of RRAM controllers in response to the test vectors, and implements unique repair operations based on the results of the test vectors.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     Further advantages of the invention are apparent by reference to the detailed description when considered in conjunction with the figures, which are not to scale so as to more clearly show the details, wherein like reference numbers indicate like elements throughout the several views, and wherein:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram of a master controller module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is an annotated list of FLARE ports according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is an annotated list of FUSES ports according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is an annotated list of ParamMaster ports according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a functional block diagram of a timer module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a functional block diagram of a main control unit of a master controller module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a logic diagram of a TransRRAM module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a logic diagram of a TransInd module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is a logic diagram of a TransFlare module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 10  is a flowchart of a method of using the master controller according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0023]     This invention relates to the architecture of a master controller that is disposed inside of a memory subsystem. The architecture according to the preferred embodiment of the invention enables the self test and self repair of the memory subsystem. Therefore, it enables the simplification of the external RRAM interface and the speeding up of the RRAM repair process. The preferred embodiments of the architecture support the parallel test execution scheme. The architecture preferably enables the reduction of the overall test duration by a factor of several times. The architecture is applied to the RRAM module in the embodiments specifically described herein, but it can also be applied to any system that consists of one master controller and several slave controllers.  
         [0024]     With reference now to  FIG. 1 , the master controller  12 , as the term is used herein, is the controller of the RRAM system unit of the integrated circuit  10 . It preferably supports communication with RRAM components, performs different test operations, and directs repair operations. The master controller  12  preferably interacts with the external FUSES  16  and soft ROM  18  modules. The master controller  12  preferably receives external commands through the rramStaticIn port  20 , and return results through the testRramOut port  22 .  
         [0025]     Each of the RRAM controllers  24  can preferably execute different types of tests. The master controller  12  preferably loads test input parameters into each of the RRAM controllers  24 , starts execution of the tests, and obtains results of the test execution from the RRAM controllers  24 . The test duration preferably depends on the specific RRAM controller  24  that performs the test, and on the type of test being performed. During execution of the tests, the master controller  12  preferably monitors the test statuses as received from of all of the RRAM controllers  24 . When one or more of the RRAM controllers  24  finish execution of a test, the master controller  12  preferably starts new tests on the RRAM controllers  24 , without interrupting the test process of the other RRAM controllers  24  that have not finished their test routines.  
         [0026]     The master controller  12  preferably stores the test results in an inner FLARE memory  26 . Every test is preferably associated with some designated portion or memory location of the FLARE memory  26 . The master controller  12  preferably includes a simple processor that performs high level commands and generates control sequences for the RRAM controllers  24 . The programming for the internal processor is preferably stored in the Program ROM  28 . The processor and any additional control logic are preferably placed in the main control unit  14 .  
         [0027]     Communication between the master controller  12  and the RRAM controllers  24  is preferably accomplished with the RRAM communication subsystem  30 . The master controller  12  preferably stores the current test environment for each RRAM controller  24 . The master controller is preferably enabled to switch between different RRAM environments in order to communicate with different RRAM controllers  24 . During the execution of the tests, the master controller  12  preferably switches rapidly from one RRAM environment to another, checks the test completion, and starts a new test if necessary.  
         [0028]     The RRAM environment preferably consists of two main parts. The first part is the static environment. It preferably includes information about the duration of the tests for the given RRAM, and some specific RRAM properties. The static environment is preferably unchangeable. The second part is the dynamic environment. The dynamic environment preferably includes parameters of the current test. During test execution, the master controller  12  preferably changes the dynamic environment for every new test.  
         [0029]     The static environment is preferably stored in the Param ROM  32 . For each RRAM controller  24 , the Param ROM  32  preferably contains a line with a description of all of the static information for the RRAM. The Param ROM  32 , Program ROM  28 , and soft ROM  18  are preferably general ROMs. The dynamic environment is preferably stored in the ParamMaster module  34 . This module  34  preferably provides read and write access to the environment. The master controller  12  preferably finishes the test execution after the expiration of a period of time that is equal to the test duration, which test duration is preferably stored in the Param ROM  32 .  
         [0030]     A timer module  36  preferably stores information about the current time, such as from the beginning of parallel test execution, and generates signals about time expiration of the current test for the given RRAM environment.  
         [0031]     The FLARE module  26  preferably includes a set of registers with associated logic for implementation of a simple memory interface.  FIG. 2  presents an annotated list of FLARE ports for one embodiment.  
         [0032]     The FUSES module  16  preferably includes a chain of fuse elements. Each fuse element can store a value of zero or one. The chain preferably supports a scanning operation and an operation of loading FUSES with default values.  FIG. 3  presents an annotated list of preferred FUSES ports.  
         [0033]     The ParamMaster module  34  preferably includes a set of registers with associated logic for simple memory interface realization.  FIG. 4  presents an annotated list of preferred ParamMaster ports.  
         [0034]     The timer module  36  is depicted in greater detail in  FIG. 5 . The timer module  36  preferably includes an inner register  38  that is preferably incremented on every clock cycle. If the value of resetTimer  40  on the input port is one, then the register  38  is preferably set to zero. To reduce module complexity, preferably only the high bits of the register  38  are used in the calculations as described below. Thus, the high bits of the register  38  are preferably output to the time port  42 . The timeLimit input port  44  preferably represents the expected duration of the current test. The rramTime input port  46  preferably represents the test start time. Therefore, the sum of these two values preferably represents the expected finish test time. The testLimitCase output port  48  preferably indicates when the current time is greater then the expected test finish time. Most preferably, if the time  42  is greater than the timeLimit  44  plus the rramTime  46 , then the limitCase  48  is defined to be one.  
         [0035]     The core module of the main control unit  14  is the processor module  50 , as depicted in  FIG. 6 . The processor module  50  preferably produces a flow of commands for four dependent modules, which are the TransInd  52 , the TransFlare  54 , the TransRram  56 , and the TransConf  58 . The TransConf module  58  is preferably intended to accomplish RRAM configuration and repair. The TransRram module, depicted in greater detail in  FIG. 7 , is preferably an intermediate module between the processor  50  and the RRAM controllers  24 . The TransRram module  56  preferably receives commands  60  from the processor  50  and produces RRAM commands  62 . The TransRram module  56  preferably performs several types of commands, as given below:  
         [0036]     1) The SET-TEST-TYPE command preferably selects the type of test to be performed. An index of the selected test type is preferably output to the testType port  64 .  
         [0037]     2) The SET-RRAM-IND command preferably selects the appropriate RRAM controller  24  for further communication. The selected index is preferably output to the rramInd port  66   
         [0038]     3) The DO-RRAM-TEST command preferably starts the selected test on the selected RRAM controller  24 .  
         [0039]     4) The INC-RRAM-IND command preferably increments the current index of the selected RRAM controller  24 .  
         [0040]     5) The GET-RESULT command preferably generates RRAM controller  24  commands for passing the results of the completed test to the result port  68 .  
         [0041]     The TransInd module  52 , depicted in greater detail in  FIG. 8 , preferably controls the communication between the processor  50  and the ParamMaster module  34  and the Timer module  36 . The TransInd module  52  preferably performs several types of commands, as given in more detail below:  
         [0042]     1) The RESET-TIMER command preferably passes the resetTimer signal  40  to the Timer module  36 .  
         [0043]     2) The UPDATE-TIME command preferably sets the value of rramTime  70  to the current value of the time  42 .  
         [0044]     3) The SET-TEST-INDEX command preferably selects the index of the test to be executed.  
         [0045]     4) The INC-TEST-INDEX command preferably increments the index of the test.  
         [0046]     The SET-RRAMACTIVE command preferably sets the value of the rramActive flag  72 . The selected RRAM controller  24  preferably takes part in the overall process of the parallel test execution if and only if rramActive  72  equals one.  
         [0047]     The TransFlare module  54 , depicted in greater detail in  FIG. 9 , preferably enables communication between the processor  50  and the FLARE module  26 , the FUSES  16 , and soft ROM  18 , and outputs the results  68 . The TransFlare module  54  preferably performs the commands as given below:  
         [0048]     1) The READ-FLARE command preferably reads the value of the FLARE memory  26  and saves it in an inner register.  
         [0049]     2) The WRITE-FLARE command preferably writes the value of the inner register into the FLARE module  26 .  
         [0050]     3) The LOAD-FUSES command preferably loads the default values into the FUSES  16 .  
         [0051]     4) The READ-FUSES command preferably reads the value of the FUSES  16  and saves it in the inner register.  
         [0052]     5) The WRITE-FUSES command preferably writes the value of the inner register into the FUSES  16 .  
         [0053]     6) The SCAN-FUSES command preferably scans the FUSES chain  16 .  
         [0054]     7) The READ-SOFT-ROM command preferably reads the value of the soft ROM module  18  and saves it in the inner register.  
         [0055]     8) The READ-RESULT command preferably reads the value of the result input  68  and saves it in the inner register.  
         [0056]     9) The OUTPUT-RESULT command preferably passes the value of the inner register to the testRramOut port  22 .  
         [0057]     10) The GET-FLARE command preferably outputs the FLARE module  26  contents to the testRramOut port  22 .  
         [0058]     There is next given a description of one embodiment of a parallel RRAM test execution process  100 , as given in  FIG. 10 , considering the overall algorithm of the parallel test execution, and using the architecture described above.  
         [0059]     Step  101 : The processor  50  produces the SET-TEST-TYPE command. The TransRram  56  performs the command and sets its testType output  64  to the proper value.  
         [0060]     Step  102 : The processor  50  produces the RESET-TIMER command. The TransInd module  52  performs the command and sets the resetTimer output  40  to one. The timer module  36  sets its time register  38  to zero.  
         [0061]     Step  103 : The processor  50  generates the SET-RRAM-INDEX(0) command. The TransRram module  56  sets the rramIndex  66  to zero.  
         [0062]     Step  104 : The processor  50  produces the SET-TEST-INDEX(0) command. The TransInd module  52  sets the testIndex value  71  to zero and sets the we value  74  to one. The ParamMaster module  34  saves this value of testIndex  71  for the current RRAM controller  24 .  
         [0063]     Step  105 : The processor  50  generates the SET-RRAM-ACTIVE(1) command. The TransInd module  52  sets the value of the rramActive  72  to one and sets the we value  74  to one. The ParamMaster module  34  saves the new value of rramActive  72 .  
         [0064]     Step  106 : The processor  50  generates the UPDATETIME command. The TransInd module  52  updates the value of the rramTime port  46  and sets the we value  74  to one. The ParamMaster module  34  saves the new value of the rramTime  46 .  
         [0065]     Step  107 : The processor  50  generates the DO-RRAM-TEST command. The TransRram module  56  produces a RRAM controller  24  command sequence for starting the selected test on the selected RRAM controller  24 .  
         [0066]     Step  108 : The processor  50  analyzes the current value of rramIndex  78 . If it is less then the biggest possible value, then the processor  50  generates the INC-RRAM-INDEX command and returns to step  104 . The TransRram module  56  performs this command and increments the value of the rramIndex  66 . Otherwise, the processor  50  goes to step  109 .  
         [0067]     Step  109 : The processor  50  generates the SET-RRAM-INDEX(0) command. The TransRram module  56  sets the rramIndex  66  to zero.  
         [0068]     Step  110 : The processor  50  checks the rramActive value  80 . If the rramActive value  80  equals zero, then the selected RRAM controller  24  has already finished execution of all of the tests, and should be omitted. In this case, the processor  50  goes to step  118 . Otherwise, it goes to step  111 .  
         [0069]     Step  111 : The processor  50  checks the limitcase value  48 . If the limitcase value  48  equals one, then the selected RRAM controller  24  has already finished execution of the current test. If the limitCase value  48  equals zero, then the processor  50  goes to step  118 . Otherwise, it goes to Step  112 .  
         [0070]     Step  112 : The processor  50  generates the GET-RESULT command. The TransRram module  56  performs the command and generates the RRAM command sequence  62  for retrieving the result  68  from the RRAM controller  24 .  
         [0071]     Step  113 : The processor  50  sequentially generates the READ-RESULT and the WRITE-FLARE commands. The TransFlare module  54  performs the commands and saves the test result  68  to the FLARE memory  26 .  
         [0072]     Step  114 : The processor  50  compares the testIndex value  82  and the maxTestIndex value  84  from the Param ROM  32 . If the testIndex value  82  equals the maxTestIndex value  84 , then all of the tests for the given RRAM controller  24  are finished. If so, then the processor  50  increments the number of the RRAM controllers  24  that have finished their test execution, generates the SET-RRAM-ACTIVE(0) command, and goes to step  118 . The TransInd module  52  sets the value of the rramactive  72  to zero, and sets the we value  74  to one. The ParamMaster module  34  saves the new value of the rramactive  72 .  
         [0073]     Step  115 : The processor  50  produces the INC-TEST-INDEX command. The TransInd module  52  increments the testIndex value  71  and sets the we value  74  to one. The ParamMaster module  34  saves the new value of the testIndex  71  for the current RRAM controller  24 .  
         [0074]     Step  116 : The processor  50  generates the UPDATE-TIME command. The TransInd module  52  updates the value of the rramTime port  70  and sets the we value  74  to one. The ParamMaster module  34  saves the new value of the rramTime  70 .  
         [0075]     Step  117 : The processor  50  produces the DO-RRAM-TEST command. The TransRram module  56  produces a RRAM controller  24  command sequence for starting the selected test on the RRAM controller  24  with index zero.  
         [0076]     Step  118 : The processor  50  analyzes the current value of the rramIndex  78 . If it is less then the biggest possible value, then the processor  50  generates the INC-RRAM-INDEX command and returns to step  110 . The TransRram module  56  performs this command and increments the value of the rramIndex  66 . Otherwise, the processor  50  goes to step  119 .  
         [0077]     Step  119 : The processor  50  checks the number of RRAM controllers  24  that have finished their test executions. If some of the RRAM controllers  24  are still working, then the processor  50  goes to step  109 , else it goes to step  120 .  
         [0078]     Step  120 : The processor  50  generates the GET-FLARE command. The TransFlare module  54  performs the command and outputs the FLARE  26  contents to the testRramOut port  22 .  
         [0079]     The foregoing description of preferred embodiments for this invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments are chosen and described in an effort to provide the best illustrations of the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.

Technology Category: 3