IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,299,458
Granted Patent B1
US 9,299,458 · App. 14/863,011 · Granted Mar 29, 2016

Voltage comparator circuit and usage thereof

Inventors: Lior Binyamini (Haifa, IL); Lidar Herooti (Haifa, IL); Noam Jungmann (Ramat Hahayal, IL); Elazar Kachir (Haifa, IL); Donald W. Plass (Poughkeepsie, NY); Hezi Shalom (Haifa, IL); Israel Wagner (Haifa, IL)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
G11C29/50G11C5/14G11C2029/5004
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,299,458
App. No.
14/863,011
Granted
Mar 29, 2016
Kind
B1
Abstract

A method for testing a circuit comprising a memory element, a voltage comparator and a supply selector, the circuit is configured to be connected to two power supplies, the voltage comparator is configured to provide an output indicative of a voltage difference between the two power supplies above a predetermined threshold, the supply selector is configured to select a power supply to feed power to the memory element in response to the output from the voltage comparator. The method comprises connecting the two power supplies to the circuit, wherein said connecting comprises causing the two power supplies to drive power to the memory element and to another element of the circuit, wherein the voltage different between the two power supplies is above the predetermined threshold. The method further comprises that in response to said connecting, the supply selector of the circuit is invoked and disconnects one power supply from the memory element; whereby stress testing the circuit, the stress testing tests the memory element without a voltage difference condition, the stress testing tests the another element with the voltage difference condition.

Claims (9)

1. A method for testing a circuit comprising a memory element, a voltage comparator and a supply selector, the circuit is configured to be connected to two power supplies, the voltage comparator is configured to provide an output indicative of a voltage difference between the two power supplies above a predetermined threshold, the supply selector is configured to select a power supply to feed power to the memory element in response to the output from the voltage comparator, the method comprising:

connecting the two power supplies to the circuit, wherein said connecting comprises causing the two power supplies to drive power to the memory element and to another element of the circuit, wherein the voltage different between the two power supplies is above the predetermined threshold; and

in response to said connecting, the supply selector of the circuit is invoked and disconnects one power supply from the memory element;

whereby stress testing the circuit, the stress testing tests the memory element without a voltage difference condition, the stress testing tests the another element with the voltage difference condition.

2. A method for testing a circuit comprising a memory element, a voltage comparator and a supply selector, the circuit is configured to be connected to two power supplies, the voltage comparator is configured to provide an output indicative of a voltage different between the two power supplies above a predetermined threshold, the supply selector is configured to select a power supply to feed power to the memory element in response to the output from the voltage comparator, the method comprising:

connecting the two power supplies to the circuit, wherein said connecting comprises causing the two power supplies to drive power to the memory element and to another element of the circuit, wherein the voltage difference between the two power supplies is below the predetermined threshold;

modifying at least one of the two power supplies thereby changing the voltage difference to be above the predetermined threshold

in response to said modifying, the supply selector of the circuit is invoked and disconnects one power supply from the memory element;

whereby stress testing the circuit, the stress testing tests the memory element with a voltage difference condition when the voltage difference is below the predetermined threshold and without the voltage difference condition when the voltage difference is above the predetermined threshold, the stress testing tests the another element with the voltage difference condition.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 19, 2026
From: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
To: KIDON IP CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 074125/0530 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 23, 2026
From: KIDON IP CORPORATION
To: CAPROCK INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 073866/0504 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 23, 2026
From: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
To: KIDON IP CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 074975/0477 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 23, 2015
From: BINYAMINI, LIOR; HEROOTI, LIDAR; JUNGMANN, NOAM; KACHIR, ELAZAR; PLASS, DONALD W.; SHALOM, HEZI; WAGNER, ISRAEL
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 036638/0097 →
Continuity (1)
Continuation 14476886 · Sep 4, 2014