IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,461,148
Granted Patent B2
US 12,461,148 · App. 18/734,226 · Granted Nov 4, 2025

3D stacked die test architecture

Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel (Parker, TX)
Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
G01R31/318555G01R31/31723G01R31/31724G01R31/31725G01R31/3177G01R31/318508G01R31/318513G01R31/318597
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,461,148
App. No.
18/734,226
Granted
Nov 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

This disclosure describes a test architecture that supports a common approach to testing individual die and dies in a 3D stack arrangement. The test architecture uses an improved TAP design to facilitate the testing of parallel test circuits within the die.

Claims (70)

1 . A device comprising:

a parallel test data input (PTDI) bus having a first PTDI line and a second PTDI line;

a parallel test data input/output (PTDIO) bus having a first PTDIO line and a second PTDIO line;

a first surface coupled to the PTDI bus and the PTDIO bus;

a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the second surface is coupled to the PTDI bus and the PTDIO bus;

a parallel test circuit coupled to the first PTDI line and the second PTDI line, wherein the parallel test circuit includes a first parallel test data output (PTDO) and a second PTDO; and

a test circuit coupled to the first PTDO, the second PTDO, the first PTDIO line, and the second PTDIO line.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the test circuit includes:

a first comparator coupled to the first PTDO and the first PTDIO line; and

a second comparator coupled to the second PTDO and the second PTDIO line.

3 . The device of claim 2 ,

wherein the first comparator is configurable to output a first fail signal based on a comparison of the first PTDO and the first PTDIO line, and

wherein the second comparator is configurable to output a second fail signal based on a comparison of the second PTDO and the second PTDIO line.

4 . The device of claim 2 , further comprising a test access port (TAP) circuit coupled to the first comparator and the second comparator.

5 . The device of claim 1 ,

wherein the PTDIO bus further comprises a third PTDIO line, and

wherein the test circuit is configurable to output a fail signal on the third PTDIO line.

6 . The device of claim 5 , wherein the test circuit is configurable to output the fail signal based on:

a first comparison of the first PTDO to the first PTDIO line; and

a second comparison of the second PTDO to the second PTDIO line.

7 . The device of claim 5 , wherein the test circuit includes a tri-state buffer coupled to the third PTDIO line.

8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the test circuit is configurable to:

compare a data output on the first PTDO to data on the first PTDIO line; and

compare a data output on the second PTDO to data on the second PTDIO line.

9 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the test circuit is configurable to output a fail signal based on:

comparing the data output on the first PTDO to the data on the first PTDIO line; or

comparing the data output on the second PTDO to the data on the second PTDIO line.

10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the test circuit includes:

a first buffer coupled to the first PTDO and the first PTDIO line; and

a second buffer coupled to the second PTDO and the second PTDIO line.

11 . A system comprising:

a first die including:

a first parallel test data input (PTDI) bus;

a first parallel test data input/output (PTDIO) bus;

a first parallel test circuit coupled to the first PTDI bus, wherein the first parallel test circuit includes a first set of parallel test data outputs (PTDOs); and

a first test circuit coupled to the first set of PTDOs and the first PTDIO bus; and

a second die coupled to the first die, wherein the second die includes:

a second PTDI bus coupled to the first PTDI bus;

a second PTDIO bus coupled to the second PTDI bus;

a second parallel test circuit coupled to the second PTDI bus, wherein the second parallel test circuit includes a second set of PTDOs; and

a second test circuit coupled to the second set of PTDOs and the second PTDIO bus.

12 . The system of claim 11 ,

wherein the first test circuit includes a first comparator coupled to the first set of PTDOs and the first PTDIO bus, and

wherein the second test circuit includes a second comparator coupled to the second set of PTDOs and the second PTDIO bus.

13 . The system of claim 12 ,

wherein the first comparator is configurable to output a first fail signal to the first PTDIO bus based on a comparison of a signal on the first set of PTDOs and a signal on the first PTDIO bus, and

wherein the second comparator is configurable to output a second fail signal to the second PTDIO bus based on a comparison of a signal on the second set of PTDOs and a signal on the second PTDIO bus.

14 . The system of claim 11 ,

wherein the first test circuit includes a first buffer coupled to the first set of PTDOs and the first PTDIO bus, and

wherein the second test circuit includes a second buffer coupled to the second set of PTDOs and the second PTDIO bus.

15 . The system of claim 11 ,

wherein the first test circuit includes a first tri-state buffer coupled to the first PTDIO bus, and

wherein the second test circuit includes a second tri-state buffer coupled to the second PTDIO bus.

16 . A device comprising:

a parallel test data input/output (PTDIO) bus having a first PTDIO line, a second PTDIO line, and a third PTDIO line;

a first surface coupled to the PTDIO bus;

a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the second surface is coupled to the PTDIO bus;

a parallel test circuit including a first parallel test data output (PTDO) and a second PTDO;

a first comparator coupled to the first PTDO and the first PTDIO line, wherein the first comparator includes a first comparator output;

a second comparator coupled to the second PTDO and the second PTDIO line, wherein the second comparator includes a second comparator output; and

a gate circuit coupled to the first comparator output and the second comparator output,

wherein the gate circuit includes an output coupled to the third PTDIO line.

17 . The device of claim 16 ,

a first buffer coupled to the first PTDO and the PTDIO bus; and

a second buffer coupled to the second PTDO and the PTDIO bus.

18 . The device of claim 16 , further comprising a tri-state buffer coupled to the output of the gate circuit, wherein the tri-state buffer includes an output coupled to the PTDIO bus.

19 . The device of claim 18 , further comprising an enable line coupled to the first comparator, the second comparator, and the tri-state buffer.

20 . The device of claim 16 , further comprising an enable line coupled to the first comparator and the second comparator,

wherein the first comparator is configured to compare first data on the first PTDO and second data from the PTDIO bus in response to a signal on the enable line, and

wherein the second comparator is configured to compare third data on the second PTDO and fourth data from the PTDIO bus in response to the signal on the enable line.

Continuity (12)
Division 18208366 · Jun 12, 2023
Division 17885472 · Aug 10, 2022
Division 17323666 · May 18, 2021
Division 16718453 · Dec 18, 2019
Division 16229647 · Dec 21, 2018
Division 15652911 · Jul 18, 2017
Division 15340507 · Nov 1, 2016
Division 14978752 · Dec 22, 2015
Division 14547830 · Nov 19, 2014
Division 13587522 · Aug 16, 2012
Provisional Application 61524632 · Aug 17, 2011
Related Publication 20240319274A1 · Sep 26, 2024
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