Circuit for testing monitoring circuit and operating method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11698406-B2
Application number	US-202016925389-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2020
Priority date	Dec 9, 2019
Publication date	Jul 11, 2023
Grant date	Jul 11, 2023

Abstract

A test circuit for testing a monitoring circuit includes: a ramp generator configured to generate a ramp signal in response to an activated first control signal; a counter configured to count pulses of a clock signal in response to the activated first control signal; at least one register configured to store an output value of the counter based on a change in at least one output signal generated by the monitoring circuit in response to the ramp signal in a test mode; and a controller configured to generate the first control signal and verify the monitoring circuit based on a ratio of a value stored in the at least one register to a duration during which the first control signal is activated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A test circuit for testing a monitoring circuit, the test circuit comprising:
a ramp generator configured to generate a ramp signal in response to activation of a first control signal;
a counter configured to count pulses of a clock signal in response to the activation of the first control signal;
at least one register configured to store an output value of the counter based on a change in an output signal generated by the monitoring circuit in response to the ramp signal; and
a controller configured to generate the first control signal, wherein the first control signal is configured to cause the monitoring circuit to be set to a test mode in response to the activation of the first control signal, and
wherein the controller is further configured to verify operation of the monitoring circuit based on a ratio of at least one value stored in the at least one register, wherein the at least one value is obtained while the monitoring circuit is set to the test mode.

2. The test circuit of claim 1 , wherein the ramp generator comprises a capacitor and a current source and is configured to generate the ramp signal by charging or discharging the capacitor with a current generated by the current source.

3. The test circuit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a reference register configured to store the output value of the counter at a time at which the first control signal is deactivated, and
wherein the controller is further configured to verify operation of the monitoring circuit based on the ratio of a value stored in the reference register and the at least one value stored in the at least one register.

4. The test circuit of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to deactivate the activated first control signal based on the output value of the counter exceeding a reference value.

5. The test circuit of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to verify operation of the monitoring circuit based on a ratio of the reference value to the at least one value stored in the at least one register.

6. The test circuit of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to generate a second control signal, and
wherein the ramp generator is configured to adjust a slope of the ramp signal based on the second control signal.

7. The test circuit of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to generate the second control signal so as to cause a decrease in the slope of the ramp signal during a candidate period that includes a time at which the change in the output signal is expected.

8. The test circuit of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to obtain allowable time information for testing of the monitoring circuit, and generate the second control signal based on the allowable time information.

9. The test circuit of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to generate a third control signal, and
wherein the test circuit further comprises a clock generator configured to generate the clock signal with a frequency that is based on the third control signal.

10. The test circuit of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to generate the third control signal so as to cause an increase in the frequency of the clock signal during a candidate period that includes a time at which the change in the output signal is expected.

11. The test circuit of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to obtain resolution information for testing of the monitoring circuit, and generate the third control signal based on the resolution information.

12. The test circuit of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine that operation of the monitoring circuit is successful when the ratio falls within a reference range.

13. The test circuit of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to update the reference range.

14. The test circuit of claim 1 , wherein the change in the output signal occurs when the ramp signal crosses a lower limit or an upper limit, and
wherein the ramp generator is configured to generate the ramp signal so as to cross both the lower limit and the upper limit during a period in which the first control signal is activated.

15. The test circuit of claim 14 , wherein the at least one register comprises:
a first register configured to store a first value output by the counter when a change in the output signal occurs in relation to the lower limit; and
a second register configured to store a second value output by the counter when a change in the output signal occurs in relation to the upper limit, and
wherein the controller is further configured to determine that operation of the monitoring circuit is successful when a first ratio corresponding to the first value stored in the first register falls within a first reference range, and a second ratio corresponding to the second value stored in the second register falls within a second reference range.

16. The test circuit of claim 14 , wherein the change in the output signal occurs when the ramp signal crosses a short circuit level lower than the lower limit, and
wherein the ramp generator is configured to generate the ramp signal so as to cross the short circuit level during a period in which the first control signal is activated.

17. The test circuit of claim 16 , wherein the at least one register comprises a third register configured to store a third value output by the counter when the change in the output signal occurs, and
wherein the controller is configured to determine that operation of the monitoring circuit is a failure when a third ratio corresponding to the third value stored in the third register does not fall within a third reference range.

18. A system comprising:
a main circuit configured to perform at least one function and generate an object signal;
a monitoring circuit configured to monitor the object signal during a normal mode and monitor a ramp signal during a test mode; and
a test circuit configured as a built-in, self-test for the monitoring circuit, and further configured to generate the ramp signal and test the monitoring circuit based on a ratio between a first period during which the ramp signal is generated, and a second period determined by a change in an output signal of the monitoring circuit in response to the ramp signal.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the monitoring circuit is set to the test mode before the main circuit begins performing of the function, and is set to the normal mode after successful testing is performed by the test circuit.

20. A method of testing a monitoring circuit, the method comprising:
while the monitoring circuit is set to a first mode, monitoring, using the monitoring circuit, an object signal generated by a main circuit;
setting the monitoring circuit to a second mode; and
while the monitoring circuit is set to the second mode
generating a ramp signal,
providing the ramp signal to the monitoring circuit,
counting pulses of a clock signal while the ramp signal is generated,
storing a first count value based on a first period determined by a change in an output signal of the monitoring circuit, and
verifying operation of the monitoring circuit based on a ratio of the first count value and a second count value based on a second period corresponding to generation of the ramp signal.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nam Hyunseok
• Lee Sangyoung

Classifications

• G01R31/2856

  Internal circuit aspects, e.g. built-in test features; Test chips; Measuring material aspects, e.g. electro migration [EM] · CPC title

• G01R31/2829 Primary

  Testing of circuits in sensor or actuator systems (testing of apparatus for measuring electric or magnetic variables G01R35/00; testing of indicating or recording apparatus G01D; in airbag systems B60R21/0173; checking gas analysers G01N33/007; monitoring or fail-safe circuits for electromagnets H01F7/1844) · CPC title

• G01R31/3167

  Testing of combined analog and digital circuits {(testing ADC's H03M1/1071)} · CPC title

• G01R35/00 Primary

  Testing or calibrating of apparatus covered by the other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• G01R31/2827 Primary

  Testing of electronic protection circuits (testing switches G01R31/327; checking alarm systems G08B29/00; self test of summation current transformers H02H3/335) · CPC title