Method for outputting LSI internal information

Abstract

This method for outputting LSI internal information is an LSI method in which internal information pertaining to an LSI including a plurality of dies is outputted, wherein the plurality of dies include a first die (30) and a second die (40). The method for outputting LSI internal information comprises: an internal information acquisition step (S10) for acquiring first internal information within the first die (30); an ID acquisition step (S12) for acquiring a first ID, which is identification information for the first die (30) in the first internal information; a die ID acquisition step (S14) for acquiring a first die ID, which is identification information for the first die (30); a hierarchical information generation step (S16) for generating first hierarchical information in which the first internal information is associated with the first ID and the first die ID; and an output step (S18) for outputting the first hierarchical information from the LSI. Neither the information for associating the first internal information with the first ID nor the information for associating the first die with the first die ID is present inside the first die (30).

Description

LSI internal information output method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for outputting internal information of an LSI (Large Scale Integration circuit).

[0002] Conventionally, the reliability of LSIs has been ensured by conducting screening tests after manufacture and before shipping, and only those that pass the tests are shipped, taking into account deterioration over time. However, as LSIs are increasingly being used in applications that require higher reliability, such as automotive applications, consideration has been given to analyzing the presence or absence of failures and predicting failures even while the LSI is actually in use. For these analyses, technologies have been disclosed that monitor signal delays and the like within the LSI, send the monitoring results over a network to an analysis server, and then perform the analysis on the analysis server (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3).

[0003] There are also known methods for extracting information from within an LSI to the outside, such as a method in which the LSI outputs information in response to an inquiry from outside the LSI using a scan path used during testing.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-172206 Special Publication No. 2023-532942 Special Publication No. 2021-503091

[0005] The analysis server must consider not only current monitoring results but also accumulated past monitoring results, such as whether the current monitoring results are worsening compared to the past state of the LSI. It is also assumed that one analysis server analyzes LSIs installed in multiple products. Furthermore, one LSI may contain multiple dies, each of which may have a monitoring location, so multiple monitoring results may be output from one LSI. Therefore, the analysis server must accurately identify which monitoring location on the LSI the monitoring results sent to it refer to.

[0006] In the case of the output of internal information from a conventional LSI, the external device inquires about the internal information in advance, so the external device can identify in advance what information it will receive from the LSI. However, when multiple LSIs individually output internal information to the analysis server as described above, the conventional method cannot identify each piece of internal information.

[0007] Furthermore, Patent Documents 1 to 3 only disclose cases where an external device and an LSI are one-to-one related, and therefore the techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3 cannot be applied to cases where a single analysis server is used to analyze multiple LSIs.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an LSI internal information output method that enables the internal information of an LSI including multiple dies to be analyzed by a single analysis server.

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, an LSI internal information output method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is an LSI internal information output method that outputs internal information of an LSI that includes a plurality of dies and is packaged as a single package, wherein the plurality of dies include a first die and a second die different from the first die, and the LSI internal information output method includes an internal information acquisition step of acquiring first internal information in the first die, an ID acquisition step of acquiring a first ID that is identification information for the first die in the first internal information, a die ID acquisition step of acquiring a first die ID that is identification information for the first die by associating it with the first internal information, a hierarchical information generation step of generating first hierarchical information that associates the first internal information with the first ID and the first die ID, and an output step of outputting the first hierarchical information from the LSI, wherein information that associates the first internal information with the first ID and information that associates the first die with the first die ID do not exist inside the first die.

[0010] These comprehensive or specific aspects may be realized as a system, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, or a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, or may be realized as any combination of a system, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, and a recording medium.

[0011] The present disclosure can provide an LSI internal information output method that enables internal information of an LSI including multiple dies to be analyzed by a single analysis server.

[0012] 1 is a block diagram showing an overview of an information processing system to which an LSI internal information output method according to an embodiment is applied; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of functions related to an LSI internal information output method for a first LSI according to an embodiment; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing information included in each piece of hierarchical information generated by a hierarchical information generating unit according to an embodiment; FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of functions related to an LSI internal information output method for a communication interface according to an embodiment; FIG. 5 is a diagram showing information included in each piece of LSI hierarchical information according to an embodiment; FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an LSI internal information output method according to an embodiment; FIG. 7 is a diagram showing information included in first hierarchical information according to a first modification of an embodiment; FIG. 8 is a diagram showing information included in first LSI hierarchical information according to a second modification of an embodiment;

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that each of the embodiments described below represents a specific example of the present disclosure. The numerical values, shapes, materials, specifications, components, component placement and connection configurations, steps, and step order shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Furthermore, among the components in the following embodiments, components that are not described in the independent claims that represent the highest concept of the present disclosure will be described as optional components. Furthermore, each drawing is not necessarily an exact illustration. In each drawing, substantially identical components are assigned the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions may be omitted or simplified.

[0014] (Embodiment) An LSI internal information output method according to an embodiment will be described. The LSI internal information output method according to this embodiment is a method for outputting internal information of an LSI that includes multiple dies and is packaged as a single package. Below, an example of a device configuration to which the LSI internal information output method according to this embodiment is applied, and details of the LSI internal information output method will be described.

[0015] [1. Device Configuration Example] First, an example of a device configuration to which the LSI internal information output method according to this embodiment is applied will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an overview of an information processing system 1 to which the LSI internal information output method according to this embodiment is applied. Fig. 1 also shows an analysis server 2. The analysis server 2 is a server that acquires internal information of one or more LSIs included in the information processing system 1 and analyzes the state of each LSI based on the internal information.

[0016] An information processing system 1 will be described as an example of a device configuration to which a method for outputting LSI internal information according to this embodiment is applied. The information processing system 1 is a system that includes an LSI and performs information processing. In this embodiment, the information processing system 1 includes one or more LSIs and a communication interface 80, as shown in FIG. 1. Note that, hereinafter, the communication interface may be referred to as a communication I / F, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0017] In the information processing system 1 shown in FIG. 1, the one or more LSIs include a first LSI 11, a second LSI 12, and a third LSI 13. Each LSI includes multiple dies. Each of the multiple dies included in each LSI may or may not be packaged. Furthermore, the multiple dies may be mounted on a single mounting substrate, or one of the multiple dies may have another die mounted on it.

[0018] Each LSI outputs internal information of at least one die among the multiple dies included in the LSI. Here, the internal information is information indicating the internal state of the die. The internal information may be, for example, information indicating the deterioration state of the die. Specifically, the internal information may include at least one of information corresponding to the operating voltage of each die and information corresponding to the temperature of the die. The internal information may also include signal delays, clock jitter, etc. within the die.

[0019] The detailed configuration of one or more LSIs included in the information processing system 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of functions related to the LSI internal information output method of the first LSI 11 according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the second LSI 12 and the third LSI 13 also have the same configuration as the first LSI 11, and therefore a description of their detailed configurations will be omitted.

[0020] 2, the first LSI 11 includes an information generating die 20, a first die 30, and a second die 40. The first LSI 11 may include other dies in addition to these dies. In this embodiment, data communication is performed between the communication interface 80 (see FIG. 1), the information generating die 20, the first die 30, and the second die 40 using a serial transmission method.

[0021] The first die 30 is an element on which a semiconductor integrated circuit is formed. The first die 30 includes input ports Pi11 and Pi12, output ports Po11 and Po12, a first information output unit 31, and a second information output unit 32.

[0022] The input port Pi11 is a port to which a signal output from the information generating die 20 is input. In this embodiment, the signal input to the input port Pi11 is transmitted to the output port Po12 as is.

[0023] The input port Pi12 is a port to which a signal output from the second die 40 is input. In this embodiment, the signal input to the input port Pi12 is transmitted to the second information output unit 32.

[0024] The output port Po11 is a port that outputs a signal from the first die 30 to the information generating die 20. In the present embodiment, a signal output from the first information output unit 31 is output to the information generating die 20 via the output port Po11.

[0025] The output port Po12 is a port that outputs a signal from the first die 30 to the second die 40. In this embodiment, a signal input to the input port Pi11 is output to the second die 40 from the output port Po12 as is.

[0026] The first information output unit 31 is a processing unit that outputs first internal information in the first die 30. In this embodiment, the first information output unit 31 acquires the first internal information and outputs it to the output port Po11. The first information output unit 31 has, for example, a monitor circuit (not shown) including a sensor that acquires information corresponding to the first internal information. The first information output unit 31 is configured to generate the first internal information based on an output signal of the sensor and store the first internal information in a shift register or the like within the first information output unit 31.

[0027] The first internal information may be generated, for example, immediately after the first LSI 11 is started up. Specifically, the first internal information may be generated in a test routine that is executed first after the first LSI 11 is started up. Alternatively, the first internal information may be generated immediately before the first LSI 11 stops operating. Specifically, the first internal information may be generated after a signal that stops the operation of the first LSI 11 is input to the first LSI 11 or the information processing system 1.

[0028] The first information output unit 31 receives a signal from the second information output unit 32 and outputs the signal as is to the output port Po11. The first information output unit 31 includes, for example, a shift register using a flip-flop circuit. If the first die 30 has a scan path for the test mode, part of the scan path may be used in the first information output unit 31.

[0029] The second information output unit 32 is a processing unit that outputs second internal information about the first die 30. The second internal information is internal information different from the first internal information. The second internal information may correspond to, for example, information about the same test target as the first internal information, acquired by a sensor other than the sensor used to acquire the first internal information. In this embodiment, the second information output unit 32 acquires the second internal information and outputs it to the first information output unit 31. The second information output unit 32 has, for example, a monitor circuit (not shown) including a sensor that acquires information corresponding to the second internal information. The second information output unit 32 is configured to generate second internal information based on an output signal from the sensor and store the second internal information in a shift register or the like within the second information output unit 32.

[0030] Furthermore, the second information output unit 32 receives a signal from the input port Pi12 and outputs the signal as is to the first information output unit 31. In this embodiment, the third internal information and the fourth internal information of the second die 40 are input to the second information output unit 32 via the input port Pi12. The second information output unit 32 includes, for example, a shift register using a flip-flop circuit, similar to the first information output unit 31. Furthermore, if the first die 30 has a scan path for the test mode, a part of the scan path may be used in the second information output unit 32.

[0031] The second die 40 is an element on which a semiconductor integrated circuit is formed, and is different from the first die 30. The second die 40 may be a die separate from the first die 30, and may have the same configuration as the first die 30. The second die 40 includes an input port Pi21, an output port Po21, a third information output unit 43, and a fourth information output unit 44.

[0032] The input port Pi21 is a port to which a signal output from the first die 30 is input. In this embodiment, the signal input to the input port Pi21 is transmitted to the fourth information output unit 44 as is.

[0033] The output port Po21 is a port that outputs a signal from the second die 40 to the first die 30. In the present embodiment, a signal output from the third information output unit 43 is output to the first die 30 via the output port Po21.

[0034] The third information output unit 43 is a processing unit that outputs third internal information in the second die 40. In this embodiment, the third information output unit 43 acquires the third internal information and outputs it to the output port Po21. The third information output unit 43 has, for example, a monitor circuit (not shown) including a sensor that acquires information corresponding to the third internal information. The third information output unit 43 is configured to generate the third internal information based on an output signal of the sensor and store the third internal information in a shift register or the like within the third information output unit 43.

[0035] The third information output unit 43 receives a signal from the fourth information output unit 44 and outputs the signal as is to the output port Po21. The third information output unit 43 includes, for example, a shift register using a flip-flop circuit. If the second die 40 has a scan path for the test mode, part of the scan path may be used in the third information output unit 43.

[0036] The fourth information output unit 44 is a processing unit that outputs fourth internal information about the second die 40. The fourth internal information is internal information different from the third internal information. For example, the fourth internal information may correspond to information about the same inspection target as the third internal information, but acquired by a sensor other than the sensor used to acquire the third internal information. In this embodiment, the fourth information output unit 44 acquires the fourth internal information and outputs it to the third information output unit 43. The fourth information output unit 44 has, for example, a monitor circuit (not shown) including a sensor that acquires information corresponding to the fourth internal information. The fourth information output unit 44 is configured to generate fourth internal information based on an output signal from the sensor and store the fourth internal information in a shift register or the like within the fourth information output unit 44.

[0037] The fourth information output unit 44 receives a signal from the input port Pi21 and outputs the signal as is to the third information output unit 43. The fourth information output unit 44 includes, for example, a shift register using a flip-flop circuit, similar to the third information output unit 43. If the second die 40 has a scan path for the test mode, part of the scan path may be used in the fourth information output unit 44.

[0038] The information generating die 20 is a processing unit that generates first hierarchical information including the first internal information. In this embodiment, the information generating die 20 further generates second hierarchical information including the second internal information, third hierarchical information including the third internal information, and fourth hierarchical information including the fourth internal information. The information generating die 20 outputs the first hierarchical information, the second hierarchical information, the third hierarchical information, and the fourth hierarchical information to the communication interface 80 (see FIG. 1). The information generating die 20 may be capable of generating the hierarchical information using a sequencer incorporated in the circuit design stage of the information generating die 20, or may be capable of generating the hierarchical information programmably using a processor or the like.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 2, the information generating die 20 has input ports Pi01 and Pi02, output ports Po01 and Po02, an acquiring unit 21, a storage unit 26, and a hierarchical information generating unit 28.

[0040] The input port Pi01 is a port to which a signal input to the first LSI 11 is input. In this embodiment, the signal input to the input port Pi01 is transmitted to the output port Po02 as is.

[0041] The input port Pi02 is a port to which a signal output from the first die 30 is input. In this embodiment, the signal input to the input port Pi02 is transmitted to the acquisition unit 21.

[0042] The output port Po01 is a port that outputs a signal from the information generating die 20 to the outside of the first LSI 11. In this embodiment, the signal output from the hierarchical information generating unit 28 is output to the communication interface 80 (see FIG. 1) via the output port Po01.

[0043] The output port Po02 is a port that outputs a signal from the information generating die 20 to the first die 30. In this embodiment, a signal input to the input port Pi01 is output directly from the output port Po02 to the first die 30.

[0044] The storage unit 26 stores information necessary for extracting the first internal information from the signal input to the information generating die 20. Specifically, the storage unit 26 stores information indicating the bit position indicating the first internal information in the bit string indicated by the signal input from the input port Pi02 of the information generating die 20. In the present embodiment, the storage unit 26 also stores information indicating the bit positions indicating each of the second internal information, the third internal information, and the fourth internal information in the bit string indicated by the signal input from the input port Pi02 of the information generating die 20.

[0045] In this embodiment, the storage unit 26 stores a first ID (Identification Data) which is identification information of the first die 30 in the first internal information. The storage unit 26 also stores a second ID which is identification information of the first die 30 in the second internal information, a third ID which is identification information of the second die 40 in the third internal information, and a fourth ID which is identification information of the second die 40 in the fourth internal information.

[0046] The first ID is identification information for identifying the first internal information from among the multiple pieces of internal information in the first die 30. In this embodiment, the first ID may be identification information that can identify the first internal information from the first internal information and the second internal information. For example, the first ID may be 1, and the second ID, which is identification information in the first die 30 of the second internal information, may be 0.

[0047] Similarly to the first ID and the second ID, a third ID, which is identification information of the third internal information in the second die 40, and a fourth ID, which is identification information of the fourth internal information in the second die 40, are set. The third ID is identification information for identifying the third internal information from among the multiple pieces of internal information in the second die 40. In this embodiment, the third ID may be identification information that can identify the third internal information from the third internal information and the fourth internal information. For example, the third ID may be 1, and the fourth ID, which is identification information of the fourth internal information in the second die 40, may be 0.

[0048] The storage unit 26 also stores information associating the first internal information with the first ID, information associating the second internal information with the second ID, information associating the third internal information with the third ID, and information associating the fourth internal information with the fourth ID. Note that the information associating the first internal information with the first ID and the information associating the second internal information with the second ID do not exist in the first die 30 (and the second die 40), and the information associating the third internal information with the third ID and the information associating the fourth internal information with the fourth ID do not exist in the second die 40 (and the first die 30).

[0049] In this embodiment, the storage unit 26 stores a first die ID, which is identification information of the first die 30. The storage unit 26 also stores a second die ID, which is identification information of the second die 40. The storage unit 26 stores information associating the first die 30 with the first die ID, and information associating the second die 40 with the second die ID. Note that the information associating the first die 30 with the first die ID and the information associating the second die 40 with the second die ID do not exist inside the first die 30 and the second die 40.

[0050] The acquisition unit 21 is a processing unit that acquires information including the first internal information. A signal input to the input port Pi02 of the information generating die 20 is transmitted, and information including the first internal information is acquired from the signal. The signal transmitted to the acquisition unit 21 includes the first internal information and the second internal information of the first die 30, and the third internal information and the fourth internal information of the second die 40. The acquisition unit 21 outputs the information including the first internal information to the hierarchical information generating unit 28. Specifically, the acquisition unit 21 outputs the first internal information, the second internal information, the third internal information, the fourth internal information, the first ID, the second ID, the third ID, the fourth ID, the first die ID, and the second die ID to the hierarchical information generating unit 28. In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 21 includes an internal information acquisition unit 22, an ID acquisition unit 23, and a die ID acquisition unit 24.

[0051] The internal information acquisition unit 22 is a processing unit that acquires first internal information from the first die 30. In this embodiment, the internal information acquisition unit 22 also acquires second internal information from the first die 30, and third internal information and fourth internal information from the second die 40. The internal information acquisition unit 22 extracts the first internal information from a signal input from the input port Pi02 of the information generating die 20 based on information stored in the storage unit 26. In this embodiment, the internal information acquisition unit 22 acquires the second internal information, third internal information, and fourth internal information as well as the first internal information. The first internal information and the second internal information may be included in, for example, a signal output from the first die 30. Furthermore, the third internal information and the fourth internal information may be included in, for example, a signal output from the second die 40. In this case, the internal information acquisition unit 22 may acquire the first internal information, second internal information, third internal information, and fourth internal information by extracting them from the signal input to the information generating die 20.

[0052] The ID acquisition unit 23 is a processing unit that acquires a first ID, which is identification information for the first die 30 of the first internal information. In the present embodiment, the first ID is stored in the storage unit 26 as information associated with the first internal information. The ID acquisition unit 23 acquires the first ID from the storage unit 26. In the present embodiment, the second ID, the third ID, and the fourth ID are stored in the storage unit 26 as information associated with the second internal information, the third internal information, and the fourth internal information, respectively. The ID acquisition unit 23 acquires the second ID, the third ID, and the fourth ID from the storage unit 26 in the same way as the first ID.

[0053] The die ID acquisition unit 24 is a processing unit that acquires a first die ID, which is identification information of the first die 30, in association with the first internal information. In this embodiment, the first die ID is stored in the storage unit 26 in association with the first internal information. The die ID acquisition unit 24 acquires the first die ID from the storage unit 26. In this embodiment, the first die ID is stored in the storage unit 26 in association with the first internal information and the second internal information. Furthermore, the second die ID is stored in the storage unit 26 in association with the third internal information and the fourth internal information. The die ID acquisition unit 24 acquires the first die ID from the storage unit 26 in association with the first internal information and the second internal information. Furthermore, the die ID acquisition unit 24 acquires the second die ID from the storage unit 26 in association with the third internal information and the fourth internal information.

[0054] The layered information generating unit 28 generates first layered information that associates the first internal information with the first ID and the first die ID. Each piece of layered information generated by the layered information generating unit 28 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing information included in each piece of layered information generated by the layered information generating unit 28 according to this embodiment.

[0055] In this embodiment, in addition to the first hierarchical information, the hierarchical information generator 28 generates second hierarchical information that associates the second internal information with the second ID and the first die ID, third hierarchical information that associates the third internal information with the third ID and the second die ID, and fourth hierarchical information that associates the fourth internal information with the fourth ID and the second die ID (see FIG. 3 ). The hierarchical information generator 28 outputs the generated first hierarchical information, second hierarchical information, third hierarchical information, and fourth hierarchical information from output port Po01 to the communication interface 80 (see FIG. 1 ).

[0056] The hierarchical information generating unit 28 may generate each piece of hierarchical information each time a piece of internal information is generated and output, or may not generate the hierarchical information. For example, if it determines based on a predetermined rule that output of the first internal information is unnecessary, it may not generate the first hierarchical information, or may reduce the amount of information in the first hierarchical information. For example, if the hierarchical information generating unit 28 determines that output of the first internal information is unnecessary, it may generate first hierarchical information that does not include information corresponding to the first internal information. The hierarchical information generating unit 28 may determine whether output of the first internal information is unnecessary based on a comparison between a value corresponding to the first internal information and a reference value. The reference value may be stored in the storage unit 26, for example, or may be input to the first LSI 11 from outside.

[0057] The first die 30, the second die 40, and the information generating die 20 described above have functional configurations other than the functional configuration shown in Fig. 2. Of the functional configurations of the first die 30, the second die 40, and the information generating die 20, Fig. 2 shows only the functional configurations related to the LSI internal information output method, and the other functional configurations are not shown.

[0058] The communication interface 80 is an interface for communicating with communication devices external to the information processing system 1. The communication interface 80 transmits analysis information including the first hierarchical information to the analysis server 2 that analyzes the state of the first LSI 11. The communication interface 80 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of functions related to the LSI internal information output method of the communication interface 80 according to this embodiment.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 4, the communication interface 80 according to this embodiment has input ports Pi81, Pi82, Pi83, and Pi84, output ports Po81, Po82, Po83, and Po84, an acquisition unit 81, a memory unit 86, an LSI hierarchical information generation unit 88, and a communication unit 89.

[0060] The input port Pi81 is a port to which a signal output from the first LSI 11 is input. In this embodiment, the signal input to the input port Pi81 is transmitted to the acquisition unit 81.

[0061] The input port Pi82 is a port to which a signal output from the second LSI 12 is input. In this embodiment, the signal input to the input port Pi82 is transmitted to the acquisition unit 81.

[0062] The input port Pi83 is a port to which a signal output from the third LSI 13 is input. In this embodiment, the signal input to the input port Pi83 is transmitted to the acquisition unit 81.

[0063] The input port Pi84 is a port to which a signal is input from outside the information processing system 1. In this embodiment, the signal input to the input port Pi84 is transmitted to the communication unit 89.

[0064] The output port Po81 is a port that outputs a signal to the first LSI 11. In this embodiment, a signal output from the communication unit 89 is output to the first LSI 11 via the output port Po81.

[0065] The output port Po82 is a port that outputs a signal to the second LSI 12. In this embodiment, a signal output from the communication unit 89 is output to the second LSI 12 via the output port Po82.

[0066] The output port Po83 is a port that outputs a signal to the third LSI 13. In this embodiment, a signal output from the communication unit 89 is output to the third LSI 13 via the output port Po83.

[0067] The output port Po84 is a port that outputs a signal to the outside of the information processing system 1. In this embodiment, the signal output from the communication unit 89 is transmitted to the analysis server 2 via the output port Po84.

[0068] The storage unit 86 stores information associating the first LSI 11 with a first LSI ID, which is identification information of the first LSI 11. In this embodiment, the storage unit 86 stores the first LSI ID, and also stores information associating the first LSI ID with information included in a signal from the first LSI 11 input from the input port Pi81. In this embodiment, the storage unit 86 stores the second LSI ID and the third LSI ID, and also stores information associating the second LSI ID with information included in a signal from the second LSI 12 input from the input port Pi82, and information associating the third LSI ID with information included in a signal from the third LSI 13 input from the input port Pi83. Note that information associating the first LSI 11 with the first LSI ID does not exist inside the first LSI 11. Furthermore, information associating the second LSI 12 with the second LSI ID does not exist inside the second LSI 12, and information associating the third LSI 13 with the third LSI ID does not exist inside the third LSI 13.

[0069] The acquisition unit 81 is a processing unit that acquires first hierarchical information. The acquisition unit 81 further acquires a first LSI ID, which is identification information of the first LSI 11, in association with the first hierarchical information. In the present embodiment, the acquisition unit 81 acquires second hierarchical information, third hierarchical information, and fourth hierarchical information in addition to the first hierarchical information. The acquisition unit 81 acquires the first LSI ID, which is identification information of the first LSI 11, in association with the first hierarchical information, second hierarchical information, third hierarchical information, and fourth hierarchical information. The acquisition unit 81 further acquires hierarchical information (i.e., the first hierarchical information, etc.) from the second LSI 12 in the same manner as the first LSI 11, and acquires the second LSI ID, which is identification information of the second LSI 12, in association with the hierarchical information. The acquiring unit 81 further acquires hierarchical information from the third LSI 13 in the same manner as the first LSI 11, and acquires a third LSI ID, which is identification information of the third LSI 13, in association with the hierarchical information. As shown in FIG. 4 , the acquiring unit 81 includes a hierarchical information acquiring unit 82 and an LSI ID acquiring unit 84.

[0070] The hierarchical information acquisition unit 82 acquires first hierarchical information. In this embodiment, the hierarchical information acquisition unit 82 acquires hierarchical information from each LSI. For example, the hierarchical information acquisition unit 82 acquires first hierarchical information, second hierarchical information, third hierarchical information, and fourth hierarchical information from the first LSI 11. In this embodiment, the hierarchical information acquisition unit 82 acquires the first hierarchical information and the like from a signal from the first LSI 11 input to the input port Pi81. In addition, the hierarchical information acquisition unit 82 acquires hierarchical information of the second LSI 12 from a signal from the second LSI 12 input to the input port Pi82, and acquires hierarchical information of the third LSI 13 from a signal from the third LSI 13 input to the input port Pi83.

[0071] The LSI ID acquisition unit 84 is a processing unit that acquires a first LSI ID, which is identification information of the first LSI 11, in association with the first hierarchical information. In this embodiment, the LSI ID acquisition unit 84 acquires the first LSI ID, which is identification information of the first LSI 11, in association with the first hierarchical information, the second hierarchical information, the third hierarchical information, and the fourth hierarchical information. Similarly, the LSI ID acquisition unit 84 acquires a second LSI ID, which is identification information of the second LSI 12, and a third LSI ID, which is identification information of the third LSI 13. The LSI ID acquisition unit 84 acquires the first LSI ID, the second LSI ID, and the third LSI ID from the storage unit 86. The LSI ID acquisition unit 84 outputs the first hierarchical information and the first LSI ID that are associated with each other to the LSI hierarchical information generation unit 88. The LSI ID acquisition unit 84 also outputs the second hierarchical information and the second LSI ID that are associated with each other, and the third hierarchical information and the third LSI ID that are associated with each other to the LSI hierarchical information generation unit 88.

[0072] The LSI hierarchical information generating unit 88 is a processing unit that generates first LSI hierarchical information that associates the first hierarchical information with a first LSI ID. The LSI hierarchical information according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing information included in each LSI hierarchical information according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the LSI hierarchical information generating unit 88 generates second LSI hierarchical information that associates the second hierarchical information with the first LSI ID, third LSI hierarchical information that associates the third hierarchical information with the first LSI ID, and fourth LSI hierarchical information that associates the fourth hierarchical information with the first LSI ID (see FIG. 5). The LSI layered information generating unit 88 also generates LSI layered information that associates layered information related to the second LSI 12 with the second LSI ID, and LSI layered information that associates layered information related to the third LSI 13 with the third LSI ID. The LSI layered information generating unit 88 outputs each piece of LSI layered information to the communication unit 89.

[0073] The communication unit 89 is a processing unit that communicates with the outside of the information processing system 1. In this embodiment, the communication unit 89 communicates with the analysis server 2. Specifically, the communication unit 89 transmits analytical information indicating the state of each LSI included in the information processing system 1 to the analysis server 2. The communication mode used by the communication unit 89 is not particularly limited. For example, the communication unit 89 may communicate with the analysis server 2 via wired or wireless communication. The analytical information includes first hierarchical information. In this embodiment, the analytical information includes each LSI hierarchical information related to the first LSI 11, each LSI hierarchical information related to the second LSI 12, and each LSI hierarchical information related to the third LSI 13.

[0074] In this embodiment, the communication unit 89 adds to the analytical information a sender ID, which is identification information of the communication interface 80 that sends the analytical information, and time information regarding the time when the first internal information (or other internal information) was acquired. Here, the time information is information corresponding to any time between the time when the first internal information (or other internal information) was generated and the time when the analytical information was sent to the analysis server 2. The sender ID is, for example, an ID corresponding to a MAC address related to the communication interface 80.

[0075] The analysis server 2 is a server that analyzes the state of each of one or more LSIs included in the information processing system 1. The analysis server 2, for example, acquires internal information for each of multiple dies included in each LSI and analyzes the state of each of the multiple dies based on the internal information. The analysis server 2, for example, accumulates the acquired internal information and analyzes the deterioration state of each of the multiple dies included in each LSI. The analysis server 2 may, for example, analyze changes in the internal information over time based on the accumulated internal information and analyze the deterioration of each die based on the analysis results. The analysis server 2 may also, for example, acquire internal information from an LSI included in a device other than the information processing system 1. In this way, the analysis server 2 may acquire and analyze internal information from multiple LSIs in parallel.

[0076] [2. LSI Internal Information Output Method] An LSI internal information output method according to this embodiment will be described. The LSI internal information output method according to this embodiment is a method for outputting internal information of an LSI that includes multiple dies and is packaged as a single package. Below, an LSI internal information output method when using the above-described information processing system 1 (see FIGS. 1 to 5) will be described with reference to FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the LSI internal information output method according to this embodiment. Note that the following description will focus on the operation of the first LSI 11 of the information processing system 1. The operations of the second LSI 12 and the third LSI 13 are similar to those of the first LSI 11, and therefore will not be described here.

[0077] 6, in the LSI internal information output method according to this embodiment, first, the internal information acquisition unit 22 of the information generating die 20 acquires first internal information in the first die 30 (internal information acquisition step S10). In this embodiment, the first information output unit 31 of the first die 30 generates the first internal information.

[0078] In the internal information acquisition step S10 according to this embodiment, the internal information acquisition unit 22 of the information generating die 20 further acquires second internal information different from the first internal information in the first die 30. In this embodiment, the second information output unit 32 of the first die 30 generates the second internal information.

[0079] Furthermore, in the internal information acquisition step S10 according to this embodiment, the internal information acquisition unit 22 further acquires third internal information in the second die 40 and fourth internal information in the second die 40. In this embodiment, the third information output unit 43 of the second die 40 generates the third internal information, and the fourth information output unit 44 generates the fourth internal information.

[0080] The timing at which each piece of internal information, the first to fourth pieces of internal information, is generated is not particularly limited. For example, each piece of internal information may be generated immediately after the first LSI 11 starts up, or may be generated immediately before the first LSI 11 stops operating. Furthermore, each piece of internal information may be generated periodically, or may be generated based on an external instruction.

[0081] Next, the ID acquisition unit 23 of the information generating die 20 acquires a first ID, which is identification information of the first die 30 for the first internal information (ID acquisition step S12). In the ID acquisition step S12 according to this embodiment, the ID acquisition unit 23 further acquires a second ID, which is identification information of the first die 30 for the second internal information, a third ID, which is identification information of the second die 40 for the third internal information, and a fourth ID, which is identification information of the second die 40 for the fourth internal information. Note that information associating the first internal information with the first ID, information associating the second internal information with the second ID, information associating the third internal information with the third ID, and information associating the fourth internal information with the fourth ID do not exist inside the first die 30 and the second die 40. In this embodiment, the ID acquisition unit 23 associates each piece of internal information with each ID based on the information stored in the storage unit 26.

[0082] Next, the die ID acquisition unit 24 of the information generation die 20 acquires a first die ID, which is identification information of the first die 30, in association with the first internal information (die ID acquisition step S14). In the die ID acquisition step S14 according to this embodiment, the die ID acquisition unit 24 acquires the first die ID, which is identification information of the first die 30, in association with the second internal information, and acquires a second die ID, which is identification information of the second die 40, in association with each of the third internal information and the fourth internal information. Note that information associating the first die 30 with the first die ID and information associating the second die 40 with the second die ID do not exist inside the first die 30 and the second die 40. In this embodiment, the die ID acquisition unit 24 associates each die with each die ID based on the information stored in the storage unit 26.

[0083] Next, the hierarchical information generating unit 28 of the information generating die 20 generates first hierarchical information that associates the first internal information with the first ID and the first die ID (hierarchical information generating step S16). In the hierarchical information generating step S16 according to this embodiment, the hierarchical information generating unit 28 further generates second hierarchical information that associates the second internal information with the second ID and the first die ID, generates third hierarchical information that associates the third internal information with the third ID and the second die ID, and generates fourth hierarchical information that associates the fourth internal information with the fourth ID and the second die ID.

[0084] In the hierarchical information generating step S16, if it is determined based on a predetermined rule that output of each piece of internal information is unnecessary, each piece of hierarchical information may not be generated, or the amount of information of each piece of hierarchical information may be reduced. For example, in the hierarchical information generating step S16, it may be determined whether output of each piece of internal information is unnecessary based on a comparison between a value corresponding to each piece of internal information and a reference value.

[0085] Next, the layered information generating unit 28 outputs the first layered information from the first LSI 11 (output step S18). In the output step S18 according to the present embodiment, the layered information generating unit 28 further outputs the second layered information, the third layered information, and the fourth layered information. The layered information generating unit 28 also outputs each piece of layered information to the communication interface 80.

[0086] Next, the LSI ID acquisition unit 84 of the communication interface 80 acquires a first LSI ID, which is identification information of the first LSI 11, in association with the first hierarchical information input from the first die 30 (LSI ID acquisition step S20). In the LSI ID acquisition step S20 according to this embodiment, the LSI ID acquisition unit 84 acquires the first LSI ID, which is identification information of the first LSI 11, in association with the first hierarchical information, the second hierarchical information, the third hierarchical information, and the fourth hierarchical information. Note that each LSI ID does not exist inside each LSI. In this embodiment, each LSI ID is stored in the storage unit 86.

[0087] Next, the LSI hierarchical information generating unit 88 generates first LSI hierarchical information that associates the first hierarchical information with the first LSI ID (LSI hierarchical information generating step S22). In the LSI hierarchical information generating step S22 according to this embodiment, LSI hierarchical information that associates the first hierarchical information, the second hierarchical information, the third hierarchical information, and the fourth hierarchical information with the first LSI ID is generated. The LSI hierarchical information generating unit 88 generates second LSI hierarchical information that associates the second hierarchical information with the first LSI ID, third LSI hierarchical information that associates the third hierarchical information with the first LSI ID, and fourth LSI hierarchical information that associates the fourth hierarchical information with the first LSI ID. Note that information associating each LSI with each LSI ID does not exist inside each LSI. In this embodiment, the LSI ID acquisition unit 84 associates each LSI with each LSI ID based on information stored in the storage unit 86.

[0088] Next, the analytical information including the first hierarchical information is transmitted via the communication interface 80 to the analysis server 2 that analyzes the state of the first LSI 11 (transmission step S24). In this embodiment, the analytical information includes first LSI hierarchical information including the first hierarchical information, second LSI hierarchical information including the second hierarchical information, third LSI hierarchical information including the third hierarchical information, and fourth LSI hierarchical information including the fourth hierarchical information.

[0089] Furthermore, in the sending step S24, the communication interface 80 may add to the analytical information a sender ID, which is identification information of the communication interface 80 that sends the analytical information, and time information regarding the time when the first internal information was acquired. Here, the sender ID may correspond to a MAC address related to the communication interface 80. The time information is information corresponding to any time between the time when the first internal information is generated and the time when the analytical information is transmitted to the analysis server 2. Furthermore, the communication interface 80 may add to the analytical information time information regarding the time when the second internal information was acquired, the time information regarding the time when the third internal information was acquired, and the time information regarding the time when the fourth internal information was acquired.

[0090] The above-described method for outputting LSI internal information makes it possible to output to an analysis server analysis information including information associating each piece of internal information with the die identification information (die ID) and LSI identification information (LSI ID) corresponding to the internal information, thereby enabling the internal information of multiple LSIs to be analyzed by a single analysis server.

[0091] 3. Effects, etc. The effects, etc. of the LSI internal information output method according to this embodiment will be described.

[0092] The LSI internal information output method according to this embodiment is an LSI internal information output method for outputting internal information of a first LSI 11 which is an example of an LSI including a plurality of dies and formed into a single package, the plurality of dies including a first die 30 and a second die 40 different from the first die 30. The LSI internal information output method includes an internal information acquisition step S10 for acquiring first internal information in the first die 30, an ID acquisition step S12 for acquiring a first ID which is identification information of the first die 30 in the first internal information, a die ID acquisition step S14 for acquiring a first die ID which is identification information of the first die 30 in association with the first internal information, a hierarchical information generation step S16 for generating first hierarchical information which associates the first internal information with the first ID and the first die ID, and an output step S18 for outputting the first hierarchical information from the first LSI 11. The information associating the first internal information with the first ID and the information associating the first die 30 with the first die ID do not exist inside the first die 30 .

[0093] According to the LSI internal information output method of this embodiment, first hierarchical information is output, which associates first internal information, which is internal information related to the first die 30, a first die ID, which is identification information for the first die 30, and a first ID, which is identification information for the first die 30, of the first internal information. Therefore, for example, when the analysis server 2 acquires the first hierarchical information, it can identify which die in the first LSI 11 the first internal information included in the first hierarchical information corresponds to. Therefore, it becomes possible to analyze the internal information of the first LSI 11 including multiple dies with a single analysis server 2.

[0094] In the internal information acquisition step S10 of the LSI internal information output method according to this embodiment, second internal information different from the first internal information in the first die 30 is further acquired, in the ID acquisition step S12, a second ID which is identification information for the second internal information in the first die 30 is further acquired, in the hierarchical information generation step S16, second hierarchical information which associates the second internal information with the second ID and the first die ID is further generated, and in the output step S18, the second hierarchical information may further be output.

[0095] In this way, when two pieces of internal information are output from the first die 30, each piece of internal information is output as hierarchical information including identification information for the first die 30 and identification information for the first die 30, so that the analysis server 2 can identify which internal information each piece of internal information belongs to which die included in the first LSI 11.

[0096] In the internal information acquisition step S10 of the LSI internal information output method according to this embodiment, third internal information in the second die 40 is further acquired, in the ID acquisition step S12, a third ID which is identification information of the third internal information in the second die 40 is further acquired, in the die ID acquisition step S14, a second die ID which is identification information of the second die 40 is further associated with the third internal information, in the hierarchical information generation step S16, third hierarchical information which associates the third internal information with the third ID and the second die ID is further generated, and in the output step S18, the third hierarchical information may further be output.

[0097] In this way, when internal information is output from each die of the first LSI 11, each piece of internal information is output as hierarchical information including the identification information for each die of the internal information and the identification information for each die, so that the analysis server 2 can identify which internal information each piece of internal information belongs to which die included in the first LSI 11.

[0098] The LSI internal information output method of this embodiment includes an LSI ID acquisition step S20 of acquiring a first LSI ID, which is identification information of the first LSI 11, in association with the first hierarchical information, and an LSI hierarchical information generation step S22 of generating first LSI hierarchical information that associates the first hierarchical information with the first LSI ID, and the information associating the first LSI 11 with the first LSI ID does not need to exist inside the first LSI 11.

[0099] In this way, when the first internal information is output from the first LSI 11, the first hierarchical information is output as first LSI hierarchical information that associates the first hierarchical information with the first LSI ID, so that the analysis server 2 can identify which internal information of which die contained in which LSI the first internal information is.

[0100] The LSI internal information output method of this embodiment includes an LSI ID acquisition step S20 of acquiring a first LSI ID, which is identification information of the first LSI 11, in association with the first hierarchical information and the second hierarchical information, and an LSI hierarchical information generation step S22 of generating LSI hierarchical information (first LSI hierarchical information and second LSI hierarchical information) that associates the first hierarchical information and the second hierarchical information with the first LSI ID, and the first LSI ID does not have to exist inside the first LSI 11.

[0101] In this way, when the first internal information and the second internal information are output from the first LSI 11, by outputting the first LSI hierarchical information associating the first hierarchical information with the first LSI ID, and the second LSI hierarchical information associating the second hierarchical information with the first LSI ID, the analysis server 2 can identify which internal information each piece of internal information belongs to which die contained in which LSI.

[0102] The LSI internal information output method of this embodiment includes an LSI ID acquisition step S20 of acquiring a first LSI ID, which is identification information of the first LSI 11, in association with the first hierarchical information and the third hierarchical information, and an LSI hierarchical information generation step S22 of generating LSI hierarchical information (first LSI hierarchical information and third LSI hierarchical information) that associates the first hierarchical information and the third hierarchical information with the first LSI ID, and the first LSI ID does not have to exist inside the first LSI 11.

[0103] In this way, even when internal information is output from each die of the first LSI 11, by outputting first LSI hierarchical information that associates the first hierarchical information with the first LSI ID, and third LSI hierarchical information that associates the third hierarchical information with the first LSI ID, the analysis server 2 can identify which internal information each piece of internal information belongs to which die contained in which LSI.

[0104] In the hierarchical information generation step S16 of the LSI internal information output method according to this embodiment, if it is determined based on a predetermined rule that output of the first internal information is unnecessary, the first hierarchical information may not be generated, or the amount of information in the first hierarchical information may be reduced.

[0105] In this way, the amount of information to be output can be reduced by not generating internal information of an LSI when analysis is not required, such as when the value of the internal information is within a predetermined range, or by reducing the amount of information. This reduces the amount of information handled by the analysis server 2, and therefore reduces the processing load and storage capacity of the analysis server 2.

[0106] In the hierarchical information generation step S16 of the LSI internal information output method according to this embodiment, it may be determined whether or not output of the first internal information is necessary based on a comparison between the value corresponding to the first internal information and a reference value.

[0107] In the output step S18 of the LSI internal information output method according to this embodiment, the first hierarchical information is output to the communication interface 80, and the LSI internal information output method further includes a transmission step S24 of transmitting, via the communication interface 80, analysis information including the first hierarchical information to the analysis server 2 that analyzes the state of the LSI. The communication interface 80 may add to the analysis information a sender ID, which is identification information of the communication interface 80, and time information relating to the time when the first internal information was acquired.

[0108] By adding the sender ID to the analytical information in this way, it is possible to identify which communication device sent the analytical information in the analysis server 2. Furthermore, by adding time information to the analytical information, the analysis server 2 can analyze the state of the first LSI 11 by using information on the time when the internal information was acquired.

[0109] In the LSI internal information output method according to this embodiment, the time information may be information corresponding to any time between the time the first internal information is generated and the time the analysis information is transmitted to the analysis server 2.

[0110] This allows the analysis server 2 to analyze the state of the first LSI 11 by using information about the time when the first internal information was generated.

[0111] In the LSI internal information output method according to the present embodiment, the sender ID may correspond to a MAC address associated with the communication interface 80 .

[0112] Since a MAC address is usually identification information assigned to the communication interface 80, there is no need to generate separate identification information by using this MAC address as identification information for the communication interface 80. Therefore, the method for outputting LSI internal information can be simplified.

[0113] In the LSI internal information output method according to this embodiment, the first internal information may be generated immediately after the first LSI 11 is started up.

[0114] This allows the first internal information to be output every time the first LSI 11 is started, so that the first internal information can be output according to the frequency of use of the first LSI 11. Furthermore, since the first internal information can be output immediately after the first LSI 11 starts to be used, if a problem is found in the state of the first LSI 11, it is possible to quickly stop the first LSI 11 without continuing to use it.

[0115] In the LSI internal information output method according to this embodiment, the first internal information may be generated immediately before the first LSI 11 stops operating.

[0116] This allows the first internal information to be acquired in a state close to a normal usage state immediately after starting up the first LSI 11. Therefore, it becomes possible to analyze a state close to a normal usage state of the first LSI 11.

[0117] In the LSI internal information output method according to this embodiment, the first internal information may include at least one of information corresponding to the operating voltage of the first die 30 and information corresponding to the temperature of the first die 30.

[0118] This makes it possible to analyze the deterioration state of the first die 30.

[0119] [4. Modification] An information processing system and an LSI internal information output method according to a modification of the present embodiment will be described.

[0120] A method for generating layered information according to the first modification of the present embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing information included in the first layered information according to the first modification.

[0121] 7, the first hierarchical information may include, in addition to the first internal information, the first ID associated with the first internal information, and the first die ID, the second internal information and the second ID associated with the second internal information. Also, the third hierarchical information may include, in addition to the third internal information, the third ID associated with the third internal information, and the second die ID, the fourth internal information and the fourth ID associated with the fourth internal information.

[0122] In this case, the output step S18 may output first hierarchical information including the second inside information and a second ID associated with the second inside information, and the output step S18 may output third hierarchical information including the fourth inside information and a fourth ID associated with the fourth inside information.

[0123] By outputting the first hierarchical information according to the first modification, the amount of information to be output can be reduced compared to when the first hierarchical information and the second hierarchical information according to the above embodiment are output separately (see FIG. 3). Also, by outputting the third hierarchical information according to the first modification, the amount of information to be output can be reduced compared to when the third hierarchical information and the fourth hierarchical information according to the above embodiment are output separately (see FIG. 3).

[0124] Next, a method for generating layered information according to the second modification of the present embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing information included in the first LSI layered information according to the second modification.

[0125] 8, the first LSI layer information may include second layer information in addition to the first layer information and the first LSI ID. Also, the first LSI layer information may further include third layer information and fourth layer information.

[0126] In this case, in the transmitting step S24, the first LSI layered information including the second layered information may be output.

[0127] By outputting the first LSI layered information according to variant example 2, the amount of information to be transmitted can be reduced compared to when the first LSI layered information according to the above embodiment and the second LSI layered information are output separately (see Figure 5).

[0128] In addition, in the transmitting step S24, the first LSI layered information including the second layered information, the third layered information, and the fourth layered information may be output.

[0129] This allows a further reduction in the amount of information to be transmitted.

[0130] (Other Modifications, etc.) While the receiving method and the like according to the present disclosure have been described above based on the embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments. As long as they do not deviate from the gist of the present disclosure, various modifications that a person skilled in the art could conceive of to the embodiments and other forms constructed by combining some of the components of the embodiments are also included within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0131] For example, the scale of the LSI according to the present disclosure is not particularly limited, and the LSI may be a very large scale integration circuit (VLSI), an ultra-large scale integration circuit (ULSI), or another type of LSI.

[0132] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment and each modification, IDs such as the first ID and the first die ID are stored inside the first LSI 11, but IDs such as the first ID and the first die ID do not necessarily have to be stored inside the first LSI 11. For example, the first LSI 11 may acquire IDs such as the first ID and the first die ID from outside the first LSI 11.

[0133] In the above embodiment, the first LSI 11 includes the information generating die 20, but the first LSI 11 does not need to include the information generating die 20. In this case, for example, the acquisition unit 21 and the hierarchical information generating unit 28 may be included in the first die 30 or the second die 40. The storage unit 26 may be provided in the first LSI 11 or may be located outside the first LSI 11.

[0134] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment and each modification, data communication is performed in the LSI using a serial transmission method, but data communication may also be performed using a parallel transmission method.

[0135] The following embodiments may also be included within the scope of one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

[0136] Some of the components constituting the information processing system 1 may be a computer system composed of a microprocessor, ROM, RAM, etc. A computer program is stored in the RAM. The microprocessor operates in accordance with the computer program to achieve its functions. Here, the computer program is composed of a combination of multiple instruction codes that indicate commands to the computer to achieve a predetermined function.

[0137] Some of the components constituting the information processing system 1 may be configured from a single system LSI. The system LSI is an ultra-multifunctional LSI manufactured by integrating multiple components on a single chip, and specifically, is a computer system configured to include a microprocessor, ROM, RAM, etc. A computer program is stored in the RAM. The system LSI achieves its functions when the microprocessor operates in accordance with the computer program.

[0138] The present disclosure can be used, for example, in an in-vehicle control system as an information system that outputs internal information of an LSI to an analysis server or the like.

[0139] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Information processing system 2 Analysis server 11 First LSI 12 Second LSI 13 Third LSI 20 Information generation die 21, 81 Acquisition unit 22 Internal information acquisition unit 23 ID acquisition unit 24 Die ID acquisition unit 26, 86 Storage unit 28 Hierarchical information generation unit 30 First die 31 First information output unit 32 Second information output unit 40 Second die 43 Third information output unit 44 Fourth information output unit 80 Communication interface 82 Hierarchical information acquisition unit 84 LSI ID acquisition unit 88 LSI hierarchy information generation unit 89 Communication unit

Claims

1. An LSI internal information output method for outputting internal information of an LSI (Large Scale Integration circuit) including a plurality of dies and packaged as a single package, wherein the plurality of dies include a first die and a second die different from the first die, the LSI internal information output method comprising: an internal information acquisition step for acquiring first internal information of the first die; an ID acquisition step for acquiring a first ID which is identification information for the first die in the first internal information; a die ID acquisition step for acquiring a first die ID which is identification information for the first die in association with the first internal information; a hierarchical information generation step for generating first hierarchical information which associates the first internal information with the first ID and the first die ID; and an output step for outputting the first hierarchical information from the LSI, The LSI internal information output method, wherein information associating the first internal information with the first ID and information associating the first die with the first die ID do not exist inside the first die.

2. The LSI internal information output method according to claim 1, wherein the internal information acquisition step further acquires second internal information in the first die that is different from the first internal information; the ID acquisition step further acquires a second ID that is identification information for the first die of the second internal information; the hierarchical information generation step further generates second hierarchical information that associates the second internal information with the second ID and the first die ID; and the output step further outputs the second hierarchical information.

3. The LSI internal information output method according to claim 1, wherein the internal information acquisition step further acquires second internal information in the first die that is different from the first internal information; the ID acquisition step further acquires a second ID that is identification information for the second internal information in the first die; and the output step outputs the first hierarchical information that includes the second internal information and the second ID associated with the second internal information.

4. The LSI internal information output method according to claim 1, wherein the internal information acquisition step further acquires third internal information in the second die; the ID acquisition step further acquires a third ID that is identification information for the second die of the third internal information; the die ID acquisition step further acquires a second die ID that is identification information for the second die in association with the third internal information; the hierarchical information generation step further generates third hierarchical information that associates the third internal information with the third ID and the second die ID; and the output step further outputs the third hierarchical information.

5. An LSI internal information output method as described in claim 1, comprising: an LSI ID acquisition step of acquiring an LSI ID, which is identification information of the LSI, in association with the first hierarchical information; and an LSI hierarchical information generation step of generating LSI hierarchical information that associates the first hierarchical information with the LSI ID, wherein information that associates the LSI with the LSI ID does not exist inside the LSI.

6. An LSI internal information output method according to claim 2, comprising: an LSI ID acquisition step of acquiring an LSI ID, which is identification information of the LSI, in association with the first hierarchical information and the second hierarchical information; and an LSI hierarchical information generation step of generating LSI hierarchical information that associates the first hierarchical information and the second hierarchical information with the LSI ID, wherein the LSI ID does not exist inside the LSI.

7. An LSI internal information output method as described in claim 4, comprising: an LSI ID acquisition step of acquiring an LSI ID, which is identification information of the LSI, in association with the first hierarchical information and the third hierarchical information; and an LSI hierarchical information generation step of generating LSI hierarchical information that associates the first hierarchical information and the third hierarchical information with the LSI ID, wherein the LSI ID does not exist inside the LSI.

8. The LSI internal information output method according to claim 1, wherein in the hierarchical information generation step, if it is determined based on a predetermined rule that output of the first internal information is unnecessary, the first hierarchical information is not generated or the amount of information in the first hierarchical information is reduced.

9. The LSI internal information output method according to claim 8, wherein in the hierarchical information generation step, it is determined whether or not output of the first internal information is necessary based on a comparison between a value corresponding to the first internal information and a reference value.

10. The LSI internal information output method according to claim 1, wherein in the output step, the first hierarchical information is output to a communication interface, and the LSI internal information output method further includes a transmission step of transmitting, via the communication interface, analysis information including the first hierarchical information to an analysis server that analyzes the state of the LSI, and wherein, via the communication interface, a sender ID that is identification information for the communication interface and time information relating to the time when the first internal information was acquired are added to the analysis information.

11. The LSI internal information output method according to claim 10, wherein the time information corresponds to any time between the time when the first internal information is generated and the time when the analysis information is transmitted to the analysis server.

12. The LSI internal information output method according to claim 10, wherein the source ID corresponds to a MAC address associated with the communication interface.

13. The LSI internal information output method according to claim 1, wherein the first internal information is generated immediately after the LSI is started up.

14. The LSI internal information output method according to claim 1, wherein the first internal information is generated immediately before the LSI stops operating.

15. The LSI internal information output method according to claim 1, wherein the first internal information includes at least one of information corresponding to an operating voltage of the first die and information corresponding to a temperature of the first die.

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