Contactless IC Quality Testing via Response Time and Power Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for testing integrated circuits with contactless HF interfaces in documents, such as identity documents, lack effective means to evaluate the quality of the integrated circuit before personalization, leading to potential defects and inefficiencies in the production process.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a terminal that sends a test command to the integrated circuit, measuring the response time, and checking for specific signals like Waiting Time Extension and Field Strength Increase signals to assess the circuit's quality, simulating real operation power consumption, and activating consumers to ensure compliance with quality requirements before personalization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a test command is sent to the integrated circuit before personalization, then the quality of the circuit can be evaluated, but the circuit may not have sufficient power coupling to operate reliably
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by sending a test command to the integrated circuit before personalization to evaluate its quality. The terminal measures the response time and checks for waiting time extension signals to determine if the circuit meets quality requirements, enabling early detection of defective circuits while the circuit is still in its initial state with limited power coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by having the integrated circuit send waiting time extension signals back to the terminal when power coupling is insufficient. This feedback mechanism allows the terminal to adjust the measurement approach or identify circuits that cannot reliably operate under current power conditions, ensuring accurate quality evaluation without false positives from power-deficient circuits.
2Loss of time
If the terminal waits for a response from the integrated circuit, then the response time can be measured, but the waiting time may be extended due to low power coupling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses feedback by monitoring waiting time extension signals sent from the integrated circuit to the terminal. When the circuit detects insufficient power coupling, it sends a waiting time extension signal, alerting the terminal to extend the waiting period. This prevents false timeout errors and ensures accurate response time measurements even when power coupling varies.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by making the waiting time adaptive rather than fixed. The terminal adjusts the waiting period based on feedback from the integrated circuit, extending the wait when power coupling is low and maintaining shorter waits when power is sufficient. This dynamic adjustment optimizes both measurement efficiency and accuracy across varying power conditions.
3Productivity
If the integrated circuit is tested in its first non-personalized state, then defective circuits can be sorted out early, but the circuit cannot access protected memory functions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing quality testing on the integrated circuit in its first non-personalized state, before personalization and memory protection are activated. This enables defective circuits to be identified and sorted out early in the production process, improving throughput by preventing defective units from proceeding to later stages where personalization would be wasted.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the quality evaluation function from the full operational context of the integrated circuit. By testing the circuit in its initial state with limited functionality, the patent isolates the essential quality attributes (response time, power coupling, signal integrity) that can be evaluated without requiring access to protected memory or personalization features, enabling streamlined production testing.
4Productivity
If the terminal sends a test command to evaluate circuit quality, then production efficiency improves, but additional signaling protocols are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by using existing contactless communication protocols (ISO/IEC 14443) for multiple purposes: both for normal data transmission and for quality testing. The test command and waiting time extension signals leverage the same communication infrastructure as operational data exchange, avoiding the need for entirely separate testing hardware or protocols while still enabling comprehensive quality evaluation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for early detection and sorting out of defective integrated circuits, improving production throughput and reducing costs by ensuring only high-quality circuits are used in documents, while maintaining security by restricting access to the protected memory until personalization is complete.
Implementation Method 1
The energy required for the operation of the integrated circuit is preferably also coupled in via the carrier wave, so that a separate energy supply for the integrated circuit and any consumers connected to it is not required.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for testing an integrated circuit (100) with a contactless RF interface (122), wherein the RF interface is configured for receiving chip card commands and for sending responses to chip card commands, wherein the chip card commands include a test command (144) and the responses include a test response (148) to the test command, wherein the integrated circuit is configured such that the execution of the test command and the response to the test command with the test response only occur when the integrated circuit is in its first state.