Memory Repair System Soft and Hard Modes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing memory devices face challenges in effectively repairing storage array cells with manufacturing defects, as current methods either require complex hardware configurations for hard repairs or lack efficiency in soft repairs.
Innovation Solution
The proposed system integrates serial test interface logic, fuse-sense logic, a repair data register chain, and multiplexing logic to provide both soft-repair and hard-repair modes, allowing for efficient data shifting and repair information input to the random access memory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hard repair using PROM and fuse-sense logic is implemented, then repair reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines soft-repair logic and hard-repair logic into a single integrated repair system. The multiplexing circuitry selectively couples either fuse-sense registers or JTAG data registers to the memory device, allowing both repair methodologies to coexist in one unified architecture rather than requiring separate independent systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The repair system is designed to perform multiple functions through a single architecture. The same repair logic and multiplexing circuitry can operate in either soft-repair mode (using JTAG) or hard-repair mode (using PROM fuses), making the system versatile and adaptable to different repair scenarios without requiring dedicated hardware for each method.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate soft-repair and hard-repair logic are implemented, then repair versatility is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The repair system incorporates dynamic switching capability through multiplexing circuitry that can selectively couple different data sources (fuse-sense registers or JTAG data registers) to the memory device. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the system to adapt its operation mode based on the repair scenario, simplifying the user experience by providing a unified interface for both soft and hard repair operations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If thousands of JTAG data registers are used for soft repair, then repair capability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses JTAG data registers as a programmable copy mechanism for storing repair information. Instead of requiring permanent physical modifications to the hardware architecture, the repair data can be loaded and stored in reconfigurable register structures, reducing the need for extremely precise manufacturing tolerances while maintaining full repair capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for repairing a random access memory may include serial test interface logic, fuse-sense logic, a repair data register chain, and multiplexing logic. The repair data register chain may include serially interconnected data registers configured to shift data through the repair data register chain. Each data register of the repair data register chain may have a data output configured to be coupled to a repair information input of the random access memory. The multiplexing logic may be configured to provide a soft-repair mode and a hard-repair mode. When the soft-repair mode is selected, the multiplexing logic may be configured to receive soft-repair data provided by the serial test interface logic into the data registers. When the hard-repair mode is selected, the multiplexing logic may be configured to receive the data provided by the fuse-sense logic into the data registers.