Semiconductor integrated circuit device having improved input/output interface circuit.

0001The present invention generally relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit device having an improved input/output interface circuit, and in particular to an input/output interface circuit which is designed to be subjected to a variety of tests with ease.

0002IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 26, No. 9, February 1984, pages 4708, 4709 discloses a bypass circuit for receiver and driver delay measurement. The circuit comprises separated input and output test terminals, a receiver being connected between the logical array and the input test terminal and a driver being connected between the logical array and the output test terminal. For testing, an AND inverter provides a connection between the receiver and the driver forming a loop consisting of the driver, the AND-inverter and the receiver.

0003JP-A-60 192 276 discloses a testing system of logical LSI. The circuit performs an AC test by constituting a ring oscillating circuit utilizing a two-way input/output terminal and an internal logical circuit. The ring oscillating circuit consists of a number of inverting stages.

0004Generally, large scale integrated circuit devices (LSI devices) are subjected to a variety of tests in order to investigate whether or not LSI devices operate correctly. In test, LSI devices are activated under a specified operational condition, and it is investigated whether or not LSI devices operate without exhibiting abnormality. Functional test and DC characteristic test are typical of test of LSI devices. For example, in functional test, a predetermined pattern is supplied to an LSI device, and it is investigated whether or not a corresponding pattern is output from the LSI device. In direct current characteristic test (hereafter simply referred to as DC test), an external terminal other than an external terminal to be tested is set to a specified condition. In this state, a specified current is made applied or outputted to the external terminal to be tested. Then, the DC voltage of the external terminal to be tested is measured. Thereby, it is determined, based on the measured voltage, as to whether or not the LSI device can operate correctly in view of DC characteristics.

0005Generally, LSI devices includes external terminals, input/output circuits, and internal logic circuits. In conventional LSI device test, a signal applied to an external terminal other than an external terminal to be tested, passes through an input/output interface circuit, an internal logic, and input/output interface circuit. Then a signal responsive to the applied signal appears at the external terminal to be tested. That is, the applied signal such as a test pattern always passes through the internal logic circuit. For this reason, it is difficult to directly investigate the input/output interface circuit itself. In particular, it is very difficult to investigate that an input circuit which is a part of input/output interface circuits, operates correctly. Additionally, an external device which generates test patterns must be used in test. Moreover, it takes long to execute test programs to test LSI devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

0006It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor integrated circuit device having an improved input/output interface circuit in which the aforementioned disadvantages are eliminated.

0007A more specific object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor integrated circuit device having an improved input/output interface circuit which is directly and easily subjected to tests for investigating whether or not the input/output interface circuit operates correctly.

0008Another object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor integrated circuit device having an improved input/output interface circuit which is subjected to tests without using a specific test pattern generator.

0009The above objects of the present invention can be achieved by the features of claim 1.

0010Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

0011<ul id="ul0001" list-style="none"><li>FIG.1 is a circuit diagram illustrating an input/output interface circuit of conventional LSIs;</li><li>FIG.2 is a views showing waveforms of signals obtained at different parts of the circuit of FIG.1;</li><li>FIG.3 is a block diagram illustrating the basic structure of the input/output interface used in the present invention;</li><li>FIG.4 is a schematic view of the entire structure of an LSI chip;</li><li>FIG.5 is a circuit diagram of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;</li><li>FIG.6 is a view illustrating waveforms observed at different parts of the circuit of FIG.5;</li><li>FIG.7 is a circuit diagram of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention;</li><li>FIG.8 is a circuit diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention;</li><li>FIG.9 is a circuit diagram of a fourth embodiment of the present invention; and</li><li>FIG.10 is a circuit diagram of a fifth embodiment of the present invention.</li></ul>

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

0012A description is given of an input/output interface circuit of conventional LSIs with reference to FIGS.1 and 2 in order to facilitate the understanding of the present invention.

0013Referring to FIG.1, an input circuit connected to an external input/output terminal 1 of an LSI includes an input buffer 2, and a D-type flip-flop 3, which is connected to an internal logic circuit (not shown) through an input data bus. An output circuit includes a D-type flip-flop 4 connected to the internal logic circuit through an output data bus, and a tri-state buffer 5 connected to the external input/output terminal 1. The flip-flop 3 latches a signal applied thereto when a second clock signal φ₂ shown in FIG.2 rises. The flip-flop 4 latches a signal applied thereto when a first clock signal φ₁ shown in FIG.2 rises. The tri-state buffer 5 is activated when a control signal <o ostyle="single">TRS</o> shown in FIG.2 is held at a low level (hereafter simply referred to L level). At this time, a signal on the output data bus appears at the external input/output terminal 1, as shown in FIG.2. With the tri-state buffer 5 closed, the external input/output terminal 1 is kept in a high impedance state (HiZ) as shown in FIG.2.

0014In DC test, a specified signal is applied to an external terminal (not shown), and then passes the internal logic circuit. Then, the specified signal is transferred to the external input/output terminal 1 through the output data bus, the flip-flop 4 and the tri-state buffer 5. When a predetermined voltage is obtained at the external input/output terminal 1, it can be found that the tri-state buffer 5 can operate correctly. However, it is impossible to directly investigate DC characteristics of the input circuit. For example, it is impossible to directly investigate whether or not the input buffer 2 operates with correct threshold levels.

0015A description is given of essential features of the present invention with reference to FIG.3. Referring to this figure, an external terminal 9 is connected to an input circuit 7, which is connected to an internal logic circuit (not shown) through an input data bus IDB. The input circuit 7 is also connected to a selection circuit 10, which is connected to the internal logic circuit through an output data bus ODB. The selection circuit 10 selects either the input circuit 7 or the output data bus ODB. The selection circuit 10 is also connected to an output circuit 8, which is connected to the external terminal 9.

0016The present invention has the following first to third essential features. The first essential feature of the present invention is that there is formed a loop circuit including the input circuit 7 and the output circuit 8. The second essential feature of the present invention is that the loop circuit logically has an odd number of inverter elements. In other words, when a signal is applied to the external terminal 9, and passes through the input circuit 7, the selection circuit 10 and the output circuit 8, an inverted signal of the applied signal is obtained at the external terminal 9. The third essential feature of the present invention is that the input circuit 7 and the output circuit 8 are separated from each other in view of operation. For example, the input circuit 7 is driven by a clock signal, which is different from a clock signal used for driving the output circuit 8.

0017When testing the input circuit 7, an input voltage signal of H level, for example is applied to the external terminal 9. The applied signal passes through the input terminal 7 and is then selected by the selection circuit 10. Then the applied signal passes through the output circuit 8 and is then output to the external terminal 9. At this time, a signal of L level is output from the output circuit 8. That is, the external terminal 9 is switched to L level. Before the external terminal is switched to L level, the application of the input voltage signal is stopped. The L level of the external terminal 9 is applied to the input circuit 7. Then the output of the output circuit 8 is switched to H level. In this way, once the input voltage signal is applied to the external terminal 9, the voltage of the external terminal is alternately changed to L and H levels, when the input and output circuits 7 and 8 operate correctly. On the other hand, when no alternate level change is observed at the external terminal 9, it is determined that the input circuit 7 or the output circuit 8 has a defect. Thereby, it becomes possible to directly investigate input/output interface circuits.

0018FIG.4 is a schematic view of an example of the entire structure of the present invention. As is illustrated, on an LSI chip 100, there are formed an internal logic circuit 110, an input/output interfaces (hereafter simply referred to I/O interfaces) 120 and 130, and a plurality of external terminals 140. The I/O interfaces 120 and 130 are connected to the internal logic circuit 110 through data buses 150 including input data buses IDB and output data buses ODB as shown in FIG.3. The structure of FIG.3 is provided in the I/O interfaces 120 and 130.

0019A description is given of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIGS.5 and 6. Referring to FIG.5, an external input/output terminal 17 corresponds to the external terminal 9 of FIG.3 and one of the external terminals 140 shown in FIG.4. Hereafter the external input/output terminal 17 is simply referred to as external terminal. An input buffer 11 and a D-type flip-flop 12 construct the input circuit 7 shown in FIG.3. A D-type flip-flop 15 and a tri-state buffer 16 construct the output circuit 8 shown in FIG.3. An inverter 13, and a multiplexer 14 served as a selector construct the selection circuit 10 shown in FIG.3.

0020The flip-flop 12 latches the output signal of the input buffer 11 when the second clock signal φ₂ shown in FIG.6 rises. The Q-terminal output of the flip-flop 12 is supplied to the internal circuit 110 through the input data bus IDB, and also to a B-terminal of the multiplexer 14 through the inverter 13. The inverter 13 is provided so that an odd number of inverters is included in a loop circuit consisting of the input circuit 7, the selection circuit 10 and the output circuit 8. In the alternative, the inverter 13 may be located in the input circuit 7 or the output circuit 8. The multiplexer 14 has an A-terminal to which a signal shown in FIG.6 is supplied from the internal logic circuit 110 through the output data bus ODB. The multiplexer 14 is controlled by a selection signal Sel, which is supplied from the internal circuit 110 or an external circuit supplied through another external terminal. The selected signal is supplied to the D-terminal of the flip-flop 15, which operates in synchronism with the first clock signal φ₁. The Q-terminal of the flip-flop 15 is connected to the tri-state buffer 16, which is controlled by the control signal <o ostyle="single">TRS</o> shown in FIG.6. When the control signal <o ostyle="single">TRS</o> is held at L level, the tri-state buffer 16 is kept at the active state. On the other hand, with the control signal <o ostyle="single">TRS</o> at H level (a high level), the tri-state buffer 16 is held in high-impedance state. The first and second clock signals φ₁ and φ₂ and the control signal <o ostyle="single">TRS</o> are signals used in conventional LSI devices.

0021Test of the input circuit 7 includes an input/output functional test and DC test. In these tests, the flip-flops 12 and 15 are initially set in the set state by set signals applied to set terminals (S) thereof supplied from the external terminal or the internal logic circuit 110, for example. At first, the input/output functional test is described at first. It is now assumed that in this state, an input signal of H level is applied to the external terminal 17, as shown in FIG.6. The input signal passes through the input buffer 11 and is latched in synchronism with the rise of the second clock signal φ₂ occurring at time t₁. The latched input signal is supplied to the internal logic circuit 110 through the input data bus IDB, and the B-terminal of the multiplexer 14 through the inverter 13. The latched signal from the flip-flop 12 is inverted by the inverter 13. The multiplexer 14 is supplied with the selection signal Sel so as to select the B-terminal. Therefore, the multiplexer 14 passes the signal supplied from the inverter 13, and outputs the same to the flip-flop 15. Then the flip-flop 15 latches the supplied signal in synchronism with the rise of the first clock signal φ₁ occurring at time t₂. Then, the latched signal is supplied to the external terminal 17 through the tri-state buffer 16. During the input/output functional test, the control signal <o ostyle="single">TRS</o> is kept at L level, as shown in FIG.6. It is noted that the application of the input signal is stopped at a certain time between t₁ and t₂. As a result, the voltage of the external terminal 17 falls at time t₂. The fall of the voltage is supplied to the flip-flop 12 through the input buffer 11, and is latched therein in synchronism with the rise of the second clock signal φ₂ occurring at time t₃. The latched signal is supplied to the flip-flop 15 through the inverter 13 and the multiplexer 14, and is latched therein in synchronism with the rise of the first clock signal φ₁ occurring at time t₄. Then, the latched signal is output to the external terminal 17 through the tri-state buffer 16.

0022In this way, the level of the external terminal 17 is alternately changed to L and H levels, when the input buffer 7 and the output buffer 8 operate correctly. Adversely, if the level of the external terminal 17 does not exhibit alternate change, the input circuit 7 or the output circuit 8 is determined to be in an abnormal state.

0023The DC test is described below. The DC test is intended to investigate upper and lower threshold levels V_1H and V_1L of the input buffer 11. The input buffer 11 (a CMOS inverter, for example) is switched to a first state (L level for CMOS inverter) when the voltage applied thereto is equal to or higher than the upper threshold voltage, while switched to a second state (H level for CMOS inverter) when the voltage is equal to or lower than the lower threshold voltage. In a mode of DC test, the control signal <o ostyle="single">TRS</o> is switched to H level at times t₇ and t₉ when the second clock signal φ₂ rises, and is switched to L level at times t₈ and t₁₀ when the first clock signal φ₁ rises. The external terminal 17 is alternately supplied with first and second voltages in synchronism with H-level durations of the control signals <o ostyle="single">TRS</o>. The first voltage is slightly higher than the upper threshold voltage V_1H, and is set equal to 2.2 volts in the case where the input buffer 11 operates in TTL level, for example. The second voltage is slightly lower than the lower threshold voltage V_1L, and is set equal to 0.8 volts in the case where the input buffer 11 operates in TTL level. As is illustrated in FIG.6, the voltage V_IN of the external terminal 17 is set equal to 2.2 volts during the H-level duration of the control signal <o ostyle="single">TRS</o> starting from time t₇, and is again set equal to 2.2 volts during the next H-level duration starting from time t₉.

0024In the case where the input buffer 12 operates correctly, the input buffer 11 outputs a first specified positive voltage (a positive power source voltage Vcc, for example) when the first voltage (2.2 volts) is applied to the external terminal 17. The voltage signal is inverted by the inverter 13, and therefore a second specified negative voltage (a negative power source voltage Vss, for example) appears in synchronism with the rise of the first clock signal φ₁. In FIG.6, the above-mentioned operation is done during the duration between times t₇ and t₉. Then, in synchronism with the next rise of the control signal <o ostyle="single">TRS</o>, the voltage V_IN of the external terminal 17 is set equal to the second voltage (0.8 volts). Then the input buffer 11 outputs the negative power source voltage Vss, which is inverted by the inverter 13, and is then applied to the flip-flop 15 through the multiplexer 14. Then the positive power source voltage Vcc appears in synchronism with the rise of the first clock signal φ₁. The above-mentioned operation is done in the duration between times t₉ and t₁₁ in FIG.6.

0025In this manner, it can be investigated whether or not the input buffer 7 can operate correctly. According to the first embodiment, it is possible to directly investigate input and output circuits 7 and 8. Particularly, it is noted that DC characteristics of the input circuit 7 are directly available. In other words, the input circuit 7 can be tested irrespective of the the internal logic circuit 110.

0026A description is given of a second preferred embodiment with reference to FIG.7. The input circuit 7 is made up of only cascaded inverters 18 and 19. That is, an input signal is entered in the input circuit 7 without being synchronized with a clock signal such as the clock signal φ₂ used in the aforementioned first embodiment. The selection circuit 10 of FIG.7 is the same as the selection circuit 10 of FIG.5. The output circuit 8 is constructed by providing a flip-flop 20 between the flip-flop 15 and the tri-state buffer 16 of the output circuit 8 shown in FIG.5. The flip-flop 20 operates in synchronism with the clock signal φ₂. The input circuit 7 is separated from the output circuit 8 in view of operation due to the presence of the two flip-flops 15 and 20. The inverter 13 is provided so that an odd number of inverters is logically included in the loop circuit. The second embodiment can operate in the same way as the first embodiment.

0027A description is given of a third preferred embodiment with reference to FIG.8. The input circuit 7 of the third embodiment is the same as the input circuit 7 of the second embodiment. The selection circuit 10 of the third embodiment is made up of the the multiplexer 14, and a D-type flip-flop 21, which is driven by the first clock signal φ₁. The <o ostyle="single">Q</o>-terminal of the flip-flop 21 is connected to the D-terminal of the flip-flop 20 of the output circuit 8. Since the output signal of the flip-flop 21 is extracted from the <o ostyle="single">Q</o>-terminal thereof, the flip-flop 21 may be considered as an inverter. As a result, the loop substantially has three inverters. The operation of the third embodiment is almost identical to that of the first and second embodiments. The third embodiment is simpler than the second embodiment.

0028A fourth embodiment is illustrated in FIG.9. The input circuit 7 of the fourth embodiment is the same as the input circuit 7 used in the second and third embodiments. The selection circuit 10 is formed only by the multiplexer 14. The output circuit 8 is constructed by the flip-flops 15, 20, and an N-channel field effect transistor (hereafter simply referred to as NFET) 22. That is, the tri-state buffer 16 of the output circuit 7 shown in FIG.7 is replaced with the NFET 22. The NFET 22 is an open-drain FET, and has a function of inverting the input signal applied to the external terminal 17. In the initial state, the Q-terminal of the flip-flop 20 is at L level, and thereby the NFET is OFF. In this state, the input signal of H-level is applied to the external terminal 17. The signal passes through the input circuit 7 and the selection circuit 10, and is then latched in synchronism with the rise of the first clock signal φ₁. Then the Q-output signal is latched in synchronism with the rise of the second clock signal φ₂. Since the potential of the Q-terminal of the flip-flop 20 is high at this time, the NFET is turned ON. As a result, the external terminal 17 is switched to L level. The L level is applied to the input circuit 7. In this way, the voltage of the external terminal 17 is alternately switched to L and H levels.

0029A fifth embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to FIG.10. An external terminal 23 is an external input terminal. That is, an output signal supplied from the internal logic gate 110 is not output through the external input terminal 23. The input circuit 7 is made up of the inverter 11, a D-type flip-flop 24 and flip-flop 12. In order to test the input circuit 7, an output circuit 48 is provided as illustrated in FIG.10. The output circuit 48 of FIG.10 is constructed by inverters 13, 25, an NAND gate 26, an NOR gate 27, a P-channel MOS transistor 28, and an N-channel MOS transistor 29. The output circuit 48 and the input circuit 7 of FIG.10 form a loop circuit, which is activated when the input circuit 7 is tested. The input terminal of the inverter 13 is connected to the D-terminal of the flip-flop 12, and the output terminal thereof is connected to the NAND gate 26 and the NOR gate 27. The control signal <o ostyle="single">TRS</o> shown in FIG.6 is supplied to the NAND gate 26, and the NOR gate 27 through the inverter 25. The output terminal of the NAND gate 26 is connected to the gate of the PMOS transistor 28, and the output terminal of the NOR gate 27 is connected to the gate of the NMOS transistor 29. The drains of the PMOS transistor 28 and NMOS transistor 29 are connected to the external input terminal 23. The source of the PMOS transistor 28 is connected to a positive power source (Vcc), and the source of the NMOS transistor 29 is connected to a negative power source (ground). The control signal <o ostyle="single">TRS</o> is set to H level in the input/output functional test. The input signal applied to the external input terminal 23 is inverted by the inverter 13, and is applied to the NAND gate 26 and the NOR gate 27. When the input signal is set to L level, the gate of the PMOS transistor 28 is set to H level, and the gate of the NMOS transistor 29 is set to H level. Therefore the NMOS transistor 29 makes the external input terminal 23 low, since the NMOS transistor 29 is turned ON. The L-level is applied to the input circuit 7. Therefore, the external input terminal 23 is switched to H level. In this way, the external input terminal 23 is alternately changed between H and L levels.

0030In the normal operation mode, the control signal <o ostyle="single">TRS</o> is set to L level, and therefore the output circuit 48 is electrically separated from the external input terminal 23.