Apple Inc.
Methods and systems for switchable logic to recover integrated circuits with short circuits

Abstract:

In some embodiments, a system and/or method may test logic blocks for an integrated circuit. To alleviate problems associated with current methods of integrated circuit testing, a system may include a power switch control signal on a different voltage rail. In some embodiments, a Test VDD may be used to isolate the power switches from the rest of the logic cells in an integrated circuit. During testing, each logic block may be powered individually using the Test VDD to control the power switches to the logic blocks. When a logic block short is identified, the nonviable logic block may be isolated to such that the nonviable logic block is not used during the future and only viable logic blocks are used in the integrated circuit. This allows for use of logic within an integrated circuit that might otherwise have been discarded or destroyed because of one or more shorts.