METHOD, SYSTEM, COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT, AND DATA PROCESSING DEVICE FOR MONITORING MEMORY CIRCUITS AND CORRESPONDING INTEGRATED CIRCUIT

摘要

An improved method monitors memory circuits, especially those used in integrated circuits. The method provides: writing random data in at least one monitor cell, which is implemented as a regular memory cell with an artificially deteriorated stability in order to provoke early fails when compared to fails in a regular memory cell; reading the random data out of the at least one monitor cell; comparing the output data of the read operation against an expected value to detect a value mismatch; and reporting the value mismatch to an error structure if the value mismatch is detected.