Apparatus for recording and/or reading program history

An integrated circuit, apparatus and method is provided for programming manufacturing information and software program information upon non-volatile storage elements on the integrated circuit. The manufacturing information includes information as to a specific processing recipe or layout used to for...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author JACOBS; MARC A
Format Patent
LanguageEnglish
Published 14.11.2000
Edition7
Subjects
CALCULATING
COMPUTING
COUNTING
ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
PHYSICS
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Summary:An integrated circuit, apparatus and method is provided for programming manufacturing information and software program information upon non-volatile storage elements on the integrated circuit. The manufacturing information includes information as to a specific processing recipe or layout used to form hardware of the integrated circuit. The software information indicates a specific revision of software used to program the integrated circuit, or a programming tool used to input the software into the integrated circuit. Combination of software and hardware is therefore embodied in non-volatile storage elements as product engineering bits. The product engineering bits can be called upon and read by the manufacturer or by the customer outside normal operation of the integrated circuit. A comparison of the hardware and software revisions will indicate possible incompatibility. This may signal that a new software revision is needed which is suited for the existing hardware revision, or that a new hardware revision is needed to match the existing software.
Bibliography:Application Number: US19970984814