System For Constraining An Operating Parameter Of An EHF Communication Chip

Abstract

An EHF communication system including an EHF communication chip. The EHF communication chip may include an EHF communication circuit having at least one controllable parameter-based module having a testable and controllable operating parameter The EHF communication chip may further include a test and trim circuit coupled to the EHF communication circuit, where the test and trim circuit includes a logic circuit having one or more memory elements, where the logic circuit is coupled to the controllable parameter-based module.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An integrated circuit device comprising:
 an extremely high frequency (EHF) communication circuit configured to operate independent of external reference clock;   a test and trim circuit coupled to the EHF communication circuit, the test and trim circuit configured to determine a setting for a carrier frequency value of an oscillator included in the EHF communication circuit within a predetermined range of carrier frequencies; and   a storage element coupled to the test and trim circuit, the storage element configured to store the setting of the carrier frequency of the oscillator.   
     
     
         2 . The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the test and trim circuit is further configured to provide the stored setting of the carrier frequency to a control circuit coupled to the EHF communication circuit via a control interface. 
     
     
         3 . The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the test and trim circuit is further configured to:
 determine an actual value of the carrier frequency of the oscillator;   compare the actual value of the carrier frequency with the stored setting of the carrier frequency; and   determine whether to modify the stored setting of the carrier frequency based on the comparison.   
     
     
         4 . The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the test and trim circuit is further configured to send information indicating a determination of whether to modify the stored setting of the carrier frequency of the oscillator to the control circuit via the control interface. 
     
     
         5 . The integrated circuit of  claim 3 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to modify the stored setting of the carrier frequency of the oscillator by a specified adjustment value when the comparison indicates that the actual value of the carrier frequency of the oscillator exceeds a tolerance level. 
     
     
         6 . The integrated circuit of  claim 5 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
 compare the specified adjustment value to an adjustment threshold;   receive an adjusted actual value of the carrier frequency of the oscillator from the test and trim circuit; and   receive updated information describing a comparison of the modified stored setting of the carrier frequency of the oscillator and the adjusted actual value of the carrier frequency.   
     
     
         7 . The integrated circuit of  claim 6 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to receive an indication that the modified stored setting of the carrier frequency is stored in a non-volatile memory component included in the EHF communication circuit when the comparison between the specified adjustment value and the adjustment threshold satisfies a target parameter tolerance level. 
     
     
         8 . The integrated circuit of  claim 7 , wherein the non-volatile memory component further comprises a plurality of fuses, and the modified stored setting of the carrier frequency is stored in the non-volatile memory component by selectively blowing one or more of the plurality of fuses. 
     
     
         9 . The integrated circuit of  claim 2 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to receive an indication that the stored setting of the carrier frequency is stored in a non-volatile memory component included in the EHF communication circuit when the comparison between actual value of the carrier frequency of the oscillator with the stored setting of the carrier frequency satisfies a target parameter tolerance level. 
     
     
         10 . The integrated circuit of  claim 9 , wherein the non-volatile memory component further comprises a plurality of fuses, and the stored setting of the carrier frequency is stored in the non-volatile memory component by selectively blowing one or more of the plurality of fuses. 
     
     
         11 . The integrated circuit of  claim 2 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to receive an indication that the stored setting of the carrier frequency of the oscillator is stored in a temporary storage register included in the EHF communication circuit. 
     
     
         12 . The integrated circuit of  claim 11 , wherein the temporary storage register is the storage element.