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

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.