Method and apparatus for characterizing an electronic circuit
First Claim
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1. A method for characterizing an electronic circuit comprising:
- receiving design information from a circuit design tool;
identifying an electrical circuit condition that requires test based on the design information;
determining a design verification test;
evaluating the effectiveness of the design verification test in exercising the electrical circuit condition; and
determining a second design verification test and also evaluating the effectiveness of the second design verification test in exercising the electrical circuit condition when the first design verification test does not effectively exercise the electrical circuit condition.
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Abstract
Design information representing an electrical circuit is received and an electrical circuit condition requiring test is identified. A design verification test is determined, and evaluated for effectiveness in exercising the identified electrical circuit condition. Electrical circuit conditions include faults such as speed paths, races, coupling events, noise events, and voltage and temperature sensitivities.
19 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for characterizing an electronic circuit comprising:
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receiving design information from a circuit design tool;
identifying an electrical circuit condition that requires test based on the design information;
determining a design verification test;
evaluating the effectiveness of the design verification test in exercising the electrical circuit condition; and
determining a second design verification test and also evaluating the effectiveness of the second design verification test in exercising the electrical circuit condition when the first design verification test does not effectively exercise the electrical circuit condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for characterizing an electronic circuit comprising:
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design information receiver capable of receiving design information;
circuit condition identifier capable of identifying an electrical circuit condition in the design information that requires test;
design verification test selection unit capable of selecting a first design verification test; and
evaluation unit capable of evaluating the effectiveness of the first selected design verification test in exercising the identified circuit condition and wherein the design verification test selection unit is capable of selecting a second design verification test when the evaluation unit determines that the first selected design verification test is ineffective in exercising the identified circuit condition and wherein the evaluation unit is capable of evaluating the effectiveness of the second selected design verification test. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable functions for characterizing an electronic circuit comprising:
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receiving design information from a circuit design tool;
identifying an electrical circuit condition that requires test based on the design information;
determining a design verification test;
evaluating the effectiveness of the design verification test in exercising the electrical circuit condition; and
determining a second design verification test and also evaluating the effectiveness of the second design verification test in exercising the electrical circuit condition when the first design verification test does not effectively exercise the electrical circuit condition. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An apparatus for characterizing an electronic circuit comprising:
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means for receiving circuit design information;
means for identifying electrical circuit conditions that require test;
means for selecting a first design verification test;
means for evaluating the effectiveness of the first design verification test in exercising the identified electrical circuit condition; and
means for selecting a second design verification test when the first design verification test is found to be ineffective.
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Specification