Low Cost Design For Test Architecture
First Claim
1. A modular test method for composition of test patterns for integrated circuits comprising:
- the integrated circuit being a target system that has subsystems;
disabling an environment constraint test instrument (ECTI);
generating disabled zero-biased test patterns according to a test protocol;
generating a environment constraint environment (ECE) test using the ECTI and an output encoding function such thatfor a first condition, when an environment constraint test enable signal can be set to logic value 1 by replacing values of inputs specified in the zero-biased test patterns, generating an info file for (test pattern) input value replacement, andfor a second condition, when the environment constraint test enable signal cannot be set to logic value 1 by replacing values in the zero-biased test patterns,enabling the ECTI, andgenerating enabled zero-biased test patterns according to the test protocol;
forming target test patterns using the zero-biased test patterns and the ECE test; and
generating an interconnection scheme according to an output translation layer.
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Abstract
The Translation Layer is embedded into each circuit under test (CUT) to modularize test process. The modularized tests are self-contained and performed in isolation. They are composed without consideration of environment constraints. The CUT and its environment constraints can be concurrently be tested in isolation and independently. Interconnections between the CUT and the environment can be tested in the environment constraint test without additional dedicated test logic. The modularized test process allows the test patterns of the environment constraints to be derived from those of the CUT. The resulting test patterns are used to compose the test patterns of a target system. Since the test process is recursive in nature, the modularized test of each constituent subsystem or design core can be performed in isolation in the target system, while the environment constraints and the interconnections are being tested concurrently.
1 Citation
8 Claims
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1. A modular test method for composition of test patterns for integrated circuits comprising:
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the integrated circuit being a target system that has subsystems; disabling an environment constraint test instrument (ECTI); generating disabled zero-biased test patterns according to a test protocol; generating a environment constraint environment (ECE) test using the ECTI and an output encoding function such that for a first condition, when an environment constraint test enable signal can be set to logic value 1 by replacing values of inputs specified in the zero-biased test patterns, generating an info file for (test pattern) input value replacement, and for a second condition, when the environment constraint test enable signal cannot be set to logic value 1 by replacing values in the zero-biased test patterns, enabling the ECTI, and generating enabled zero-biased test patterns according to the test protocol; forming target test patterns using the zero-biased test patterns and the ECE test; and generating an interconnection scheme according to an output translation layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification