Built-in self testing for the identification of faulty integrated circuit chips in a multichip module

• US 5,745,500 A
• Filed: 10/22/1996
• Issued: 04/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army
• Inventors: Damarla, Thyagaraju, Chung, Moon J., Su, Wei, Michael, Gerald T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Iqbal, Nadeem
• Application Number:
  US08/734,819
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 371/22.4, 371/22.1, 371/22.5, 371/25.1, 371/22.33, 371/27.1, 371/27.2, 395/421.07, 395/183.06, 395/183.01, 395/183.03, 395/185.01, 364/489, 364/578, 364/717, 364/718, 364/737, 324/765
• US Class Current: 714/732
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2884 using dedicated test connectors, test elements or test circuits on the IC under test G01R31/2855 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/318505 Test of Modular systems, e.g. Wafers, MCM's

Abstract

A built-in self test method and circuit identifies a faulty integrated ciit chip in a multichip module. The built-in self test method first applies a test pattern to a multichip module having a plurality of integrated circuit chips and to a reference signal generator, generates a first and second reference signal representing test responses for a fault free multichip module, compresses the outputs from the multichip module into a first and second bit using a first and second linear space compressor, uses exclusive OR logic to combine the first bit with the first reference signal to produce a first fault detection output and to combine the second bit with the second reference signal to produce a second fault detection output, stores the first and second fault detection outputs in a pair of N-bit shift registers; compares the stored outputs to detect a fault condition, and applies a series of recursive logic operations to identify the faulty integrated circuit chip in the multichip module. The built-in self test circuit includes a test pattern generator, a reference signal generator, at least two linear space compressors, at least two N-bit shift registers, and a plurality of logic gates. Identification of the faulty integrated circuit chip in an multichip module using the present invention thereby facilitates the replacement of the specific faulty chip in order to repair the multichip module.

Claims

1. A built-in self-test method for the identification of a faulty integrated circuit chip in a multichip module having a plurality of chips, comprising the steps of:

applying a test pattern to the multichip module, each of the chips being responsive to the test pattern and having at least one output representing a test response;

applying a test pattern to a reference signal generator, the reference signal generator generating first and second reference signals in response thereto, whereby the first and second reference signals represent test responses of a fault free multichip module;

compressing the outputs from the chips into first and second compressed outputs using first and second linear space compressors respectively;

deriving a first fault detection output by adding the first compressed output to the first reference signal using exclusive OR logic;

deriving a second fault detection output by adding the second compressed output to the second reference signal using exclusive OR logic;

storing the first and second fault detection outputs in first and second N-bit shift registers respectively;

comparing the stored outputs in the first and second N-bit shift registers to detect a fault condition; and

applying a series of recursive logic operations to identify the faulty chip.

2. A built-in self-test method according to claim 1, wherein the outputs from each of the chips are combined into a single output per chip using exclusive OR logic.

3. A built-in self-test method according to claim 1, wherein said step of applying a test pattern to the multichip module and said step of applying a test pattern to the reference signal generator, each comprises randomly generating the test patterns.

4. A built-in self-test method according to claim 1, wherein the test pattern applied to the multichip module and the test pattern applied to the reference signal generator are the same test pattern.

5. A built-in self-test method according to claim 1, wherein said step of compressing the outputs from the chips into a first compressed output using a first linear space compressor comprises adding the outputs from the chips using exclusive OR logic.

6. A built-in self-test method according to claim 1, wherein said step of compressing the outputs from the chips into a second compressed output using a second linear space compressor comprises adding the outputs from the chips to a single error correcting and double error detecting code check matrix using exclusive OR logic.

7. A built-in self-test method according to claim 1, wherein said step of applying a series of recursive logic operations to identify the faulty chip comprises the steps of:

identifying the first reference signal as being faulty when the contents of the first N-bit shift register have a logical value of 1 and the contents of the second N-bit shift register have a logical value of 0;

identifying the second reference signal as being faulty when the contents of the second N-bit shift register have a logical value of 1 and the contents of the first N-bit shift register have a logical value of 0;

identifying one integrated circuit chip as being faulty when the contents of the first and second N-bit shift register both have a logical value of 1;

storing N consecutive values of the first and second fault detection outputs in the first and second N-bit shift registers from the instant a fault is detected, where N=log₂ (M+1) and M denotes the number of chips in the multichip module;

sequentially generating a fault identification vector from the N consecutive values of the first and second fault detection outputs using an array of logic gates; and

computing an index of the faulty chip from the fault identification vector using a register comprised of N=log₂ (M+1) individual flip-flops, where M denotes the number of integrated circuit chips in the multichip module.

8. A built-in self-test method according to claim 7, wherein said step of sequentially generating a fault identification vector comprises receiving timing from a plurality of clock signals.

9. A built-in self-test circuit for the identification of a faulty integrated circuit chip in a multichip module having a plurality of chips, comprising:

a test pattern generator for applying a test pattern to the multichip module, each of the chips being responsive to the test pattern and having at least one output representing a test response;

a reference signal generator, coupled to and responsive to said test pattern generator, for generating first and second reference signals representing test responses of a fault free multichip module;

first and second data compression means for compressing the outputs from the chips into first and second compressed outputs respectively;

logic means for adding the first compressed output from the first data compression means to the first reference signal to produce a first fault detection output and for adding the second compressed output from the second data compression means to the second reference signal to produce a second fault detection output;

first and second means for registering the first and second fault detection outputs respectively, said first and second registering means coupled to said logic means,

means for generating a fault identification vector based on the registered fault detection outputs, said generating means coupled to said first and second registering means;

means for storing the fault identification vector, said storing means coupled to said means for generating a fault identification vector; and

a clock generator for generating a plurality of clock signals to sequentially order the generation of the fault identification vector, said clock generator coupled to said means for storing the fault identification vector.

10. A built-in self-test circuit according to claim 9, wherein:

said test pattern generator comprises a random test pattern generator;

said first and second data compression means comprise first and second linear space compressors respectively;

said logic means for adding the first compressed output to the first reference signal to produce a first fault detection output and for adding the second compressed output to the second reference signal to produce a second fault detection output comprises exclusive OR logic circuitry;

said first and second means for registering the first and second fault detection outputs comprises first and second N-bit shift registers;

said means for generating a fault identification vector comprises an array of logic gates;

said means for storing the fault identification vector comprises a register having N=log₂ (M+1) individual flip-flops, where M denotes the number of chips in the multichip module; and

said clock generator comprises a circular shift register.

11. A built-in self-test circuit according to claim 10, wherein said random test pattern generator, said reference signal generator, said first and second linear space compressors, said exclusive OR logic circuitry, said first and second N-bit shift registers, said array of logic gates, said register having N=log₂ (M+1) individual flip-flops, and said circular shift register are integrally formed within the multichip module.

12. A built-in self-test circuit according to claim 10, wherein said random test pattern generator, said reference signal generator, said first and second linear space compressors, said exclusive OR logic circuitry, said first and second N-bit shift registers, said array of logic gates, said register having N=log₂ (M+1) individual flip-flops, and said circular shift register are configured as a single field programmable gate array disposed on the multichip module.