Method and apparatus for testing integrated circuits in a mixed-signal environment

• US 5,968,191 A
• Filed: 04/28/1997
• Issued: 10/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc., Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company, Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Thatcher, Carl Wilmer, Oresjo, Stig Herman, McDermid, John Elliott, Parker, Kenneth Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Iqbal, Nadeem
• Application Number:
  US08/848,107
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 714/8, 714/25, 714/27, 714/30, 714/37, 714/39, 714/43, 714/44, 714/48, 714/56, 714/726, 714/727, 714/733, 714/735, 714/742, 364/488, 364/489, 364/490, 324/765, 326/16, 327/90, 327/40
• US Class Current: 714/723
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2815 Functional tests, e.g. boundary scans, using the normal I/O contacts contacting devices G01R31/2808; testing digital circuits G01R31/317, G06F11/00
• 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 31/3167 Testing of combined analog and digital circuits testing ADC's H03M1/1071
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31723 Hardware for routing the test signal within the device under test to the circuits to be tested, e.g. multiplexer for multiple core testing, accessing internal nodes routing the test signal to or from the device under test G01R31/31926
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/66 Testing of connections, e.g. of plugs or non-disconnectable joints testing for incorrect line connections G01R31/55

Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed for testing integrated circuit interconnect and measuring the value of passive component interconnecting the IC'"'"'s. Each IC includes both analog and digital circuitry and is provided with a test access port and boundary scan architecture for selectively connecting components to an analog test bus and for testing for the integrity of interconnections. When connected with the test bus, a constant current is supplied to the component and the resulting voltage developed across the bus is used for identifying the value of the component. In a second embodiment each IC includes a pair of buses which permits measurement of the impedance of the switches connecting the components to the test bus.

Claims

1. Apparatus for measuring electrical component means which are external to and interconnected with first and second integrated circuit devices which devices include first and second analog circuits respectively, said apparatus comprising a first and a second analog test bus means included in said first and second devices respectively, multiplex means included in each of said devices for selectively connecting said component means either to said analog circuit means or to said analog test bus means, test circuit means connected with said first and second test bus means and including a source for supplying a current to said component means when said component means is connected with said test bus means and detector means for determining the value of said component means.

2. An integrated circuit device, comprising:

a) core analog circuitry;

b) an input/output pin;

c) first and second analog test buses;

d) switch means, comprising;

i) a first switch connecting said pin to said core analog circuitry;

ii) a second switch connecting said pin to said first analog test bus;

iii) a third switch conneting said pin to said second analog test bus; and

e) test circuitry for controlling the state of said switches so as to disconnect said pin from said core analog circuitry and selectively connect said pin with said first and/or second test buses.

3. An integrated circuit device as in claim 2, wherein:

a) said switch means further comprises;

i) a fourth switch connecting said pin to an integrated circuit operating voltage; and

ii) a fifth switch connecting said pin to ground; and

b) the integrated circuit further comprises a data register connected to said switch means.

4. An integrated circuit device as in claim 2, further comprising:

a) a plurality of input/output pins; and

b) a plurality of switch means, corresponding to the plurality of input/output pins, wherein each of the plurality of switch means comprises;

i) a first switch connecting one of the plurality of input/output pins to said core analog circuitry;

ii) a second switch connecting one of the plurality of input/output pins to said first analog test bus; and

iii) a third switch connecting one of the plurality of input/output pins to said second analog test bus;

wherein each of the plurality of switch means is controlled by the test circuitry.

5. An integrated circuit device as in claim 4, wherein:

a) each of the plurality of switch means further comprises;

i) a fourth switch connecting one of the plurality of input/output pins to an integrated circuit operating voltage; and

ii) a fifth switch connecting one of the plurality of input/output pins to ground; and

b) the integrated circuit further comprises a data register connected to each of the plurality of switch means.

6. An integrated circuit device as in claim 2, wherein the first and second analog test buses are interchangeable, and are designed so that one of the buses may be connected to a source means while the other is simultaneously connected to a detector means.

7. An integrated circuit, comprising:

a) a core;

b) a plurality of externally accessible electrical contact points comprising a first contact point;

c) means for disconnecting the first contact point from the core;

d) means for delivering a test stimulus to the first contact point;

e) means for obtaining an analog response to the test stimulus; and

f) means for connecting the first contact point to an integrated circuit operating voltage or reference relative to the test stimulus.

8. An integrated circuit as in claim 7, wherein the core comprises analog circuitry.

9. An integrated circuit as in claim 7, wherein the core comprises digital circuitry.

10. An integrated circuit as in claim 7, wherein each of various contact points within the plurality of externally accessible electrical contact points are associated with:

a) a means for disconnecting it from the core; and

b) a means for connecting it to an integrated circuit operating voltage or reference relative to the test stimulus.

11. An integrated circuit as in claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of externally accessible electrical contact points which is configured for analog input or output is associated with:

a) a means for disconnecting it from the core; and

b) a means for connecting it to an integrated circuit operating voltage or reference relative to the test stimulus.

12. An integrated circuit as in claim 11, wherein the means for delivering a test stimulus to the first contact point is configured to deliver a test stimulus to any of the plurality of externally accessible electrical contact points which is configured for analog input or output.

13. An integrated circuit as in claim 7, further comprising a data register connected to the first contact point.

14. An integrated circuit as in claim 13, wherein the data register is a digital device.

15. An integrated circuit as in claim 7, further comprising a Test Access Port, wherein the means for disconnecting the first contact point from the core, the means for delivering a test stimulus to the first contact point, the means for obtaining an analog response to the test stimulus, and the means for connecting the first contact point to an integrated circuit operating voltage or reference relative to the test stimulus, each comprise one or more programmable switches which are programmed in response to signals received at the Test Access Port.

16. An integrated circuit as in claim 15, further comprising a boundary-scan register, wherein:

a) the boundary-scan register is interconnected with each of the programmable switches; and

b) data is shifted into the boundary-scan register in response to signals received at the Test Access Port.

17. An integrated circuit as in claim 7, wherein the means for delivering a test stimulus to the first contact point, and the means for obtaining an analog response to the test stimulus, comprise a pair of interchangeable analog test buses.

18. A method of testing one or more electrical components which are interconnected between two or more electrical contact points located on one or more integrated circuits, comprising the steps of:

a) programming all integrated circuits having an electrical contact point connected to the one or more electrical components to disconnect their cores from said electrical contact points;

b) programming at least one of the integrated circuits having an electrical contact point connected to the one or more electrical components, contact A, to connect contact A to a reference;

c) programming one of the integrated circuits having an electrical contact point connected to the one or more electrical components, contact B, to deliver a test stimulus, relative to the reference, to contact B;

d) programming one or more of the integrated circuits having an electrical contact point connected to the one or more electrical components to output analog responses to the test stimulus; and

e) calculating values of the one or more electrical components using the analog responses to the test stimulus.

19. A method as in claim 18, wherein the one or more electrical components are interconnected between two electrical contact points located on one integrated circuit, and wherein the programming steps respectively comprise the steps of:

a) programming the one integrated circuit to disconnect its core from said two electrical contact points;

b) programming the one integrated circuit to connect a first of the two electrical contact points to a reference;

c) programming the one integrated circuit to deliver a test stimulus, relative to the reference, to a second of the two electrical contact points; and

d) programming the one integrated circuit to

i) connect an analog test bus to the first of the two electrical contact points and output a first analog response to the test stimulus; and

ii) connect the analog test bus to the second of the two electrical contact points and output a second analog response to the test stimulus.

20. A method as in claim 18, wherein the one or more electrical components are interconnected between first and second electrical contact points, respectively located on first and second integrated circuits, and wherein the programming steps respectively comprise the steps of:

a) respectively programming the first and second integrated circuits to disconnect their cores from the first and second electrical contact points;

b) programming the first integrated circuit to connect the first electrical contact point to a reference;

c) programming the second integrated circuit to deliver a test stimulus, relative to the reference, to the second electrical contact point; and

d) programming

i) the first integrated circuit to connect an internal analog test bus to the first electrical contact point and output a first analog response to the test stimulus; and

ii) the second integrated circuit to connect an internal analog test bus to the second electrical contact point and output a second analog response to the test stimulus.

21. A method as in claim 18, wherein all of the programming steps comprise the step of shifting data into a boundary scan register.

22. A method as in claim 18, wherein the step of programming one of the integrated circuits having an electrical contact point connected to the one or more electrical components to deliver a test stimulus to contact B comprises the step of connecting an internal analog test bus to contact B.