Method and apparatus for testing a logic design of a programmable logic device
First Claim
1. An apparatus for enabling testing of a logic device, the apparatus comprising:
- a first logic device having a plurality of input terminals and a plurality of output terminals;
a plurality of configurable connections coupled to the first logic device to enable configurable coupling of the first logic device to a second logic device, the second logic device having a plurality of input terminals and a plurality of output terminals corresponding to the input terminals and the output terminals of the first logic device; and
a controller configured to control the plurality of switchable connections to couple the input terminals of the first logic device to corresponding input terminals of the second logic device and to decouple the output terminals of the first logic device from corresponding output terminals of the second logic device.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method are provided for the development, testing and verification of a logic design of a programmable logic device in a real-time user environment to simplify the development of the programmable logic device and associated systems. The apparatus comprises an emulation programmable logic device based on the same family and package of the target programmable logic device. The adapter further comprises a plurality of individually programmable switches for selectively coupling the emulation device to the target device or to a logic device substituting for the target device. The apparatus further comprises a controller, which configures the switches based on control signals received from a host computer system, such that a stimulus applied to the input pins of the target or substitute device are also applied concurrently to the corresponding input pins of the emulation device. The switches are further configured so that the output pins of the emulation device are unloaded from all of their normal functions and are output only as test points. Signal values at internal nodes of the emulation device in response to the stimulus can be traced out via the test points without disturbing the target or substitute device. The apparatus permits dynamic and independent programming and reprogramming of both the target and mirror devices, such that different internal nodes can be traced out quickly and easily. The apparatus may further include an embedded programmable stimulus generator and an embedded logic analyzer.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. An apparatus for enabling testing of a logic device, the apparatus comprising:
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a first logic device having a plurality of input terminals and a plurality of output terminals; a plurality of configurable connections coupled to the first logic device to enable configurable coupling of the first logic device to a second logic device, the second logic device having a plurality of input terminals and a plurality of output terminals corresponding to the input terminals and the output terminals of the first logic device; and a controller configured to control the plurality of switchable connections to couple the input terminals of the first logic device to corresponding input terminals of the second logic device and to decouple the output terminals of the first logic device from corresponding output terminals of the second logic device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus for testing a logic design of a target programmable logic device, the apparatus comprising:
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a mirror programmable logic device substantially identical to the target programmable logic device, the mirror programmable logic device and the target programmable logic device each having a plurality of input terminals and a plurality of output terminals; a plurality of switches, each of the switches for connection between a terminal of the mirror programmable logic device and a corresponding terminal of the target programmable logic device; and a controller for selectively configuring the switches to allow analysis, without affecting any of the output terminals of the target programmable logic device, of an output of the mirror programmable logic device in response to a stimulus applied to the mirror programmable logic device via one of the switches and to the target programmable logic device. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for allowing testing of a logic design of a target programmable logic device, the apparatus comprising:
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a mirror programmable logic device substantially identical to the target programmable logic device for emulating the target programmable logic device, the mirror programmable logic device and the target programmable logic device each having a plurality of input/output terminals; a programmable switch module including a plurality of individually configurable switches, each of the plurality of individually configurable switches for connection between an input or output input terminal of the mirror programmable logic device and a corresponding input or output terminal of the target programmable logic device; and a controller coupled to the switch module for selectively configuring the switches based on first control input to allow detection, at the output terminals of the mirror programmable logic device, of responses of the mirror programmable logic device to a stimulus applied concurrently to both the mirror programmable logic device and the target programmable logic device, while preventing the responses of the mirror programmable logic device from being received at output terminals of the target programmable logic device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for allowing testing of a target programmable logic device programmable logic device, the apparatus comprising:
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a mirror programmable logic device from substantially the same device family and of substantially the same device type as the target programmable logic device, the mirror programmable logic device and the target programmable logic device each having a plurality of input/output terminals; a programmable switch module including a plurality of individually configurable switches, each of the plurality of individually configurable switches for connection between an input or output input terminal of the mirror programmable logic device and a corresponding input or output terminal of the target programmable logic device; and a controller coupled to the switch module for selectively configuring the switches based on first control input to couple input terminals of the mirror programmable logic device with the corresponding input terminals of the target programmable logic device and to decouple output terminals of the mirror programmable logic device from the corresponding output terminals of the target programmable logic device, such that a stimulus applied to an input terminal of the target programmable logic device is applied via the switching module to the corresponding input terminal of the mirror programmable logic device, and such that responses of the mirror programmable logic device to the stimulus are detectable at the output terminals of the mirror programmable logic device, wherein the controller is further coupled to the mirror programmable logic device for programming the mirror programmable logic device with selected logic designs based on second control input. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of allowing testing of a logic design of a target programmable logic device, the method comprising:
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operating a mirror programmable logic device substantially identical to the target programmable logic device, the mirror programmable logic device and the target programmable logic device each having a plurality of terminals; and selectively configuring a plurality of connections, each of the connections for selectively connecting a terminal of the mirror programmable logic device to a corresponding terminal of the target programmable logic device, said selectively configuring including configuring the plurality of connections to allow detection of an output of the mirror programmable logic device in response to a stimulus applied concurrently to inputs of both the mirror programmable logic device and the target programmable logic device while preventing outputs of the mirror programmable logic device from affecting the target programmable logic device. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. A method of testing a logic design of a programmable logic device, the method comprising:
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configuring a set of connections between a first programmable logic device and a second programmable logic device to enable an input signal applied to an input terminal of one of the first programmable logic device and the second programmable logic device to also be applied concurrently to a corresponding input terminal of the other of the first programmable logic device and the second programmable logic device, while decoupling an output terminal of the first programmable logic device from the second programmable logic device; applying the input signal concurrently to the corresponding input terminals of the first and second programmable logic devices; and outputting at a test terminal a signal from the output terminal of the first programmable logic device in response to the input signal. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification