Computer-readable recording medium storing a method of masking or modifying output events of bi-directional signals in an event-format test pattern file for a semiconductor integrated circuit

• US 6,336,199 B1
• Filed: 03/03/1999
• Issued: 01/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Lin, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Chung, Phung M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Torres, Joseph D.
• Application Number:
  US09/261,140
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 714/724, 714/735, 714/736, 714/738, 714/741, 714/742
• US Class Current: 714/742
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/33 Design verification, e.g. functional simulation or model checking

Abstract

A computer-readable recording medium stores a method of modifying and masking output events of bi-directional signals specified in an event-format test pattern file for a semiconductor integrated circuit, wherein the process of masking and modifying output events does not require any manual operation.

Claims

1. A computer-readable recording medium storing a method of modifying output events of bi-directional signals specified in an event-format test pattern file for a semiconductor integrated circuit, said method comprising the steps of:

preparing an expected pattern file for modifying the output events of the bi-directional signals to a new pattern by assigning an expected event value to desired bi-directional signals;

preparing a design specific information file storing a list of names of signal pins which include input signal pins, output signal pins and bi-directional pins, and also a list of internal direction control signals for the bi-directional pins;

extracting pairs of a bi-directional pin name and an internal direction control signal name, from said design specific information file;

matching up the bi-directional pin names and the internal direction control signal names found in said extracting step with signal representations in the event-format test pattern file and the expected pattern file;

repeating the step of matching up until the bi-directional signals and the internal direction control signals are exhausted;

collecting events and event time of the bi-directional signals and the internal direction control signals, from the event-format test pattern file and the expected pattern file;

substituting output events from the expected test pattern file into the event-format test pattern file when it is determined, by examining transitions of the internal direction control signals, that the bi-directional signals associated with the output events are in an output mode; and

outputting a resultant modified event-format test pattern file.

2. A computer-readable recording medium storing a method of masking output events of bi-directional signals specified in an event-format test pattern file for a semiconductor integrated circuit, said method comprising the steps of:

preparing a design specific information file storing a list of names of signal pins which include input signal pins, output signal pins and bi-directional pins, and also a list of internal direction control signals for the bi-directional pins;

extracting pairs of a bi-directional pin name and an internal direction control signal name, from said design specific information file;

matching up the bi-directional pin names and the internal direction control signal names found in said extracting step with signal representations in the event-format test pattern file;

repeating the step of matching up until the bi-directional signals and the internal direction control signals are exhausted;

collecting events and event time of the bi-directional signals and the internal direction control signals, from the event-format test pattern file;

substituting, in the event-format test pattern file, a mask event of the desired bi-directional signal for an output event of said desired bi-directional signal; and

outputting a resultant modified event-format test pattern file.

3. A method of modifying output events of bi-directional signals specified in an event-format test pattern file for a semiconductor integrated circuit, said method comprising the steps of:

preparing an expected pattern file for modifying the output events of the bi-directional signals to a new pattern by assigning an expected event value to desired bi-directional signals;

preparing a design specific information file storing a list of names of signal pins which include input signal pins, output signal pins and bi-directional pins, and also a list of internal direction control signals for the bi-directional pins;

extracting pairs of a bi-directional pin name and an internal direction control signal name, from said design specific information file;

matching up the bi-directional pin names and the internal direction control signal names found in said extracting step with signal representations in the event-format test pattern file and the expected pattern file;

repeating the step of matching up until the bi-directional signals and the internal direction control signals are exhausted;

collecting events and event time of the bi-directional signals and the internal direction control signals, from the event-format test pattern file and the expected pattern file;

substituting output events from the expected test pattern file into the event-format test pattern file when it is determined, by examining transitions of the internal direction control signals, that the bi-directional signals associated with the output events are in an output mode; and

outputting a resultant modified event-format test pattern file.

4. A method of masking output events of bi-directional signals specified in an event-format test pattern file for a semiconductor integrated circuit, said method comprising the steps of:

preparing a design specific information file storing a list of names of signal pins which include input signal pins, output signal pins and bi-directional pins, and also a list of internal direction control signals for the bi-directional pins;

extracting pairs of a bi-directional pin name and an internal direction control signal name, from said design specific information file;

matching up the bi-directional pin names and the internal direction control signal names found in said extracting step with signal representations in the event-format test pattern file;

repeating the step of matching up until the bi-directional signals and the internal direction control signals are exhausted;

collecting events and event time of the bi-directional signals and the internal direction control signals, from the event-format test pattern file;

substituting, in the event-format test pattern file, a mask event of the desired bi-directional signal for an output event of said desired bi-directional signal; and

outputting a resultant modified event-format test pattern file.