Arithmetic built-in self-test of multiple scan-based integrated circuits

• US 6,954,888 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2004
• Issued: 10/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mentor Graphics Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Mentor Graphics Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Tyszer, Jerzy, Rajski, Janusz
• Primary Examiner(s): Wright, Norman M.
• Application Number:
  US10/777,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20050060626A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 713/200, 714/30, 714/25, 714/46, 714/728, 714/729, 714/727, 714/715, 714/739, 714/33, 714/28, 714/29, 714/27
• US Class Current: 714/739
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/318385 Random or pseudo-random test pattern
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/318547 Data generators or compressors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2221 to test input/output devices or peripheral units

Abstract

An apparatus and method provide for an arithmetic built-in self test (ABIST) of a number of peripheral devices having parallel scan registers coupled to a processor core, all within an integrated circuit. Using the data paths of the processor core, operating logic generates pseudo-random test patterns for the peripheral devices, employing a mixed congruential generation scheme. In one embodiment, generating the pseudo-random test patterns includes multiplying n least significant bits of a 2n-bit pseudo-random number generated in an immediately preceding iteration and stored in a first register, with an n-bit multiplier constant stored in a second register to produce a 2n-bit product, adding the 2n-bit product to n most significant bits of the 2n-bit pseudo-random number stored in n least significant locations of an accumulator with 2n locations to produce a new 2n-bit pseudo-random number for a current iteration, and outputting n least significant bits of the new 2n-bit pseudo-random number as an n-bit pseudo-random test vector for the peripheral devices.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

storing microcode in non-volatile memory in an integrated circuit for causing an embedded processor in the integrated circuit to generate a plurality of pseudo-random test patterns to be used in testing of the integrated circuit;

storing microcode in the non-volatile memory for causing the embedded processor to move at least one of the plurality of pseudo-random test patterns to a test port register coupled to the embedded processor; and

storing microcode in the non-volatile memory for causing the embedded processor to move test responses from the test port register to the embedded processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the testing of the integrated circuit comprises testing a plurality of peripheral devices, the plurality of peripheral devices having associated parallel scan registers coupled to the embedded processor.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising storing microcode in the non-volatile memory for causing the embedded processor to generate a plurality of deterministic test patterns for the plurality of peripheral devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing microcode in the non-volatile memory for causing the embedded processor to compact the test responses.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein storing microcode for causing the embedded processor to compact the test responses comprises storing microcode in the non-volatile memory to cause the embedded processor to:

move a first test response into a first accumulator;

add a first signature to the first accumulator;

move a second test response into a second accumulator;

output the content of the first accumulator; and

add the output of the first accumulator into the second accumulator.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein storing microcode for causing the embedded processor to compact the test responses further comprises storing microcode in the non-volatile memory to cause the embedded processor to:

move the second test response into the first accumulator;

add a second signature into the first accumulator, the second signature comprising the first test response;

move a third test response into the second accumulator; and

add the output of the first accumulator into the second accumulator.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an embedded processor having a plurality of data paths.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the testing comprises using the plurality of data paths in a test mode of operation.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a test port register having a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports.

10. One or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

storing microcode in non-volatile memory in an integrated circuit for causing an embedded processor in the integrated circuit to generate a plurality of pseudo-random test patterns to be used in testing of the integrated circuit;

storing microcode in the non-volatile memory for causing the embedded processor to move at least one of the plurality of pseudo-random test patterns to a test port register coupled to the embedded processor; and

storing microcode in the non-volatile memory for causing the embedded processor to move test responses from the test port register to the embedded processor.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

means for generating pseudo-random test patterns in an integrated circuit, wherein the integrated circuit comprises an embedded processor core and a plurality of peripheral devices, the embedded processor core comprising a plurality of data paths, and wherein the means for generating pseudo-random test patterns comprises multiplying n least significant bits of a 2n-bit pseudo-random number generated in an immediately preceding iteration and stored in a first register, with an n-bit multiplier constant stored in a second register to produce a 2n-bit product;

means for testing the plurality of peripheral devices using the pseudo-random test patterns and the plurality of data paths; and

means for compacting peripheral device test-response data.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the embedded processor core comprises a plurality of registers, at least one multiplier, at least one adder, and at least one accumulator.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the integrated circuit further comprises a test port register, the test port register serving as an interface between the embedded processor core and at least one scan register.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for generating pseudo-random test patterns further comprises adding the 2n-bit product to n most significant bits of the 2n-bit pseudo-random number stored in n least significant locations of an accumulator with 2n locations to produce a new 2n-bit pseudo-random number for a current iteration.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the means for generating pseudo-random test patterns further comprises outputting n least significant bits of the new 2n-bit pseudo-random number as an n-bit pseudo-random test vector for the plurality of peripheral devices.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for compacting peripheral device test-response data comprises:

means for moving an n-bit segment of the peripheral device performance data to a first-stage accumulator;

means for adding the n-bit segment to a signature value at the first-stage accumulator;

means for cascading the signature value to a second-stage accumulator; and

means for adding the n-bit segment to the cascaded result.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for cascading the signature value to the second-stage accumulator comprises a 1'"'"'s complement convention.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for cascading the signature value to the second-stage accumulator comprises a rotate carry scheme.

19. A method for testing integrated circuits, comprising:

a step for producing at least one two-dimensional pseudo-random test pattern in an integrated circuit, the integrated circuit having an embedded processor and a peripheral device;

a step for generating at least one two-dimensional deterministic test pattern in the integrated circuit;

a step for testing the peripheral device using the two-dimensional pseudo-random test pattern and the two-dimensional deterministic test pattern; and

a step for compacting test-response data.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step for testing the peripheral device comprises a step for providing the two-dimensional pseudo-random test pattern and the two-dimensional deterministic test pattern to the peripheral device via a test port register, the test port register coupled to the embedded processor and at least one scan register.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising a step for repeating the step for testing the peripheral device until all desired test patterns have been produced and used in the testing.