Device and method for testing a circuit

• US 8,452,553 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Glickman, Eran, Alankry, Yaron, Arbel-Meirovich, Erez, Parnes, Erez
• Primary Examiner(s): Teixeira Moffat, Jonathan C
• Assistant Examiner(s): HWANG, TIMOTHY
• Application Number:
  US12/516,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20100114508A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,371 Days
• Field of Search: 702/58, 702/119, 702/125, 369/60.01, 714/32, 714/33, 714724-744
• US Class Current: 702/58
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2236 to test CPU or processors

Abstract

A device and a method. The device includes: (i) a processor, connected to the receiver, (ii) an interface adapted to receive a test vector and to output a test response, the test vector includes a first group of signals that include idle signals and at least one information frame and a second group of signals that include timing signals and data signals; and (iii) a receiver, connected to the interface. The receiver is adapted to receive the first group of signals and filter out the idle signals and at least one instruction frame delimiters to provide at least one instruction. The device is adapted to send the at least one instruction to at least one instruction buffer. The processor is adapted to execute at least one instruction stored in the at least one instruction buffer and to respond to the second group of signals such as to provide test responses.

Claims

1. A device, the device comprises:

a processor;

an interface adapted to receive a test vector and to output a test response, wherein the test vector comprises a first group of signals that comprises idle signals and at least one information frame and a second group of signals that comprises timing signals and data signals, wherein a location in time of the at least one information frame with respect to the idle signals of the first group in the test vector is shifted as compared to a location in time of a previous test vector'"'"'s corresponding at least one information frame with respect to its idle signals, wherein the location in time of the at least one information within the first group of signals does not affect locations in time of the second group of signals with respect to a beginning of the first group of signals; and

a receiver, coupled to the interface and to the processor, wherein the receiver is adapted to receive the first group of signals and filter out the idle signals and at least one instruction frame delimiters to provide at least one instruction;

wherein the device is adapted to send the at least one instruction to at least one instruction buffer;

wherein the processor is adapted to execute the at least one instruction stored in the at least one instruction buffer and to respond to the second group of signals such as to provide the test response.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein the device comprises multiple data buffers and wherein the data buffers are adapted to store multiple data signals of the second group of signals.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein the processor is adapted to send the at least one instruction to the at least one instruction buffer in response to an instruction type identifier associated with the instruction.

4. The device according to claim 1 wherein the interface comprises at least one pin adapted to receive only signals that belong to the first group of signals.

5. The device according to claim 1 wherein the interface comprises at least one pin adapted to receive signals that belong to the first group of signals and to the second group of signals.

18. The device according to claim 2 wherein the processor is adapted to send the at least one instruction to at least one instruction buffer in response to an instruction type identifier associated with the instruction.

20. The device according to claim 1 wherein the at least one information frame includes start delimiters, an instruction, and end delimiters.

6. A tester that comprises:

a pattern generator adapted to generate a second group of signals that comprises timing signals and data signals;

an interface adapted to receive information representative of at least one instruction; and

a controller adapted to control a provision of a test vector to a tested device;

wherein the test vector comprises the second group of signals and a first group of signals that comprises idle signals and at least one information frame, wherein a location in time of the at least one information frame with respect to the idle signals of the first group of signals in the test vector is shifted as compared to a location in time of a previous test vector'"'"'s corresponding at least one information frame with respect to its idle signals, wherein the location in time of the at least one information frame within the first group of signals does not affect locations in time of the second group of signals with respect to a beginning of the first group of signals, and wherein a size of the first group of signals in each of the first test vector is inversely proportional to a number of input pins of the tested device;

wherein the controller is adapted to evaluate a test response received from the tested device in response to the test vector provided to the tested device.

7. The tester according to claim 6 wherein the tester provides only signals that belong to the first group of signals to a pin of the tested device.

8. The tester according to claim 6 wherein the tester provides signals that belong to the first group of signals and to the second group of signals to a pin of the tested device.

9. A method for testing a device, the method comprises:

outputting a test response;

receiving a test vector, wherein the test vector comprises a first group of signals that comprises idle signals and at least one information frame and a second group of signals that comprises timing signals and data signals, wherein a location in time of the at least one information frame with respect to the idle signals of the first group of signals in the test vector is shifted as compared to a location in time of a previous test vector'"'"'s corresponding at least one information frame with respect to its idle signals, wherein the location in time of the at least one information frame within the first group of signals does not affect locations in time of the second group of signals with respect to a beginning of the first group of signals;

filtering out, by a receiver, the idle signals and at least one instruction delimiters to provide at least one instruction;

sending the at least one instruction to at least one instruction buffer; and

generating the test response by executing the at least one instruction and by responding to the second group of signals.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the method comprises sending multiple data signals of the test vector to multiple data buffers.

11. The method according to claim 9 wherein a size of a single instruction frame does not exceed one percent of the test vector.

12. The method according to claim 9 wherein the sending is responsive to an instruction type identifier associated with the instruction.

13. The method according to claim 9 wherein receiving comprises receiving, via at least one pin of the tested device, only signals that belong to the first group of signals.

14. The method according to claim 9 wherein receiving comprises receiving, via at least one pin of the tested device, signals that belong to the first group of signals and to the second group of signals.

19. The method according to claim 10 wherein the providing comprises providing signals that belong to the first group of signals and to the second group of signals to a pin of the tested device.

15. A method for testing a tested device, the method comprises:

generating a second group of signals that comprises timing signals and data signals;

receiving information representative of at least one instruction;

generating a test vector that comprises the second group of signals and a first group of signals that comprises idle signals and at least one information frame, wherein the first group of signals is responsive to the information representative of at least one instruction, and wherein a location in time of the at least one information frame with respect to the idle signals of the first group of signals in the test vector is shifted as compared to a location in time of a previous test vector'"'"'s corresponding at least one information frame with respect to its idle signals, wherein the location in time of the at least one information frame within the first group of signals does not affect locations in time of the second group of signals with respect to a beginning of the first group of signals;

providing the test vector to the tested device; and

comparing a test response associated with the test vector to a previous test response associated with a previous test vector in order to evaluate a functionality of the tested device, each of the test response and the previous test response received from the tested device in response to a provision of the test vector and the previous test vector respectively.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein the providing comprises providing only signals that belong to the first group of signals to a pin of the tested device.

17. The method according to claim 15 wherein the providing comprises providing signals that belong to the first group of signals and to the second group of signals to a pin of the tested device.