Method for testing in a reconfigurable tester

• US 8,725,489 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teradyne Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Teradyne Incorporated
• Inventors: Conner, George W.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, SHAMBHAVI K
• Application Number:
  US12/740,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20100313071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,021 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 703/23
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31917 Stimuli generation or application of test patterns to the device under test [DUT]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/261 by simulating additional hardware, e.g. fault simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/263 Generation of test inputs, e.g. test vectors, patterns or sequences ; with adaptation of the tested hardware for testability with external testers

Abstract

In some implementations, a method for testing is provided, which includes simulating a functional operational environment for a first type device-under-test with a tester. This includes recognizing a non-deterministic response signal having a predetermined protocol, receiving the non-deterministic response signal from the first type device-under-test, ascertaining an expected stimulus signal to be transferred to the first type device-under-test from the non-deterministic response signal based on the predetermined protocol, and initiating transmission of the expected stimulus signal to the first type device-under-test. The method further includes simulating a functional operational environment for a second type device-under-test with the tester after testing the first type device-under-test.

Claims

1. A method for testing in a reconfigurable tester, the method comprising:

simulating a functional operational environment for a first type device-under-test with a tester, comprising;

receiving a non-deterministic response signal from the first type device-under-test, the non-deterministic response signal comprising a predetermined protocol;

ascertaining, after receiving the non-deterministic response signal, a stimulus signal to be transferred to the first type device-under-test, wherein a timing for the stimulus signal is ascertained from the non-deterministic response signal and the predetermined protocol; and

initiating transmission of the stimulus signal to the first type device-under-test in accordance with the ascertained timing.

2. The method for testing of claim 1 further comprising storing the non-deterministic response signal within a response capture storage device.

3. The method for testing of claim 2, wherein storing comprises storing the non-deterministic response signal within at least one of:

1) FIFO memory;

or

     2) random access memory.

4. The method for testing of claim 2 further comprising evaluating the non-deterministic response signal to determine if the non-deterministic response signal is correctly transmitted from the first type device-under-test to determine an operational condition of the first type device-under-test.

5. The method for testing of claim 4 further comprising:

retaining at least one stimulus signal in a stimulus signal storage device; and

initiating selection of the at least one stimulus signal; and

describing a synchronizing timing and a latency delay at which the stimulus signal is to be transmitted to the first type device-under-test.

6. The method for testing of claim 5, wherein retaining the at least one stimulus signal comprises retaining the at least one stimulus signal in at least one of:

a) FIFO memory;

or b) random access memory.

7. The method for testing of claim 5 further comprising:

generating from an encoded stimulus data the stimulus signal for storage in the stimulus signal storage device.

8. The method for testing of claim 7 further comprising:

managing transfer of the non-deterministic response signal from the response capture storage device based on the non-deterministic response signal when receiving a non-deterministic response signal; and

managing transfer of the deterministic response signal from the response capture storage device to determine that the first type device-under-test is operating correctly from the deterministic response signal when receiving a deterministic response signal.

9. The method for testing of claim 8 further comprising:

managing the transfer of the stimulus signal to the stimulus signal storage device based on the non-deterministic response signal when receiving a non-deterministic response signal; and

transferring a deterministic stimulus signal when control of the transfer of the deterministic stimulus signal is independent of operational signals from the first type device-under-test.

10. The method for testing of claim 9, wherein ascertaining a stimulus signal to be transferred to the first type device-under-test from the non-deterministic response signal based on a predetermined protocol comprises selecting the predetermined protocol from at least one of:

a) a random access memory interface protocol;

b) a communication interface protocol;

or c) a computing device interface protocol.

11. The method for testing of claim 1, wherein simulating the functional operational environment for the first type device-under-test comprises configuring the tester to recognize a non-deterministic response signal comprising a plurality of predetermined protocols.

12. The method for testing of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a response signal from the first type device-under-test;

ascertaining whether the response signal is a deterministic response signal; and

passing deterministic response signals for comparison with expected responses to determine whether the first type device-under-test is functioning correctly.

13. The method for testing of claim 1 wherein simulating a functional operational environment for a second type device-under-test comprises reprogramming the tester to recognize and respond to a non-deterministic response signal from the second type device-under-test comprising a predetermined protocol.

26. The method for testing of claim 1, further comprising simulating a functional operational environment for a second type device-under-test with the tester after testing the first type device-under-test.

27. The method for testing of claim 1, wherein simulating the functional operational environment further comprises configuring the tester to recognize the non-deterministic response signal using a protocol-specific timing.

28. The method for testing of claim 27, wherein simulating the functional operational environment further comprises configuring the tester to track a clock timing signal and a data strobe signal.

29. The method for testing of claim 1, wherein simulating the functional operational environment further comprises configuring the tester to recognize the non-deterministic response signal for a plurality of functional circuit element blocks.

30. The method for testing of claim 1, wherein simulating the functional operational environment further comprises configuring the tester to recognize the non-deterministic response signal incorporating timing of signal propagation among a plurality of functional circuit element blocks.

31. The method for testing of claim 29, wherein simulating the functional operational environment further comprises performing analytical processing to determine pass or failure of a first element block of the plurality of functional circuit element blocks, whereby the element block or blocks being tested continue to interact with the other element blocks in a functionally correct manner as though the device-under-test were in its standard operating environment.

14. A method for simulating a functional operational environment in a reconfigurable automated tester comprising:

configuring the reconfigurable automated tester to be capable of ascertaining a stimulus signal for transfer to a first type SOC, device-under-test, wherein a timing for the transfer is ascertained based on a non-deterministic response signal received from the first type SOC device-under-test and a predetermined protocol for the first type SOC device-under-test; and

reconfiguring the reconfigurable automated tester to be capable of ascertaining a stimulus signal for transfer to a second type SOC device-under-test from a non-deterministic response signal received from the second type SOC device-under-test based on a predetermined protocol for the second type SOC device-under-test.

15. The method for simulating a functional operational environment of claim 14, wherein configuring comprises programming a programmable circuit to respond to the predetermined protocol of the first type SOC device-under-test.

16. The method for simulating a functional operational environment of claim 15, wherein configuring comprises programming a field programmable gate array to respond to the predetermined protocol of the first type SOC device-under-test.

17. The method for simulating a functional operational environment of claim 15, wherein reconfiguring comprises reprogramming the programmable circuit to respond to the predetermined protocol of the second type SOC device-under-test.

18. The method for simulating a functional operational environment of claim 17, wherein configuring comprises programming a field programmable gate array to respond to the predetermined protocol of the second type SOC device-under-test.

19. The method for simulating a functional operational environment of claim 14 further comprising reconfiguring the reconfigurable automated tester to be capable of ascertaining a stimulus signal to be transferred to a third type SOC device-under-test from a non-deterministic response signal based on a plurality of predetermined protocols for the third type SOC device-under-test.

20. The method for simulating a functional operational environment of claim 14 further comprising storing the non-deterministic response signal within a response capture storage device.

21. The method for simulating a functional operational environment of claim 20, wherein storing comprises storing the non-deterministic response signal in at least one of:

a) FIFO memory;

or b) random access memory.

22. The method for simulating a functional operational environment of claim 14 further comprising storing the stimulus signal within a stimulus signal storage device.

23. The method for simulating a functional operational environment of claim 22, wherein storing, comprises storing the stimulus signal within at least one of:

a) FIFO memory;

or b) random access memory.

24. The method for simulating a functional operational environment of claim 14 further comprising:

receiving a response signal from the first type SOC device-under-test;

ascertaining whether the response signal is a deterministic response signal; and

passing deterministic response signals for comparison with expected responses to determine whether the first type SOC device-under-test is functioning correctly.

25. A method for testing in a reconfigurable tester, the method comprising:

simulating a functional operational environment for a first type device-under-test with a tester, comprising configuring the tester to recognize and respond to a first non-deterministic response signal from the first type device-under-test and to ascertain a first timing for responding to the first non-deterministic response signal, wherein the first timing is ascertained based at least in art on the first non-deterministic response signal; and

simulating a functional operational environment for a second type device-under-test with the tester, comprising configuring the tester to recognize and respond to a second non-deterministic response signal from the second type device-under-test and to ascertain a second timing for responding to the second non-deterministic response signal after testing the first type device-under-test.