Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing or diagnosing faults in a scan-based integrated circuit using a unified self-test and scan-test technique. The method and apparatus comprises using a unified test controller to ease prototype debug and production test. The unified test controller further comprises using a capture clock generator and a plurality of domain clock generators each embedded in a clock domain to perform self-test or scan-test. The capture clocks generated by the capture clock generator are used to guide at-speed or reduced-speed self-test (or scan-test) within each clock domain. The frequency of these capture clocks can be totally unrelated to those of system clocks controlling the clock domains. This unified approach allows designers to test or diagnose stuck-type and non-stuck-type faults with a low-cost DFT (design-for-test) tester or a low-cost DFT debugger. A computer-aided design (CAD) method is further developed to realize the method and synthesize the apparatus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for selectively masking off unknown (‘x’) captured scan data in first selected scan cells 220 from propagating through the scan chains 221 for test, debug, diagnosis, and yield improvement of a scan-based integrated circuit 207 in a selected scan-test mode 232 or selected self-test mode. The scan-based integrated circuit 207 contains a plurality of scan chains 221, a plurality of pattern generators 208, a plurality of pattern compactors 213, with each scan chain 221 comprising multiple scan cells 220, 222 coupled in series. The method and apparatus further includes an output-mask controller 211 and an output-mask network 212 embedded on the scan data input path of second selected scan cells 222, or a set/reset controller controlling selected set/reset inputs of second selected scan cells. A synthesis method is also proposed for synthesizing the output-mask controller 211 and the set/reset controller.

Abstract: A broadcaster, system, and method for reducing test data volume and test application time in an ATE (automatic test equipment) in a scan-based integrated circuit. The scan-based integrated circuit contains multiple scan chains, each scan chain comprising multiple scan cells coupled in series. The broadcaster is a combinational logic network coupled to an optional virtual scan controller and an optional scan connector. The virtual scan controller controls the operation of the broadcaster. The system transmits virtual scan patterns stored in the ATE and generates broadcast scan patterns through the broadcaster for testing manufacturing faults in the scan-based integrated circuit. The number of scan chains that can be supported by the ATE is significantly increased. Methods are further proposed to reorder scan cells in selected scan chains, to generate the broadcast scan patterns and virtual scan patterns, and to synthesize the broadcaster and a compactor in the scan-based integrated circuit.

Abstract: A broadcaster, system, and method for reducing test data volume and test application time in an ATE (automatic test equipment) in a scan-based integrated circuit. The scan-based integrated circuit contains multiple scan chains, each scan chain comprising multiple scan cells coupled in series. The broadcaster is a combinational logic network coupled to an optional virtual scan controller and an optional scan connector. The virtual scan controller controls the operation of the broadcaster. The system transmits virtual scan patterns stored in the ATE and generates broadcast scan patterns through the broadcaster for testing manufacturing faults in the scan-based integrated circuit. The number of scan chains that can be supported by the ATE is significantly increased. Methods are further proposed to reorder scan cells in selected scan chains, to generate the broadcast scan patterns and virtual scan patterns, and to synthesize the broadcaster and a compactor in the scan-based integrated circuit.

Abstract: A pipelined scan compression method and apparatus for reducing test data volume and test application time in a scan-based integrated circuit without reducing the speed of the scan chain operation in scan-test mode or self-test mode. The integrated circuit contains one or more scan chains, each scan chain comprising one or more scan cells coupled in series. A decompressor is embedded between N scan chains and M scan chains, where N<M, to broadcast compressed scan data patterns driven through the N scan chains into decompressed scan data patterns stored in the M scan chains. To speed up the shift-in/shift-out operation during decompression, the decompressor can be further split into two or more pipelined decompressors each placed between two sets of intermediate scan chains. The invention further comprises one or more pipelined compressors to speed up the shift-in/shift-out operation during compression.

Abstract: A broadcaster, system, and method for reducing test data volume and test application time in an ATE (automatic test equipment) in a scan-based integrated circuit. The scan-based integrated circuit contains multiple scan chains, each scan chain comprising multiple scan cells coupled in series. The broadcaster is a combinational logic network coupled to an optional virtual scan controller and an optional scan connector. The virtual scan controller controls the operation of the broadcaster. The system transmits virtual scan patterns stored in the ATE and generates broadcast scan patterns through the broadcaster for testing manufacturing faults in the scan-based integrated circuit. The number of scan chains that can be supported by the ATE is significantly increased. Methods are further proposed to reorder scan cells in selected scan chains, to generate the broadcast scan patterns and virtual scan patterns, and to synthesize the broadcaster and a compactor in the scan-based integrated circuit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus time-division demultiplexes and decompresses a compressed input stimulus provided at a selected data rate R1, into a decompressed stimulus, driven at a selected data rate R2, for driving selected scan chains in a scan-based integrated circuit using a plurality of time-division demultiplexors and time-division multiplexors for shifting stimuli and test responses in and out of high-speed I/O pads in order to reduce test time, test cost, and scan pin count. A synthesis method is also proposed for synthesizing the time-division multiplexors, decompressors, compressors, and time-division multiplexors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing ordered capture clocks to detect or locate faults within N clock domains and faults crossing any two clock domains in a scan-based integrated circuit or circuit assembly in self-test or scan-test mode, where N>1 and each domain has a plurality of scan cells. The method and apparatus will apply an ordered sequence of capture clocks to all scan cells within N clock domains where one or more capture clocks must contain one or more shift clock pulses during the capture operation. A computer-aided design (CAD) method is further developed to realize the method and synthesize the apparatus. In order to further improve the circuit's fault coverage, a CAD method and apparatus are further developed to minimize the memory usage and generate scan patterns for full-scan and feed-forward partial-scan designs containing transparent storage cells, asynchronous set/reset signals, tri-state busses, and low-power gated clocks.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing or diagnosing faults in a scan-based integrated circuit using a unified self-test and scan-test technique. The method and apparatus comprises using a unified test controller to ease prototype debug and production test. The unified test controller further comprises using a capture clock generator and a plurality of domain clock generators each embedded in a clock domain to perform self-test or scan-test. The capture clocks generated by the capture clock generator are used to guide at-speed or reduced-speed self-test (or scan-test) within each clock domain. The frequency of these capture clocks can be totally unrelated to those of system clocks controlling the clock domains. This unified approach allows designers to test or diagnose stuck-type and non-stuck-type faults with a low-cost DFT (design-for-test) tester or a low-cost DFT debugger. A computer-aided design (CAD) method is further developed to realize the method and synthesize the apparatus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing ordered capture clocks to detect or locate faults within N clock domains and faults crossing any two clock domains in an integrated circuit or circuit assembly in self-test or scan-test mode, where N>1 and each domain has a plurality of scan cells. The method and apparatus allows generating and loading N pseudorandom or predetermined stimuli to all the scan cells within the N clock domains in the integrated circuit or circuit assembly during the shift operation, applying an ordered sequence of capture clocks to all the scan cells within the N clock domains during the capture operation, compacting or comparing N output responses of all the scan cells for analysis during the compact/compare operation, and repeating the above process until a predetermined limiting criteria is reached. A computer-aided design (CAD) system is further developed to realize the method and synthesize the apparatus.

Abstract: A broadcaster, system, and method for reducing test data volume and test application time in an ATE (automatic test equipment) in a scan-based integrated circuit. The scan-based integrated circuit contains multiple scan chains, each scan chain comprising multiple scan cells coupled in series. The broadcaster is a combinational logic network coupled to an optional virtual scan controller and an optional scan connector. The virtual scan controller controls the operation of the broadcaster. The system transmits virtual scan patterns stored in the ATE and generates broadcast scan patterns through the broadcaster for testing manufacturing faults in the scan-based integrated circuit. The number of scan chains that can be supported by the ATE is significantly increased. Methods are further proposed to reorder scan cells in selected scan chains, to generate the broadcast scan patterns and virtual scan patterns, and to synthesize the broadcaster and a compactor.

Abstract: A broadcaster, system, and method for reducing test data volume and test application time in an ATE (automatic test equipment) in a scan-based integrated circuit. The scan-based integrated circuit contains multiple scan chains, each scan chain comprising multiple scan cells coupled in series. The broadcaster is a combinational logic network coupled to an optional virtual scan controller and an optional scan connector. The virtual scan controller controls the operation of the broadcaster. The system transmits virtual scan patterns stored in the ATE and generates broadcast scan patterns through the broadcaster for testing manufacturing faults in the scan-based integrated circuit. The number of scan chains that can be supported by the ATE is significantly increased. Methods are further proposed to reorder scan cells in selected scan chains, to generate the broadcast scan patterns and virtual scan patterns, and to synthesize the broadcaster and a compactor in the scan-based integrated circuit.

Abstract: A method and system to automate scan synthesis at register-transfer level (RTL). The method and system will produce scan HDL code modeled at RTL for an integrated circuit modeled at RTL. The method and system comprise computer-implemented steps of performing RTL testability analysis, clock-domain minimization, scan selection, test point selection, scan repair and test point insertion, scan replacement and scan stitching, scan extraction, interactive scan debug, interactive scan repair, and flush/random test bench generation. In addition, the present invention further comprises a method and system for hierarchical scan synthesis by performing scan synthesis module-by-module and then stitching these scanned modules together at top-level. The present invention further comprises integrating and verifying the scan HDL code with other design-for-test (DFT) HDL code, including boundary-scan and logic BIST (built-in self-test).

Abstract: A method and system to automate scan synthesis at register-transfer level (RTL). The method and system will produce scan HDL code modeled at RTL for an integrated circuit modeled at RTL. The method and system comprise computer-implemented steps of performing RTL testability analysis, clock-domain minimization, scan selection, test point selection, scan repair and test point insertion, scan replacement and scan stitching, scan extraction, interactive scan debug, interactive scan repair, and flush/random test bench generation. In addition, the present invention further comprises a method and system for hierarchical scan synthesis by performing scan synthesis module-by-module and then stitching these scanned modules together at top-level. The present invention further comprises integrating and verifying the scan HDL code with other design-for-test (DFT) HDL code, including boundary-scan and logic BIST (built-in self-test).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inserting design-for-debug (DFD) circuitries in an integrated circuit to debug or diagnose DFT modules, including scan cores, memory BIST (built-in self-test) cores, logic BIST cores, and functional cores. The invention further comprises using a DFD controller for executing a plurality of DFD commands to debug or diagnosis the DFT modules embedded with the DFD circuitries. When used alone or combined together, these DFD commands will detect or locate physical failures in the DFT modules in the integrated circuit on an evaluation board or system using a low-cost DFT debugger. A computer-aided design (CAD) method is further developed to synthesize the DFD controller and DFD circuitries according to the IEEE 1149.1 Boundary-scan Std. The DFD controller supports, but is not limited to, the following DFD commands: RUN_SCAN, RUN_MBIST, RUN_LBIST, DBG_SCAN, DBG_MBIST, DBG_LBIST, DBG_FUNCTION, SELECT, SHIFT, SHIFT_CHAIN, CAPTURE, RESET, BREAK, RUN, STEP, and STOP.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing ordered capture clocks to detect or locate faults within N clock domains and faults crossing any two clock domains in an integrated circuit or circuit assembly in self-test or scan-test mode, where N>1 and each domain has a plurality of scan cells. The method and apparatus allows generating and loading N pseudorandom or predetermined stimuli to all the scan cells within the N clock domains in the integrated circuit or circuit assembly during the shift operation, applying an ordered sequence of capture clocks to all the scan cells within the N clock domains during the capture operation, compacting or comparing N output responses of all the scan cells for analysis during the compact/compare operation, and repeating the above process until a predetermined limiting criteria is reached. A computer-aided design (CAD) system is further developed to realize the method and synthesize the apparatus.

Abstract: A multi-level scan compression method and apparatus for reducing test data volume and test application time in a scan-based integrated circuit without reducing the speed of the scan chain operation in scan-test mode or self-test mode. The scan-based integrated circuit contains one or more scan chains, each scan chain including one or more scan cells coupled in series. Two or more decompressors are embedded between N compressed scan inputs and M scan chains, where N<M, to broadcast compressed scan data patterns driven through the N compressed scan inputs into decompressed scan data patterns stored in the M scan chains. The multi-level scan compression approach allows to speed up the shift-in/shift-out operation during decompression using two or more decompressors separated by intermediate scan chains. Two or more compressors are separated by intermediate scan chains to speed up the shift-in/shift-out operation during compression.

Abstract: An analog built-in self-test (BIST) methodology based on the IEEE 1149.4 mixed signal test bus standard. The on-chip generated triangular stimuli are transmitted to the analog circuit under test (CUT) through the analog test buses, and their test responses are quantized by the dual comparators. The quantized results are then fed into a pair of counters to record the sampled counts for comparison in the decision circuit. A pass/fail indication is then generated in the decision circuit to indicate success or failure of the CUT after the BIST operation is complete.

Abstract: A method for performing ATPG (automatic test pattern generation) and fault simulation in a scan-based integrated circuit, based on a selected clock order in a selected capture operation, in a selected scan-test mode or a selected self-test mode. The method comprises compiling 704 the RTL (register-transfer level) or Gate-Level HDL (hardware description language) code 701 based on the Input Constraints 702 and a Foundry Library 703, into a Sequential Circuit Model 705. The Sequential Circuit Model 705 is then transformed 706 into an equivalent Combinational Circuit Model 707 for performing Forward and/or Backward Clock Analysis 708 to determine the driving and observing clocks for all inputs and outputs of all combinational logic gates in the Combinational Circuit Model 707. The analysis results are used for Uncontrollable/Unobservable Labeling 709 of selected inputs and outputs of the combinational logic gates.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inserting design-for-debug (DFD) circuitries in an integrated circuit to debug or diagnose DFT modules, including scan cores, memory BIST (built-in self-test) cores, logic BIST cores, and functional cores. The invention further comprises using a DFD controller for executing a plurality of DFD commands to debug or diagnosis the DFT modules embedded with the DFD circuitries. When used alone or combined together, these DFD commands will detect or locate physical failures in the DFT modules in the integrated circuit on an evaluation board or system using a low-cost DFT debugger. A computer-aided design (CAD) method is further developed to synthesize the DFD controller and DFD circuitries according to the IEEE 1149.1 Boundary-scan Std. The DFD controller supports, but is not limited to, the following DFD commands: RUN_SCAN, RUN_MBIST, RUN_LBIST, DBG_SCAN, DBG_MBIST, DBG_LBIST, DBG_FUNCTION, SELECT, SHIFT, SHIFT_CHAIN, CAPTURE, RESET, BREAK, RUN, STEP, and STOP.