Abstract: A technical solution for improving test times and costs associated with IC production includes a central test engine (CTE) functional test block integrated onto an IC. The CTE functions as a hardware abstraction layer (HAL), and provides testing capabilities by transferring a large test data file to a device under test and performing a closed-loop monitoring of receipt of the expected test data results. The CTE also reduces the number of external interfaces and interface controllers used during testing. The reduction in external interfaces reduces the size of the IC, which enables smaller and more efficient IC manufacturing, and may be used to improve small form-factor high-volume manufacturing (HVM). This reduction in IO pins also enables significant reduction in IO resources (e.g., IO drivers) within the IC, and reduces or eliminates IO test hardware dependencies.

Abstract: A technical solution for improving test times and costs associated with IC production includes a central test engine (CTE) functional test block integrated onto an IC. The CTE functions as a hardware abstraction layer (HAL), and provides testing capabilities by transferring a large test data file to a device under test and performing a closed-loop monitoring of receipt of the expected test data results. The CTE also reduces the number of external interfaces and interface controllers used during testing. The reduction in external interfaces reduces the size of the IC, which enables smaller and more efficient IC manufacturing, and may be used to improve small form-factor high-volume manufacturing (HVM). This reduction in IO pins also enables significant reduction in IO resources (e.g., IO drivers) within the IC, and reduces or eliminates IO test hardware dependencies.