Patents by Inventor Toshihiro Hiraoka

Toshihiro Hiraoka has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20040139376
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit (1) includes first, second and second functional blocks (10, 20 and 30). The first, second and second functional blocks (10, 20 and 30) are coupled together via an inter-block signal line (2). The first functional block (10) includes: a logic circuit (11); a test data output circuit (12), which operates during testing and outputs a predetermined test data pattern; a testing standby circuit (14), which is connected between a selector (13) and an external bidirectional pin and makes the functional block enter a standby state during testing; a tristate buffer (15) that is made to have a high impedance by the testing standby circuit (14); and a decision result output circuit (16), which receives the test data pattern from the second functional block, compares the received test data pattern to an expected value stored therein, and outputs a decision result to a decision result signal line (5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2004
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuyasu Ohta, Sadami Takeoka, Toshihiro Hiraoka
  • Patent number: 6708301
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit (1) includes first, second and second functional blocks (10, 20 and 30). The first, second and second functional blocks (10, 20 and 30) are coupled together via an inter-block signal line (2). The first functional block (10) includes: a logic circuit (11); a test data output circuit (12), which operates during testing and outputs a predetermined test data pattern; a testing standby circuit (14), which is connected between a selector (13) and an external bidirectional pin and makes the functional block enter a standby state during testing; a tristate buffer (15) that is made to have a high impedance by the testing standby circuit (14); and a decision result output circuit (16), which receives the test data pattern from the second functional block, compares the received test data pattern to an expected value stored therein, and outputs a decision result to a decision result signal line (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuyasu Ohta, Sadami Takeoka, Toshihiro Hiraoka
  • Patent number: 6510535
    Abstract: A method of design for testability using scan FF identification of this invention eases generation of test sequences as compared with conventional technique. An FF relation graph is generated from an integrated circuit, FFs having self loops are recognized in the FF relation graph, and all FFs are replaced with scan FFs. FFs not having self loops are sorted in accordance with a predetermined evaluation function indicating the degree of relation with difficulty in generating test sequences. For example, a function indicating the degree of relation with a balanced reconvergence structure is used as the evaluation function. In a sort order thus obtained, with regard to each FF not having self loops, it is determined whether or not the integrated circuit has an n-fold line-up structure in assuming the FF is replaced with a non-scan FF, thereby identifying scan FFs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Toshinori Hosokawa, Toshihiro Hiraoka
  • Publication number: 20030009716
    Abstract: A method of design for testability using scan FF identification of this invention eases generation of test sequences as compared with conventional technique. An FF relation graph is generated from an integrated circuit, FFs having self loops are recognized in the FF relation graph, and all FFs are replaced with scan FFs. FFs not having self loops are sorted in accordance with a predetermined evaluation function indicating the degree of relation with difficulty in generating test sequences. For example, a function indicating the degree of relation with a balanced reconvergence structure is used as the evaluation function. In a sort order thus obtained, with regard to each FF not having self loops, it is determined whether or not the integrated circuit has an n-fold line-up structure in assuming the FF is replaced with a non-scan FF, thereby identifying scan FFs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2002
    Publication date: January 9, 2003
    Inventors: Toshinori Hosokawa, Toshihiro Hiraoka