US 10,379,161 B2 · Scan chain stitching for test-per-clock

Abstract

Various aspects of the present invention relate to scan chain stitching techniques for test-per-clock. With various implementations of the invention, a plurality of scan cell partitions are generated based on combinational paths between scan cells. Scan cells may be assigned to one or more pairs of scan cell partitions based on combinational paths between the scan cells. Each pair of the scan cell partitions comprises one stimuli partition and one compacting partition. Using the plurality of scan cell partitions generated, scan chains are formed based on at least information of combinational paths between scan cell partitions in the plurality of scan cell partitions. The formed scan chains are to be dynamically divided into three groups during a test, which are configured to operate in a shifting-launching mode, a capturing-compacting-shifting mode and a mission mode, respectively.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for improved test-per-clock scan testing, executed by at least one processor of an electronic design automation (EDA) computer, comprising:

receiving, by the EDA computer, information of a plurality of scan cells in a design of a circuit;
generating, by the EDA computer, a plurality of scan cell partitions based on combinational paths between scan cells in the plurality of scan cells;
forming scan chains, by the EDA computer, using the plurality of scan cell partitions based on at least information of combinational paths between scan cell partitions in the plurality of scan cell partitions;
for each formed scan chain, stitching together, by the EDA computer, the respective scan cells in the circuit design;
coupling, by the EDA computer, the formed scan chains to a mode configuration register;
wherein the scan chains are configured to be dynamically divided into three groups during testing the circuit based on control signals stored in the mode configuration register, the groups configured to operate in a shifting-launching mode, a capturing-compacting-shifting mode, and a mission mode, respectively;
and
storing, by the EDA computer, information of the scan chains.

5 more elements

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions for causing one or more processors of an electronic design automation (EDA) computer to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving information of a plurality of scan cells in a design of a circuit;
generating a plurality of scan cell partitions based on combinational paths between scan cells in the plurality of scan cells;
stitching together scan chains in the circuit design using the plurality of scan cell partitions based on at least information of combinational paths between scan cell partitions in the plurality of scan cell partitions;
coupling the scan chains to a mode configuration register;
wherein the scan chains are configured to be dynamically divided into three groups during testing the circuit based on control signals stored in the mode configuration register, the groups configured to operate in a shifting-launching mode, a capturing-compacting-shifting mode, and a mission mode, respectively;
and
storing information of the scan chains.

4 more elements

An electronic design automation (EDA) computing system, comprising:

one or more processing units;
one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions of an electronic design automation tool for causing the one or more processors to perform a method, the method comprising:
receiving information of a plurality of scan cells in a design of a circuit;
generating a plurality of scan cell partitions based on combinational paths between scan cells in the plurality of scan cells;
forming scan chains using the plurality of scan cell partitions based on at least information of combinational paths between scan cell partitions in the plurality of scan cell partitions;
coupling the formed scan chains to a mode configuration register;
wherein the scan chains are configured to be dynamically divided into three groups during testing the circuit based on control signals stored in the mode configuration register, the groups configured to operate in a shifting-launching mode, a capturing-compacting-shifting mode, and a mission mode, respectively;
and
storing information of the scan chains to enable future retrieval and stitching of the scan chains in the circuit design.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Scan chain stitching for test-per-clock

Life of this patent

Scan chain stitching for test-per-clock

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20