US 12,007,440 B1 · Systems and methods for scan chain stitching

Abstract

This disclosure relates scan chain stitching. In one example, scan chain elements from a scan chain element space can be received for a scan chain partition. The scan chain elements can be grouped based on scan chain element grouping criteria to form scan chain groups. Scan chain data identifying a number of scan chains for the scan chain partition can be received. The scan chains can be scan chain balanced across the scan chain groups to assign each scan chain to one of the scan chain groups. The scan chain elements associated with each scan chain of the scan chains can be scan chain element balanced. Scan chain elements for each associated scan chain can be connected to form a scan chain data test path during a generation of scan chain circuitry in response to the scan chain element balancing.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented method for forming scan chains for a test mode among a plurality of test modes of an integrated circuit, comprising:

identifying scan chain elements in a design of the integrated circuit associated with the test mode, wherein the scan chain elements comprise integrated circuit elements that are configured to be connected together into scan chains;
grouping the scan chain elements based on scan chain element grouping criteria into a plurality of scan chain groups;
identifying a number of scan chains for the test mode;
assigning each scan chain to one of the plurality of scan chain groups;
balancing scan chain elements within each of the plurality of scan chain groups among the scan chains assigned to the each scan chain group, wherein balancing includes reducing a difference between numbers of scan chain elements in each scan chain assigned to the each scan chain group;
and
connecting scan chain elements to form the number of scan chains for the test mode in response to the scan chain element balancing.

4 more elements

A system comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to store data, and instructions;
a processor configured to access the non-transitory computer-readable medium and execute the instructions, the instructions comprising:
a scan chain element grouping module programmed to group scan chain elements based on scan chain element grouping criteria into a plurality of scan chain groups, wherein the scan chain elements comprise integrated circuit elements that are configured to be connected together into scan chains;
a scan chain balancing module programmed to generate a plurality of balanced scan chains that have been assigned to the plurality of scan chain groups based on a number of scan chains received at a user input device, wherein balancing includes reducing a difference between numbers of scan chain elements in each scan chain assigned to the each scan chain group;
and
a scan chain stitching module programmed to stitch scan chain elements for each associated scan chain to form the number of balanced chains.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods for scan chain stitching

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for scan chain stitching

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20