US 4,602,210 AGranted

Multiplexed-access scan testable integrated circuit

AssigneeGeneral Electric Company

InventorsPatrick P. Fasang, John P. Shen

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Abstract

A testable integrated circuit contains additional circuitry which defines--when operable in a test mode--a plurality of scan paths in each of which are connected in series a plurality of bistable elements (specifically, special scan path flip-flops) isolated from the integrated circuit combinational circuits. The input and output ends of these scan paths are connected by multi-level demultiplexer and multiplexer arrangements with the input and output pins, respectively, of the integrated circuit. The last level demultiplexer and the last level multiplexer include first groups of connections with the input and output ends of the scan paths, respectively, and second groups of connections with the input and output ends of the mission logic. The demultiplexers, the multiplexers and the scan path flip-flops are operable between mission and test modes upon the application of a mode control signal thereto. When the circuit is in the test mode, a test signal applied to the inputs of the scan paths is monitored at the output ends of the paths to indicate the correctness of operation of the SPFF's in each path. Composite test vectors are then applied for testing the combinational circuits via the SPFF's and primary inputs to the said combinational circuits.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A testable digital integrated circuit chip having input and output pins, respectively, comprising

(a) a plurality of bistable circuit elements;
(b) a plurality of combinational circuit elements;
(c) first means operable in a mission mode for connecting said bistable and combinational circuit elements to define mission logic means having input and output ends;
(d) second means operable in a test mode for connecting groups of said bistable elements in series to define a plurality of serial scan paths isolated from said combinational circuit elements, each of said scan paths having input and output ends;
(e) first level demultiplexer means having outputs connected with the input ends of said serial scan paths, respectively, said first demultiplexer means having input means;
(f) second level demultiplexer means having first outputs connected with said first demultiplexer input means, respectively, and second outputs connected with the input end of said mission logic functions, respectively, said second demultiplexer means having input means connected with the chip input pins;
(g) first level multiplexer means having a plurality of inputs connected with the output ends of said scan paths, respectively, said first multiplexer means having output means;
(h) second level multiplexer means having first inputs connected with the first multiplexer output means, respectively, and a second set of inputs connected with the output ends of said mission logic functions, respectively, said second multiplexer means having output means connected with the chip output pins;
(i) mode control means for operating said demultiplexing and multiplexing means to switch said integrated circuit between said mission and test modes;
(j) means for applying a test signal to said input pins when said integrated circuit is in the test mode;
and
(k) means for monitoring the resultant test signal appearing at the integrated circuit output pins.

9 more elements

The method of testing the bistable and combinational circuit elements of an integrated circuit chip normally connected to define an operational function mission logic, each bistable element comprising a scan path flip-flop operable between mission and test modes, which comprises the steps of

(a) connecting groups of the scan path flip-flops in a test mode to define a plurality of scan paths isolated from the combinational elements;
(b) alternately connecting said scan paths and said mission logic between the input and output pins of the integrated circuit by multi-level multiplexer means operable between test and mission modes, respectively;
(c) applying a control signal to place said scan path flip-flops and said multiplexer means in the test mode;
(d) applying a binary test pattern signal to the inputs of said scan paths via the input pins of the integrated circuit;
(e) clocking each scan path a number of times corresponding to the number of scan path flip-flops contained in the scan path, plus the number of bits in said binary test pattern;
and
(f) monitoring the output of each scan path via the integrated circuit output pins, thereby to determine the correct operation of the bistable elements of the scan paths, respectively.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.