Event qualified test methods and circuitry
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorLee D. Whetsel, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An event qualification architecture comprises event qualification cells (24) having an internal memory for detecting qualification events. The event qualification cells (24) output a signal indicating when a match has occurred, which is interpreted by an event qualification module (22). The event qualification module controls the test circuitry which may include test cell registers (14, 16) and test memory (28). A number of protocols are provided which can be designed into a circuit to provide the timing and control required to activate test logic in the circuit during normal system operation.
Claims42
A method of testing a circuit comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one event qualification cell having an internal memory and having compare circuitry for comparing data input into the compare circuitry with data stored in said internal memory;
- operating said event qualification cell for detecting each occurrence of a specified event;
- counting the number of occurrences of the specified event;
- executing a test responsive to detecting a predetermined number of occurrences of the specified event;
- and
- executing said test for a predetermined number of clocks.
A method of testing a circuit comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one event qualification cell having an internal memory and having compare circuitry for comparing data input into the compare circuitry with data stored in said internal memory;
- operating said event qualification cell for detecting each occurrence of a specified event;
- counting the number of occurrences of the specified event;
- executing a test for a predetermined number of clocks during a predetermined occurrence of the event.
Circuitry for testing a circuit comprising:
- at least one event qualification cell having an internal memory and having compare circuitry for comparing data input into the compare circuitry with data stored in said internal memory, operable for detecting each occurrence of a specified event;
- circuitry for counting the number of occurrences of the specified event;
- circuitry for executing a test responsive to detecting a predetermined number of occurrences of the specified event;
- and
- circuitry for causing said test to execute for a predetermined number of clocks.
Circuitry for testing a circuit comprising:
- at least one event qualification cell having an internal memory and having compare circuitry for comparing data input into the compare circuitry with data stored in said internal memory, operable for detecting each occurrence of a specified event;
- circuitry for counting the number of occurrences of the specified event;
- and
- circuitry for executing a test for a predetermined number of clocks during a predetermined occurrence of the event.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.