Insertion of scan hardware
AssigneeAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc.
InventorsLuis A. Basto, Mark T. Fox
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to the present invention, a method for inserting scan hardware into Integrated Circuits (IC) such as microcontrollers is disclosed. Custom scripts used by electronic design automation (EDA) tools are configured to accommodate those microcontroller designs that operate with multiple clocks and legacy cores. Furthermore, according to the present invention, custom script are used to provide buffering circuits to drive the scan hardware.
Claims14
A method of constructing a scan chain in an integrated circuit with multiple clocks, comprising the steps of:
- updating a script, comprising the steps of:
- a) identifying scan cells in the script that do not operate at a first clock while in a first mode;
- b) inserting code for multiplexers that multiplexes the first clock while in a second mode into the scan cells that do not operate at the first clock, otherwise the multiplexers multiplex in a second clock into the scan cells while in the first mode;
- and compiling the script.
A method of constructing a scan chain in a microcontroller with multiple clocks, comprising the steps of:
- updating a script, comprising the steps of:
- a) identifying scan cells in the script that do not operate at a first clock while in a first mode, said scan cells include data from registers of peripherals of the microcontroller;
- b) inserting code for multiplexers that multiplexes the first clock while in a second mode into the scan cells that do not operate at the first clock, otherwise the multiplexers multiplex in a second clock into the scan cells while in the first mode;
- and compiling the script.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.