Flip-flop and scan path circuit

A flip-flop for receiving and latching a data signal from a data terminal in a normal operation, and receiving and latching a signal from a scan input terminal in a scan path test operation, said flip-flop comprising:

• a control terminal for receiving a control signal, which controls mode changeover between a scan path test mode and a normal operation mode;
• a set terminal for receiving a set signal, which sets the state of said flip-flop;
• a reset terminal for receiving a reset signal, which resets the state of said flip-flop;
• a first logic circuit, which receives the control signal and set signal from said control terminal and said set terminal, respectively, for exercising control so as to inhibit transmission of the set signal, which has been entered from said set terminal, when the control signal indicates the scan path test mode, thereby not allowing the state of said flip-flop to be set by the entered set signal;
• and
• a second logic circuit, which receives the control signal and reset signal from said control terminal and said reset terminal, respectively, for exercising control so as to inhibit transmission of the reset signal, which has been entered from said reset terminal, when the control signal indicates the scan path test mode, thereby not allowing the state of said flip-flop to be reset by the entered reset signal;
• wherein said flip-flop is comprised of a master/slave-type flip-flop including first and second logic gates having input and output terminals electrically connected to each other to compose a master latch, and third and fourth logic gates having input and output terminals electrically connected to each other to compose a slave latch;
• wherein an output of said first logic circuit is connected to an input terminal of said first logic gate of said master latch, an output of said first logic gate fed to said second logic gate and to an input terminal of said fourth logic gate, which composes said slave latch, via a switch;
• wherein an output of said second logic circuit is connected to an input terminal of said second logic gate that composes said master latch and to an input terminal of said third logic gate that composes said slave latch;
• and
• wherein two-input first and second NAND gates compose the master latch and two-input third and fourth NAND gates compose the slave latch;
• and
• said flip-flop further comprises:
• a first logic circuit having a plurality of input terminals connected to the set terminal to which the set signal is input and to the control terminal to which the control signal for controlling mode changeover between the scan path test mode and the normal operation mode is input;
• said second logic circuit having a plurality of input terminals connected to the reset terminal to which the reset signal is input and to the control terminal to which the control signal for controlling mode changeover between the scan path test mode and the normal operation mode is input,
• wherein the output of said first logic circuit is entered to one input terminal of said first NAND gate;
• a first inverter having an input terminal connected to the data terminal for receiving data signal;
• a first transfer gate, which is turned on and off by a clock signal, connected between the output terminal of said first inverter and another input terminal of said first NAND gate,
• wherein the output terminal of said first NAND gate is connected to one input terminal of said second NAND gate;
• and the output terminal of said second logic circuit is connected to another input terminal of said second NAND gate;
• second and third transfer gates serially connected between the output terminal of said second NAND gate and the other input terminal of said first NAND gate,
• wherein said second and third transfer gates have a first scan clock and a clock, respectively, supplied to control terminals thereof and are turned on and off by said first scan clock and said clock, respectively, said first scan clock is made a fixed value at the time of the normal operation and said clock is made a fixed value at the time of the scan path test;
• a second inverter having an input terminal connected to the scan input terminal;
• a fourth transfer gate, which is turned on and off by the first scan clock, connected between the output terminal of said second inverter and a connection node of said second and third transfer gates;
• fifth and sixth transfer gates, which are turned on and off by a second scan clock and clock, respectively, serially connected between the output terminal of said first NAND gate and one input terminal of said third NAND gate,
• wherein the second scan clock is made a fixed value at the time of the normal operation, and the first and second scan clocks are supplied and the clock is made the fixed value at the time of the scan path test, and the output terminal of said second logic circuit is connected to the other input terminal of said third NAND gate,
• a third inverter having an input terminal connected to an output terminal of said third NAND gate and an output terminal connected to a data output terminal and to one input terminal of said fourth NAND gate,
• wherein the other input terminal of said fourth NAITD gate is connected to the output terminal of said first logic circuit;
• a seventh transfer gate, which is turned on and off by the clock, connected between the output terminal of said fourth NAND gate and one input terminal of said third NAND gate,
• wherein the output terminal of said fourth NAND gate is connected to a scan-out output terminal;
• and
• an eighth transfer gate, which is turned on and off by the second scan clock, connected between the output terminal of said fourth NAND gate and a connection node of said fifth and sixth transfer gates.