Electronic circuit with asynchronously operating components
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
InventorAdrianus Marinus Gerardus Peeters
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electronic circuit that includes components that operate asynchronously of one another. An interface element has inputs coupled to a respective one of the components. The interface element supplies a logic output signal that is a logic function of signals at the inputs and dependent on the relative timing of the signals at the inputs. The electronic circuit is switched to a test mode, in which test input signals are applied to the electronic circuit from a test signal source. During test a difference is caused to occur between the time intervals after which the test signal source affects different ones of the signals at the inputs of the interface element. Preferably the test control circuit activates said difference in the test mode and not in the normal operating mode.
Claims7
An electronic circuit comprising:
- components that operate asynchronously of one another;
- an interface element, the interface element having an output and at least two inputs, each input coupled to a respective one of the components, the interface element supplying a logic output signal that is a logical function of signals at the inputs, dependent on the relative timing with respect to each other of the signals at the inputs;
- a delay element coupled to cause a relative delay between the time intervals after which signals at the inputs affect the interface element;
- and
- a control circuit for selectively activating the relative delay caused by the delay element prior to sampling an output signal of the interface element.
A method of testing an electronic circuit that comprises components that operate asynchronously of one another and an interface element, the interface element having an output and at least two inputs, each input coupled to a respective one of the components, the interface element supplying a logic output signal that is a logical function of signals at the inputs and dependent on the relative timing with respect to each other of the signals at the inputs, the method comprising:
- switching the electronic circuit to a test mode;
- applying test input signals to the electronic circuit from a test signal source;
- and
- causing a difference between the time intervals after which the test signal source affects different ones of the signals at the inputs, the test control circuit activating said difference in the test mode and keeping the difference deactivated in the normal operating mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.