Patent EP0195164B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0195164B1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Integrated circuits
Assignee: Roke Manor Research Ltd
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Filing: 1985-12-05
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Granted: 1990-08-22
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Expires: 2005-12-05
Abstract
Abstract An integrated circuit having a built-in self test facility, the integrated circuit being partitioned into a number of sub-circuits each of which comprises a combinatorial logic circuit (CLB) and a register (RB). The sub-circuits are coupled together so that each combinatorial logic circuit (CLB) has its inputs coupled to at least one register (RB), has its outputs coupled to at least one register (RB), and the output of the overall integrated circuit is taken from one or more registers (RB). Each register (RB) has its functional mode controlled by predetermined signals to an associated local decoder, the functional modes of the registers (RB) being selected to initiate a test operation for the testing of the integrated circuit.
Inventors
- 👤 William Laurence Knight
- 👤 Mark Paraskeva
- 👤 David Frank Burrows
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 14:14
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/22; G06F11/26; G06F11/27; G01; G01R; G01R31/00; G01R31/28; G01R31/317; G01R31/3181; G01R31/3185; G01R31/318533; G01R31/318558
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
201 words
An integrated circuit having a built-in self test design, the integrated circuit comprising a plurality of combinatorial logic circuits (CLB) coupled to a plurality of functional elements (RB), characterized in that an input of at last one of the combinatorial logic circuits (CLB) is connected to outputs of two or more of the functional elements and an output of at least one of the functional elements is connected to inputs of two or more of the combinatorial logic circuits and that the functional element (RB) are responsive to signals for selectively controlling the functional modes of each functional element (RB) and for selectively controlling predefined groups of functional elements (RB) to operate in different functional modes to effect test operations to the combinatorial logic circuits (CLB) and wherein means are provided for selecting different configuration for the functional elements for different stages of a self test to the integrated circuit, said means comprising feed back means (30, 32, 34) provided between two or more of the functional elements (RB) and data selecting means (M4, M5, M6) for selectively connecting the input of at least one of the functional elements to the feed back means or to another of the functional elements.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
201 words
An integrated circuit having a built-in self test design, the integrated circuit comprising a plurality of combinatorial logic circuits (CLB) coupled to a plurality of functional elements (RB), characterized in that an input of at last one of the combinatorial logic circuits (CLB) is connected to outputs of two or more of the functional elements and an output of at least one of the functional elements is connected to inputs of two or more of the combinatorial logic circuits and that the functional element (RB) are responsive to signals for selectively controlling the functional modes of each functional element (RB) and for selectively controlling predefined groups of functional elements (RB) to operate in different functional modes to effect test operations to the combinatorial logic circuits (CLB) and wherein means are provided for selecting different configuration for the functional elements for different stages of a self test to the integrated circuit, said means comprising feed back means (30, 32, 34) provided between two or more of the functional elements (RB) and data selecting means (M4, M5, M6) for selectively connecting the input of at least one of the functional elements to the feed back means or to another of the functional elements.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
149 words
An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the integrated circuit is partitioned into two or more sub-circuits, each sub-circuit comprising at least one combinatorial logic circuit (CLB) and at least one functional element (RB), the sub-circuits being arranged so that each combinatorial logic circuit (CLB) has coupled to its input at least one functional element (RB), the arrangement being such that a functional element (RB) which is coupled to both the input of one combinatorial logic circuit (CLB) and to the output of a second combinatorial logic circuit (CLB) has its functional mode controllable selectively to generate when required a pattern sequence of signals to the input of said one combinatorial logic circuit (CLB) and to analyse when required the output from said second combinatorial logic circuit (CLB) consequent upon a pattern sequence of signal being fed to the input of said second combinatorial logic circuit (CLB).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
65 words
An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 2 wherein one or more of the sub-circuits is provided with an additional functional element (RB1) the output of which is coupled to the input or inputs of the combinatorial logic circuit or circuits (CLB) in said one or more sub-circuits, the input of the additional functional element (RB1) being coupled to an input of the integrated circuit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the sub-circuits are coupled together in a manner to allow simultaneous testing of two or more of the combinatorial logic circuits (CLB).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
87 words
An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the functional elements (RB) are responsive to signals for selectively controlling simultaneously two or more of the functional elements (RB) into different functional modes to effect a test phase to part of the integrated circuit, means being provided for effecting sequentially a plurality of such test phases to parts of the integrated circuit to provide test data representative of the functional characteristics of substantially all the combinatorial logic circuits (CLB) and functional elements (RB) in the integrated circuit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
An integrated circuit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the functional mode of each functional element (RB) is selectively controlled by signals from decoder means which is responsive to signals from a test controller (22).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
An integrated circuit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the functional mode of each functional element (RB) is selectively controlled directly by signals from a test controller (22).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 6 wherein the decoder means is an integral part of the integrated circuit design.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 6 wherein the decoder means is not an integral part of the integrated circuit design.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
An integrated circuit as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 9 wherein the test controller (22) forms an integral part of the integrated circuit design.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
An integrated circuit as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 9 wherein the test controller (22) is not an integral part of the integrated circuit design.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
70 words
An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the decoder means comprises a plurality of test signal decoders each of which is coupled to a respective functional element or a respective group of functional elements, each test signal decoder being responsive to a predetermined sequence of input signals from the test controller for controlling the functional modes of the functional element or group of functional elements.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 12 wherein the test signal decoders are connected in parallel via a test bus (20) to the test controller (22).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
An integrated circuit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13 wherein each functional element comprises flip-flop arranged together to define a shift register.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
An integrated circuit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14 wherein the number of inputs to each combinatorial logic circuits (CLB) is less than log 2 (T x F) where T is the maximum available timefortesting and F is the applied clock frequency.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
63 words
An integrated circuit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15 wherein means are provided for feeding signals indicative of the functional characteristics of the combinatorial logic circuits (CLB) to an output of the integrated circuit, said means feeding the signals to the output of the integrated circuit via a data route (SP) which passes through all of the functional elements.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 18 wherein the feedback means includes an Exclusive NOR gate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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