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US5161160A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Circuit for testability

Assignee: Toshiba Corp
•
Filing: 1990-02-01
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Granted: 1992-11-03
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Expires: 2010-02-01
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Abstract

Abstract An evaluation facilitating circuit incorporated in a logic circuit having a plurality of functional blocks, includes: many scan register groups obtained by dividing many F/Fs provided in each functional block, many scan paths for scanning a plurality of test data used for input and output operations for the scan register groups, wherein a scan path is provided for each scan register group, and a decoder for designating the scan paths and controlling the input and output operations of test signals used for testing the scan register groups. A first scan register group in each functional group is composed of scan registers only used for the input operations to other functional blocks, a second scan register group is composed of scan registers only used for the output operations to other functional blocks and a third scan register group is composed of scan registers used for the input and output operations to the same functional block. Each scan path is connected to a common bus provided in the functional circuit. The common bus includes many signal lines through which the test data is transferred, and the scan path connected to a first scan register group is connected to a first pair of signal lines, the scan path connected to the second scan register group is connected to a second pair of signal lines, and the scan path connected to the third scan register group is connected to a third pair of signal lines.

Inventors

  • 👤 Toshiyuki Yaguchi
  • 👤 Koichi Tanaka

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-03 16:18
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R31/00; G01R31/28; G01R31/317; G01R31/3181; G01R31/3185; G01R31/318533; G01R31/318558

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 237 words
An evaluation facilitating circuit incorporated in a logic circuit having a plurality of functional blocks, comprising: a plurality of register groups obtained by dividing a plurality of registers provided in each functional block; a plurality of scan paths for scanning a plurality of test data used for input and output operations for the register groups, a scan path being provided for each register group: and control means for designating the scan paths and controlling the input and output operations of test signals used for testing the register groups, wherein a first register group in each functional block is composed of registers used only for the input operations to other functional blocks, a second register group is composed of registers used only for the output operations to other functional blocks and a third register group is composed of registers used for input and output operations to the same functional block, and wherein each scan path is connected to a common bus provided in the logic circuit, the common bus comprising a plurality of signal lines through which the test data is transferred, and the scan path connected to the first register group is connected to a first pair of signal lines, the scan path connected to the second register group is connected to a second pair of signal lines, and the scan path connected to the third register group is connected to a third pair of signal lines.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 237 words
An evaluation facilitating circuit incorporated in a logic circuit having a plurality of functional blocks, comprising: a plurality of register groups obtained by dividing a plurality of registers provided in each functional block; a plurality of scan paths for scanning a plurality of test data used for input and output operations for the register groups, a scan path being provided for each register group: and control means for designating the scan paths and controlling the input and output operations of test signals used for testing the register groups, wherein a first register group in each functional block is composed of registers used only for the input operations to other functional blocks, a second register group is composed of registers used only for the output operations to other functional blocks and a third register group is composed of registers used for input and output operations to the same functional block, and wherein each scan path is connected to a common bus provided in the logic circuit, the common bus comprising a plurality of signal lines through which the test data is transferred, and the scan path connected to the first register group is connected to a first pair of signal lines, the scan path connected to the second register group is connected to a second pair of signal lines, and the scan path connected to the third register group is connected to a third pair of signal lines.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 27 words
An evaluation facilitating circuit according to claim 1, wherein each scan path further comprises a switching means connected to the controlling means to address the scan path.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 221 words
An evaluation facilitating circuit incorporated in a logic circuit having a plurality of functional blocks, comprising: a plurality of register groups obtained by dividing a plurality of registers provided in each functional block; a plurality of scan paths for scanning a plurality of test data used for input and output operations for the register groups, a scan path being provided for each register group; and control means for designating the scan paths and controlling the input and output operations of test signals used for testing the register groups, wherein a first register group in each functional group is composed of registers used only for the input operations to other functional blocks, a second register group is composed of registers used only for the output operations to other functional blocks and a third register group is composed of registers used for input and output operations to the same functional block, and each scan path is connected to a common bus provided in the logic circuit, the common bus comprising a plurality of signal lines through which the test data is transferred, and scan paths connected to the first register group and the second register group are connected to a same pair of signal lines, and the scan path connected to the third register group is connected to another pair of signal lines.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 221 words
An evaluation facilitating circuit incorporated in a logic circuit having a plurality of functional blocks, comprising: a plurality of register groups obtained by dividing a plurality of registers provided in each functional block; a plurality of scan paths for scanning a plurality of test data used for input and output operations for the register groups, a scan path being provided for each register group; and control means for designating the scan paths and controlling the input and output operations of test signals used for testing the register groups, wherein a first register group in each functional group is composed of registers used only for the input operations to other functional blocks, a second register group is composed of registers used only for the output operations to other functional blocks and a third register group is composed of registers used for input and output operations to the same functional block, and each scan path is connected to a common bus provided in the logic circuit, the common bus comprising a plurality of signal lines through which the test data is transferred, and scan paths connected to the first register group and the second register group are connected to a same pair of signal lines, and the scan path connected to the third register group is connected to another pair of signal lines.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 15 words
An evaluation facilitating circuit according to claim 3, wherein each register group comprises shift registers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 27 words
An evaluation facilitating circuit according to claim 3, wherein each scan path further comprises a switching means connected to the controlling means to address the scan path.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4697267A Cited
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US4710931A Cited
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US4799004A Cited
EP0292116A2 Cited
US4912395A Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1995-11-03 1996-05-04 1996-11-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1999-11-03 2000-05-04 2000-11-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2003-11-03 2004-05-04 2004-11-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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