Multiple Fault Detection in Programmable Logic Arrays

The increasing recognition of PLA's as efficient and viable modules for such purposes as microprogramming and design of sequential controllers has led to a growing interest in the development of optimum fault detection test sets for these modules. It is now well known that a fault type which is unique to PLA's is the class of contact faults. A single contact fault is the spurious presence or absence of a contact between a row and a column of a PLA. We consider in this paper the problem of determining the capability of complete single contact fault test sets to cover multiple contact faults of PLA's. Our approach consists of developing a model of PLA's which allows one to represent a contact fault in a PLA as a stuck-at fault in the model of the PLA. Using this model, it is shown that more than 98 percent of all multiple contact faults of size 8 and less are inherently covered by every complete single contact fault test set in a PLA. Applications of this model to stuck-at fault diagnosis are also discussed.