Strong self-testability for data paths high-level synthesis

In this paper, we introduce strong self-testability for data paths at register transfer level (RTL). A high-level synthesis scheme is proposed for producing such strongly self-testable data paths. This is achieved by incorporating testability constraints during processes of register assignment and interconnection assignment. This method is based on the use of test resources reusability to improve the self-testability of data path. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

[1]  Melvin A. Breuer,et al.  Data Path Allocation for Synthesizing RTL Designs with Low BIST Area Overhead , 1995, 32nd Design Automation Conference.

[2]  Srivaths Ravi,et al.  TAO-BIST: a framework for testability analysis and optimization of RTL circuits for BIST , 1999, Proceedings 17th IEEE VLSI Test Symposium (Cat. No.PR00146).

[3]  LaNae J. Avra,et al.  ALLOCATION AND ASSIGNMENT IN HIGH-LEVEL SYNTHESIS FOR SELF-TESTABLE DATA PATHS , 1991, 1991, Proceedings. International Test Conference.

[4]  Haidar Harmanani,et al.  SYNTEST: a method for high-level SYNthesis with self-TESTability , 1991, [1991 Proceedings] IEEE International Conference on Computer Design: VLSI in Computers and Processors.

[5]  Alice C. Parker,et al.  SEHWA: A Program for Synthesis of Pipelines , 1986, 23rd ACM/IEEE Design Automation Conference.

[6]  Alice C. Parker,et al.  Predicting system-level area and delay for pipelined and nonpipelined designs , 1992, IEEE Trans. Comput. Aided Des. Integr. Circuits Syst..

[7]  M. Golumbic Algorithmic graph theory and perfect graphs , 1980 .

[8]  Toshimitsu Masuzawa,et al.  A high-level synthesis method for weakly testable data paths , 1998, Proceedings Seventh Asian Test Symposium (ATS'98) (Cat. No.98TB100259).

[9]  Nilanjan Mukherjee,et al.  Arithmetic built-in self test for high-level synthesis , 1995, Proceedings 13th IEEE VLSI Test Symposium.

[10]  Toshimitsu Masuzawa,et al.  Design for strong testability of RTL data paths to provide complete fault efficiency , 2000, VLSI Design 2000. Wireless and Digital Imaging in the Millennium. Proceedings of 13th International Conference on VLSI Design.

[11]  Magdy Abadir,et al.  A Knowledge-Based System for Designing Testable VLSI Chips , 1985, IEEE Design & Test of Computers.

[12]  Donald E. Thomas,et al.  Exploiting the special structure of conflict and compatibility graphs in high-level synthesis , 1994, IEEE Trans. Comput. Aided Des. Integr. Circuits Syst..

[13]  Xiaowei Li,et al.  Data path synthesis for BIST with low area overhead , 1999, Proceedings of the ASP-DAC '99 Asia and South Pacific Design Automation Conference 1999 (Cat. No.99EX198).

[14]  Alex Orailoglu,et al.  SYNCBIST: SYNthesis for concurrent built-in self-testability , 1994, Proceedings 1994 IEEE International Conference on Computer Design: VLSI in Computers and Processors.

[15]  Toshimitsu Masuzawa,et al.  High-Level Synthesis for Weakly Testable Data Paths , 1998 .

[16]  Pierre G. Paulin,et al.  Force-directed scheduling for the behavioral synthesis of ASICs , 1989, IEEE Trans. Comput. Aided Des. Integr. Circuits Syst..

[17]  Barry M. Pangrle,et al.  On the complexity of connectivity binding , 1991, IEEE Trans. Comput. Aided Des. Integr. Circuits Syst..