Physically aware insertion of diagnostic circuit elements

摘要

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a computer-implemented method for inserting diagnostic circuit elements in a scan chain of a chip may include creating, via a processor, a segment for each latch of a plurality of latches in the scan chain to create a plurality of adjacent and connected segments, merging, via the processor, the two adjacent and connected segments to form a super-segment comprising all latches contained in the two adjacent and connected segments based on the objective function, and inserting, via the processor, a logic circuit element between the super-segment and a segment that is adjacent and connected to the super-segment in the scan chain, where the logic circuit element allows diagnostic isolation of the scan chain super-segment.

主权项

1. A computer-implemented method for inserting diagnostic circuit elements in a scan chain of a chip comprising:
creating, via a processor, a segment for each latch of a plurality of latches in the scan chain to create a plurality of adjacent and connected segments; merging, via the processor, the two adjacent and connected segments to form a super-segment comprising all latches contained in the two adjacent and connected segments based on an objective function, wherein the objective function comprises a predetermined rule; analyzing a placement of the segment to identify two adjacent segments that satisfy the objective function comprises:
selecting, via the processor, at least one parameter from a plurality of parameters associated with the objective function;determining, via the processor, a weighted value for each of the at least one parameter;defining an aggregate parameter threshold value; anddetermining, via the processor, whether a sum of the weighted values for the at least one parameter is greater than the aggregate parameter threshold value; and inserting, via the processor, a logic circuit element between the super-segment and a segment that is adjacent and connected to the super-segment in the scan chain, wherein the logic circuit element allows diagnostic isolation of the scan chain super-segment.