Test generation of sequential circuits using software transformations

摘要

A process for generating a test set for a sequential integrated circuit that includes performing a transformation on a software model of the circuit to provide a modified software model that should be more easily tested but that need not be functionally equivalent, and deriving a test set for the modified software model in conventional fashion. Thereafter, the derived test set is inverse mapped to derive a test set for the original sequential circuit. The transformation used essentially involves (1) the borrowing and/or returning registers at the primary inputs and/or primary outputs and (2) positioning the registers in the modified model as needed.