The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 10, 1986
Filed:
Nov. 10, 1983
Satish M Thatte, Richardson, TX (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
A test circuit, called a universal testing block (UTB) for on-chip testing of a VLSI subsystem such as a ROM or an ALU has several modes, including test generator and test evaluator, formed on the VLSI chip. The test generator circuit includes means for applying a predetermined test pattern to an input channel of the subsystem and may be a generator for generating pseudorandom test patterns for application to the subsystem. Alternatively, the test generator may be a counter which can be selectively activated to generate a binary up-count. The UTB also has a shift register mode having a serial input and output to enable serial data to be shifted into and out of the subsystem in parallel fashion. The test evaluator circuit receives output signals from the subsystem, and includes a parallel signature analyzer to generate a signature of the subsystem after the application of the test patterns by the input circuit to indicate whether the subsystem is fault-free. Also, means are provided for evaluating the signature and for generating a signal in accordance with the evaluation indicative of whether the subsystem is fault-free.