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:
May. 02, 1995
Filed:
Aug. 20, 1993
Stephen C Kromer, Austin, TX (US);
Gopi Ganapathy, Austin, TX (US);
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for synchronizing a plurality of asynchronous circuits during testing operations is provided. The apparatus includes first and second clock inputs, a test mode input, and an output. The apparatus receives a first clock signal from a first clock at the first clock input, and a second clock signal from a second clock at the second clock input. Responsive to the state of a test mode signal at the test mode input, the apparatus generates either the first clock signal or the second clock signal at the output. A first circuit is arranged to be driven by the output of the apparatus, while a second circuit is driven by one of the first or second clocks. Consequently, the first and second circuits are driven by different clocks when the test mode signal is in one state, and driven by the same clock when the test mode signal is in another state. Because the first and second circuits are driven by the same clock during testing operations, the timing of the communications between the circuits is predictable, making it possible to perform certain testing techniques that are not possible when the timing of inter-circuit communication is not predictable.