Electronic system for testing chips having a selectable number of pattern generators that concurrently broadcast different bit streams to selectable sets of chip driver circuits

Abstract

A system for testing integrated circuit chips is comprised of a selectable number of pattern generators, each of which is coupled via a separate bus to a selectable number of chip driver circuits. Each pattern generator also is coupled to a respective memory, which stores different bit streams that are readable one word at a time. In operation, each pattern generator selectively reads the bit streams, word by word, from its respective memory; and its sends the words that are read to all of the chip driver circuits which are coupled to its separate bus, simultaneously. While that is occurring, each chip driver converts the words which it is sent into bit serial test signals which test multiple integrated circuit chips in parallel. Since all of the pattern generators operate in parallel, and since each pattern generator sends bit streams to all of the chip driver circuits that are coupled to its bus simultaneously, a high speed of operation is attained.