Academic Journal

Systematic Software-Based Self-Test for Pipelined Processors.

Bibliographic Details
Title: Systematic Software-Based Self-Test for Pipelined Processors.
Authors: Gizopoulos, Dimitris, Psarakis, Mihalis, Hatzimihail, Miltiadis, Maniatakos, Michail, Paschalis, Antonis, Raghunathan, Anand, Ravi, Srivaths
Source: IEEE Transactions on Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) Systems; Nov2008, Vol. 16 Issue 11, p1441-1453, 13p, 7 Black and White Photographs, 9 Diagrams, 6 Charts
Subject Terms: Integrated circuits, Reduced instruction set computers, Data pipelining, Microprocessors, Automatic test equipment, Field programmable gate arrays, Memory maps (Computer science), XML (Extensible Markup Language), Computer architecture
Abstract: Abstract-Software-based self-test (SBST) has recently emerged as an effective methodology for the manufacturing test of processors and other components in systems-on-chip (SoCs). By moving test related functions from external resources to the SoC's interior, in the form of test programs that the on-chip processor executes, SBST significantly reduces the need for high-cost, big-iron testers, and enables high-quality at-speed testing and performance binning. Thus far, SBST approaches have focused almost exclusively on the functional (programmer visible) components of the processor. In this paper, we analyze the challenges involved in testing an important component of modern processors, namely, the pipelining logic, and propose a systematic SBST methodology to address them. We first demonstrate that SBST programs that only target the functional components of the processor are not sufficient to test the pipeline logic, resulting in a significant loss of overall processor fault coverage. We further identify the testability hotspots in the pipeline logic using two fully pipelined reduced instruction set computer (RISC) processor benchmarks. Finally, we develop a systematic SBST methodology that enhances existing SBST programs so that they comprehensively test the pipeline logic. The proposed methodology is complementary to previous SBST techniques that target functional components (their results can form the input to our methodology, and thus we can reuse the test development effort behind preexisting SBST programs). We automate our methodology and incorporate it in an integrated software environment (developed using Java, XML, and archC) for the automatic generation of SBST routines for microprocessors. We apply the methodology to the two complex benchmark RISC processors with respect to two fault models: stuck-at fault model and transition delay fault model. Simulation results show that our methodology provides significant improvements for the two fault models, both for the entire processor (12% fault coverage improvement on average) and for the pipeline logic itself (19% fault coverage improvement on average), compared to a conventional SBST approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of IEEE Transactions on Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) Systems is the property of IEEE and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Systematic Software-Based Self-Test for Pipelined Processors.
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  Data: IEEE Transactions on Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) Systems; Nov2008, Vol. 16 Issue 11, p1441-1453, 13p, 7 Black and White Photographs, 9 Diagrams, 6 Charts
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Integrated+circuits%22">Integrated circuits</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reduced+instruction+set+computers%22">Reduced instruction set computers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+pipelining%22">Data pipelining</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Microprocessors%22">Microprocessors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Automatic+test+equipment%22">Automatic test equipment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Field+programmable+gate+arrays%22">Field programmable gate arrays</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Memory+maps+%28Computer+science%29%22">Memory maps (Computer science)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22XML+%28Extensible+Markup+Language%29%22">XML (Extensible Markup Language)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+architecture%22">Computer architecture</searchLink>
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  Data: Abstract-Software-based self-test (SBST) has recently emerged as an effective methodology for the manufacturing test of processors and other components in systems-on-chip (SoCs). By moving test related functions from external resources to the SoC's interior, in the form of test programs that the on-chip processor executes, SBST significantly reduces the need for high-cost, big-iron testers, and enables high-quality at-speed testing and performance binning. Thus far, SBST approaches have focused almost exclusively on the functional (programmer visible) components of the processor. In this paper, we analyze the challenges involved in testing an important component of modern processors, namely, the pipelining logic, and propose a systematic SBST methodology to address them. We first demonstrate that SBST programs that only target the functional components of the processor are not sufficient to test the pipeline logic, resulting in a significant loss of overall processor fault coverage. We further identify the testability hotspots in the pipeline logic using two fully pipelined reduced instruction set computer (RISC) processor benchmarks. Finally, we develop a systematic SBST methodology that enhances existing SBST programs so that they comprehensively test the pipeline logic. The proposed methodology is complementary to previous SBST techniques that target functional components (their results can form the input to our methodology, and thus we can reuse the test development effort behind preexisting SBST programs). We automate our methodology and incorporate it in an integrated software environment (developed using Java, XML, and archC) for the automatic generation of SBST routines for microprocessors. We apply the methodology to the two complex benchmark RISC processors with respect to two fault models: stuck-at fault model and transition delay fault model. Simulation results show that our methodology provides significant improvements for the two fault models, both for the entire processor (12% fault coverage improvement on average) and for the pipeline logic itself (19% fault coverage improvement on average), compared to a conventional SBST approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: Abstract
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of IEEE Transactions on Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) Systems is the property of IEEE and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edb&AN=35110074
RecordInfo BibRecord:
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1109/TVLSI.2008.2000866
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 13
        StartPage: 1441
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Integrated circuits
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reduced instruction set computers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Data pipelining
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Microprocessors
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Automatic test equipment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Field programmable gate arrays
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Memory maps (Computer science)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: XML (Extensible Markup Language)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer architecture
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      – TitleFull: Systematic Software-Based Self-Test for Pipelined Processors.
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            – D: 01
              M: 11
              Text: Nov2008
              Type: published
              Y: 2008
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