Multiple error detection and identification via signature analysis

Abstract

Signature analysis has been used widely for fault detection as a part of Built-In Self Test (BIST). In this paper we show how signature analysis can be used not only for fault detection but also for identification of multiple errors produced by faults in the circuits under test. We construct Signature Analysis Registers (SARs) to detect and identify any specified number of errors in the input polynomials by choosing proper characteristic polynomials. To detect and identifyr errors in an input bit stream ofm bits, we use a polynomialg r (x)=1cm (f 1 (x), f 3 (x), ..., f 2r−1 (x)) as the characteristic polynomial for the SAR for any polynomialf 1 (x), where lcm represents the least common multiple of polynomials al $$fi(x) = Res_t (f_1 (t),x - t^i ), i = 3,...,2r - 1,$$ Res t denotes thet-Resultant, andm is less than the order off 1 (x). Given a faulty signature produced by an SAR constructed as described, we present an algorithm for the identification of the actual error bits in the input polynomial to the SAR. We also extend the use of BCH codes for error detection and correction to include nonprimitive polynomials.