Test Data Compression Scheme Research Articles

An Efficient VLSI Test Data Compression Scheme for Circular Scan Architecture Based on Modified Ant Colony Meta-heuristic

A new test data compression scheme for circular scan architecture is proposed in this paper. A stochastic heuristic based bio-inspired optimization approach namely ant colony algorithm (ACO) is applied after modification and customization to improve compression efficiency. In circular scan architecture, test data compression is achieved by updating the conflicting bits between the most recently captured response and test vector to be applied next. The quantity of conflicting bits also manifests the Hamming distance between the most recently captured response and the next test vector. A significant reduction in test data volume and test application time is achieved by reducing Hamming distance. The problem is renovated as a traveling salesman problem (TSP). The test vectors are presumed as cities and Hamming distance between a pair of test vectors is treated as intercity distance and a modified ACO algorithm in combination with mutation operator is applied here to resolve this combinatorial optimization problem. The experimental results confirm the efficacy of this approach. An average improvement of 6.36% in compression ratio and 4.77% in test application time is achieved. The exhibited technique sustains an optimal level of performance without incurring any extra DFT (design for testability) cost.

Low Cost Hypercompression of Test Data

This article presents a next-generation test data compression scheme. It builds on the isometric compression paradigm, but makes it more flexible and elevates encoding efficiency to values unachievable through state-of-the-art sequential compression schemes. Furthermore, its programmable selection of full-toggle scan chains ensures high test coverage and virtually eliminates compression aborts. The presented approach follows from a fundamental observation that among test cube care bits, only a very few have a status of necessary assignments (their locations cannot be changed), whereas the remaining ones have alternative sites. These test cubes are used to form circular test templates which synergistically control a decompressor and guide back ATPG to find assignments yielding highly compressible test patterns. A redesigned low-silicon-area decompressor is also capable of reducing switching rates in scan chains with a new test power control scheme. The experimental results obtained for large industrial designs and other benchmark circuits confirm the superiority of the proposed scheme over existing techniques and are reported herein.

A SoC-IP Core Test Data Compression Scheme based on Error Correcting Hamming Codes

As system-on-chip (SoC) integration is growing very rapidly, increased circuit densities in SoC have lead a radical increase in test data volume and reduction of this large test data volume is one of the biggest challenges in the testing industry. This paper presents an efficient test independent compression scheme primarily based on the error correcting Hamming codes. The scheme operates on the pre-computed test data without the need of structural information of the circuit under test and thus it is applicable for IP cores in SoC. Test vectors are equally sliced into the size of ‘<em>n’</em> bits. Individual slices are treated as a Hamming codeword consisting of ‘<em>p’</em> parity bits and ‘<em>d’</em> data bits (<em>n = d + p)</em> and validity of each codeword is verified. If a valid slice is encountered<em>’</em> data bits prefixed by ‘<em>1’</em> are written to the compressed file, while for a non-valid slice all ‘<em>n’</em> bits preceded by ‘<em>0’</em> are written to the compressed file. Finally, we apply Huffman coding and RLE in order to improve the compression ratio further The efficiency of the proposed hybrid scheme is verified with the experimental outcomes and comparisons to existing compression methods suitable for testing of IP cores.

Preventing Scan Attacks on Secure Circuits Through Scan Chain Encryption

Scan attacks exploit facilities offered by scan chains to retrieve embedded secret data, in particular, secret keys used by the device for data encryption/decryption in mission mode. This paper presents a scan attack countermeasure based on the encryption of the data written to or read from the scan chains. The secret-key management system already embedded in the device is used to provide appropriate keys for encryption of data flowing on the scan chains. The goal of the proposed solution is to counteract the scan-related security threats while preserving test and diagnosis efficiency provided by conventional design-for-testability techniques, as well as to allow debugging capabilities in mission mode. The proposed solution can deal with both stuck-at and transition-faults test schemes as well as single and multiple scan chain configurations using test data compression schemes. We will show that the proposed scheme provides expected test/diagnostic and debug facilities as classical scan design with marginal impacts on area, test time and design flows, while successfully preventing control and observation of data flowing in the scan chains by unauthorized users.

Two-stage low power test data compression for digital VLSI circuits

In this paper, we present a hybrid X-filling and two-stage test data compression (TS-TDC) techniques for digital VLSI circuits to reduce the test power and test data volume respectively. The proposed hybrid X-filling combines adjacent filling and modified 4m filling technique to reduce the switching activities of the scan cells. It divides the unspecified bits present in the test cubes by multiples of 4 to increase the correlation between the consecutive test patterns which in turn provides better run length for test data reduction. The filled test cubes are encoded with two stage test data compression in order to reduce test data volume. In the first stage, the completely specified test sets are encoded using Alternative Statistical Run Length (ASRL) coding to enhance the test data compression. The compressed ASRL test set is encoded further using Run Length based Huffman Coding (RLHC) since ASRL codewords contain the maximum run length of oneâ;;s. Experimental results show that the proposed hybrid filling provides the scan-in average and peak-power transition reduction of 88% and 29% respectively against original test sets. The two-stage test data compression scheme achieves a maximum of 86% and an average of 76% compression ratio for ISCAS’89 benchmark circuits.

A new test set compression scheme for circular scan

A new test data compression scheme for circular scan is proposed in this paper. For circular scan, the response of the previous test vector is used as the next test vector’s template, and only the conflicting bits between the previous response and the next vector are required to be updated. To reduce the test data volume and test application time, the problem addressed here is minimizing the number of conflicting bits by optimally reordering test vectors. Each vector represents a city, and the number of conflicting bits between two test vectors is regarded as the distance between them. Thus, the problem corresponds to the travelling salesman problem (TSP), which is NP-complete. The genetic algorithm is used to solve this problem. The experimental results show that the proposed scheme could reduce the test data volume efficiently without any additional hardware cost.

Isometric Test Data Compression

This paper introduces a novel test data compression scheme, which is primarily devised for low-power test applications. It is based on a fundamental observation that in addition to low test cube fill rates, a very few specified bits, necessary to detect a fault, are actually irreplaceable, whereas the remaining ones can be placed in alternative locations (scan cells). The former assignments are used to create residual test cubes and, subsequently, test templates. They control a power-aware decompressor and guide automatic test pattern generation to produce highly compressible test patterns through finding alternative assignments. The proposed approach reduces, in a user-controlled manner, scan shift-in switching rates with minimal hardware modifications. It also elevates compression ratios to values typically unachievable through conventional low-power reseeding-based solutions. Experimental results obtained for large industrial designs illustrate feasibility of the proposed test scheme and are reported herein.

A test data compression scheme based on irrational numbers stored coding.

Test question has already become an important factor to restrict the development of integrated circuit industry. A new test data compression scheme, namely irrational numbers stored (INS), is presented. To achieve the goal of compress test data efficiently, test data is converted into floating-point numbers, stored in the form of irrational numbers. The algorithm of converting floating-point number to irrational number precisely is given. Experimental results for some ISCAS 89 benchmarks show that the compression effect of proposed scheme is better than the coding methods such as FDR, AARLC, INDC, FAVLC, and VRL.

Test Data Compression Using Variable Prefix Run Length (VPRL) Code

One of the major challenges in testing a system-on-a-chip (SoC) is dealing with the large test data volume and large scan power consumption. To reduce the volume of test data, several test data compression techniques have been proposed. This paper presents a new test data compression scheme, which reduces test data volume for a system-on-a-chip (SoC). The proposed approach is based on the use of MT (Minimum Transition)-fill technique and Variable Prefix Run Length (VPRL) codes for test data compression. These VPRL codes can efficiently compress the data streams, that are composed of both runs of 0s and 1s. Experimental results for ISCAS’89 benchmark circuits supports and proves the proposed approach, better to the other existing techniques, by reducing test data volume.

A Novel Test Data Compression Scheme for SoCs Based on Block Merging and Compatibility

A Novel Test Data Compression Scheme for SoCs Based on Block Merging and Compatibility

On X-Variable Filling and Flipping for Capture-Power Reduction in Linear Decompressor-Based Test Compression Environment

Excessive test power consumption and growing test data volume are both serious concerns for the semiconductor industry. Various low-power X-filling techniques and test data compression schemes were developed accordingly to address the above problems. These methods, however, often exploit the very same “don't-care” bits in the test cubes to achieve different objectives and hence may contradict each other. In this paper, we propose novel techniques to reduce scan capture power in linear decompressor-based test compression environment, by employing algorithmic solutions to fill and flip X-variables supplied to the linear decompressor. Experimental results on benchmark circuits demonstrate that our proposed techniques significantly outperform existing solutions.

Achieving low capture and shift power in linear decompressor-based test compression environment

Growing test data volume and excessive power dissipation are two major issues in testing of very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuits. Most previous low power techniques cannot work well with test-data compression schemes. Even if some low power methods can be applied in a test compression environment, they cannot reduce shift power and capture power simultaneously. This paper presents a new low shift-in power scan testing scheme in linear decompressor-based test compression environment. By dividing the test cubes into two kinds of blocks: non-transitional (low toggles) and transitional (with toggles) and feeding scan chains with these blocks through a novel DFT architecture, this approach can effectively reduce the quantity of transitions while scanning-in a test pattern. A low capture and shift-out power X-filling method compatible with the scan testing scheme is also proposed. The X-filling method assigns an interdependent X-bits set at each run and achieves significant power reduction. Interestingly, in the comprehensive strategy, capture power reduction agrees with shift-out power reduction to a certain extent. Experimental results on the larger ISCAS'89 and ITC'99 benchmark circuits show that the holistic strategy can reduce test power in shift cycles and capture cycles significantly under the constraint of certain compression ratio.

Test data compression using interval broadcast scan for embedded cores

The paper proposes a new test data compression scheme for testing embedded cores with multiple scan chains. The new compression scheme allows broadcasting identical test data to several scan chains whenever the cells in the same depth are compatible for the current application test pattern. Thus, it efficiently utilizes the compatibility of the scan cells among the scan chain segments, increases test data run in broadcast mode and reduces test data volume and test application time effectively. It does not need complex compressing algorithm and costly hardware. Experimental results demonstrate the efficiency and versatility of the proposed method.

A Twin Symbol Encoding Technique Based on Run-Length for Efficient Test Data Compression

Recent test data compression techniques raise concerns regarding power dissipation and compression efficiency. This letter proposes a new test data compression scheme, twin symbol encoding, that supports block division skills that can reduce hardware overhead. Our experimental results show that the proposed technique achieves both a high compression ratio and low-power dissipation. Therefore, the proposed scheme is an attractive solution for efficient test data compression.

A Low Overhead High Test Compression Technique Using Pattern Clustering With $n$-Detection Test Support

This paper presents a test data compression scheme that can be used to further improve compressions achieved by linear-feedback shift register (LFSR) reseeding. The proposed compression technique can be implemented with very low hardware overhead. The test data to be stored in the automatic test equipment (ATE) memory are much smaller than that for previously published schemes, and the number of test patterns that need to be generated is smaller than other weighted random pattern testing schemes. The proposed technique can be extended to generate test patterns that achieve high n-detection fault coverage. This technique compresses a regular 1-detection test cube set instead of an n-detection test cube set, which is typically n times larger. Hence, the volume of compressed test data for n-detection test is comparable to that for 1-detection test. Experimental results on a large industry design show that over 1600X compression is achievable by the proposed scheme with the test sequence length, which is comparable to that of highly compacted deterministic patterns. Experimental results on n -detection test show that test patterns generated by the proposed decompressor can achieve very high 5-detection stuck-at fault coverage and high compression for large benchmark circuits.

A Test Data Compression Scheme Based on Mixed Fixed and Variable Length Coding

A test data compression scheme based on fixed and variable length coding(FAVLC) is presented,by using which the test data can be compressed efficiently.In the scheme code words is divided into fixed length head,which eases the control of decompression,and variable length tail,which adds the feasibility of encoding.In order to obtain further compression effect,the highest bit of the tail is reduced from the code words.In addition,a special shift counter is also used,which further ease the control circuit.Experimental results show that the proposed scheme obviously outperforms the traditional coding methods in the compression ratio and the implementation of decompression,such as Golomb,FDR,VIHC,v9C coding.

Test Data Compression for Scan-Based BIST Aiming at 100x Compression Rate

We developed test data compression scheme for scan-based BIST, aiming to compress test stimuli and responses by more than 100 times. As scan-BIST architecture, we adopt BIST-Aided Scan Test (BAST), and combines four techniques: the invert-and-shift operation, run-length compression, scan address partitioning, and LFSR pre-shifting. Our scheme achieved a 100x compression rate in environments where Xs do not occur without reducing the fault coverage of the original ATPG vectors. Furthermore, we enhanced the masking logic to reduce data for X-masking so that test data is still compressed to 1/100 in a practical environment where Xs occur. We applied our scheme to five real VLSI chips, and the technique compressed the test data by 100x for scan-based BIST.

Test data compression for minimum test application time

In this paper, we proposed a test data compression scheme targeted for minimizing the amount of test data. The proposed scheme can reduce the test application time and minimize the amount of compressed test data, which reduces the size of data memory in ATE and the time needed to transfer test data. A decoder design is also presented. Experimental results on ISCAS benchmark circuits show that the compressed data produced by our method are much smaller than previous methods.

A Multilayer Data Copy Test Data Compression Scheme for Reducing Shifting-in Power for Multiple Scan Design

The random-like filling strategy pursuing high compression for today's popular test compression schemes introduces large test power. To achieve high compression in conjunction with reducing test power for multiple-scan-chain designs is even harder and very few works were dedicated to solve this problem. This paper proposes and demonstrates a multilayer data copy (MDC) scheme for test compression as well as test power reduction for multiple-scan-chain designs. The scheme utilizes a decoding buffer, which supports fast loading using previous loaded data, to achieve test data compression and test power reduction at the same time. The scheme can be applied automatic test pattern generation (ATPG)-independently or to be incorporated in an ATPG to generate highly compressible and power efficient test sets. Experiment results on benchmarks show that test sets generated by the scheme had large compression and power saving with only a small area design overhead.

Improved Data Compression Scheme for Multi-Scan Designs

This paper presents an improved test data compression scheme based on a combination of test data compatibility and dictionary for multi-scan designs to reduce test data volume and thus test cost. The proposed method includes two steps. First a drive bit matrix with less columns is generated by the compatibilities between the columns of the initial scan bit matrix, also the inverse compatibilities and the logic dependencies between the columns of mid bit matrixes. Secondly a dictionary bit matrix with limited rows is constructed, which has the properties that for each row of the drive bit matrix, a compatible row exists or can be generated by XOR operation of multiple rows in the dictionary bit matrix and the total number of rows used to compute all compatible rows is minimal. The rows in the dictionary matrix are encoded to further reduce the number of ATE channels and test data volume. Experimental results for the large ISCAS 89 benchmarks show that the proposed method significantly reduces test data volume for multi-scan designs.