Software-based weighted random testing for IP cores in bus-based programmable SoCs

We present a software-based weighted random pattern scheme for testing delay faults in IP cores of programmable SoCs. We describe a method for determining static and transition probabilities (profiles) at the inputs of circuits with full-scan using testability metrics based on the targeted fault model. We use a genetic algorithm (GA) based search procedure to determine optimal profiles. We use these optimal profiles to generate a test program that runs on the processor core. This program applies test patterns to the target IP cores in the SoC and analyzes the test responses. This provides the flexibility of applying multiple profiles to the IP core under test to maximize fault coverage. This scheme does not incur the hardware overhead of logic BIST, since the pattern generation and analysis is done by software. The technique does not suffer the computational overhead that many weighted random pattern schemes suffer in the extraction of weights since we use a probabilistic approach to finding the profiles. We describe our method on transition and path-delay fault models, for both enhanced full-scan and normal full-scan circuits. We present experimental results using the ISCAS 89 benchmarks as IP cores.