Distributed ATPG Manager Synchronization for Semiconductor Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic test-pattern generation (ATPG) systems face challenges in efficiently generating test patterns for large semiconductor designs, leading to increased time-to-market and resource inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A distributed ATPG system utilizing one or more ATPG managers to synchronize test-pattern generation among multiple ATPG workers, employing both synchronous and asynchronous approaches to minimize duplication of work and maximize CPU usage efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If distributed ATPG system is implemented with multiple workers, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ATPG system is divided into multiple independent worker processes, each capable of generating test patterns autonomously. This segmentation allows parallel processing across multiple machines, significantly improving productivity while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
A manager process acts as an intermediary between multiple worker processes, coordinating their activities, distributing workloads, and aggregating results. This mediator architecture enables scalable distributed processing without requiring complex direct peer-to-peer communication between all workers.
2Measurement precision
If synchronous approach is used for coordination, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic synchronization intervals where workers report their status at predetermined checkpoints. This allows the manager to maintain accurate tracking of worker progress without requiring continuous communication, reducing time loss while preserving measurement precision at critical moments.
Solution Approach 2:
The synchronous coordination is applied selectively only at critical synchronization points rather than continuously. Workers operate independently between synchronization events, performing partial actions autonomously, which reduces overall wait time while maintaining precision where it matters most for result accuracy.
3Loss of time
If asynchronous approach is used for coordination, then loss of time is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Workers autonomously track their own progress and determine when they have completed their assigned tasks without requiring constant manager intervention. This self-service approach reduces coordination overhead time significantly while maintaining adequate precision through periodic status reporting and manager verification at completion points.
4Reliability
If fault state synchronization is performed frequently, then reliability is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Fault state synchronization is performed at periodic intervals rather than continuously or at every single operation. This periodic synchronization maintains reliability by ensuring fault information is kept current across the distributed system while minimizing time loss by avoiding unnecessary frequent communication overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for performing efficient automatic test-pattern generation (ATPG) are disclosed. ATPG may be performed by ATPG workers whose fault states are synchronized by an ATPG manager. In some embodiments, test-pattern generation by a ATPG worker may be performed multiple times with minimal idle time between generation and fault simulation intervals. Synchronization schemes may be synchronous or asynchronous. In asynchronous schemes, an ATPG worker may determine staleness of its fault state. If the fault state is stale, the ATPG worker may poll the ATPG manager to update the fault state to the current fault state of the ATPG manager which includes information on faults detected (including duplicate faults) by other ATPG workers. In synchronous schemes, fault states may be synchronized without polling by the ATPG worker. The synchronization of fault states via communication between manager and workers may reduce duplication and idle time, hence improving the time efficiency of ATPG workers.