Peripheral Mux Table for IC Testing Path Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for testing integrated circuits are inefficient due to manual determination of communication path connections to I/O pins, which are error-prone and time-consuming, especially when different sets of peripherals need to be connected for various tests, and there is a need for optimal representation of connection information to balance speed and resource usage.
Innovation Solution
A system where a processor maintains a list of multiplexors (muxes) for each peripheral and mux option, using a table with linked lists to quickly identify and program the necessary muxes based on peripheral identifiers and mux options, allowing for efficient connection and disconnection of communication paths to I/O pins.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual determination of communication path connections is used, then implementation simplicity is maintained, but testing efficiency and accuracy deteriorate due to errors and time consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The connection information is segmented into multiple data structures including a peripheral table, a mux table, and linked lists. Each peripheral has an associated list of muxes, and each mux has entries for different mux options. This segmentation allows efficient querying and updating of connection information without requiring complex global restructuring, thus improving testing efficiency while maintaining manageable complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary data structure (the table with linked lists) that mediates between the peripheral identifiers and the actual mux configurations. This intermediary layer enables programmatic access and modification of connection information, eliminating manual determination while providing a structured approach that balances efficiency and complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If different sets of peripherals are connected for various tests, then testing versatility is improved, but connection configuration time increases due to reprogramming requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary organization of connection information by peripheral and mux option during initialization or setup phases. The tables and linked lists are pre-configured with all possible peripheral-mux associations. When a test requires specific peripherals, the system can quickly retrieve and activate the appropriate connections without time-consuming configuration, thus enabling testing versatility while minimizing configuration time.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection configuration is made dynamic through programmatic control of the muxes based on peripheral identifiers. The system can dynamically reconfigure connections between different peripheral sets by updating the linked list structures and mux selections, allowing versatile testing scenarios to be executed rapidly without manual reconfiguration for each test case.
3Speed
If programmatic configuration of mux connections is implemented, then testing speed is improved, but resource usage increases due to memory and processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by organizing connection information in a distributed manner across multiple data structures rather than a single large table. Each peripheral has its own associated mux list, and each mux has its own entry structure. This allows the system to load and process only the relevant connection information for the current test, reducing memory usage and processing overhead while maintaining fast access speeds through localized data retrieval.
Data Source
AI summary
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a corresponding list of muxes is maintained for each combination of a peripheral and a mux option. The list is then retrieved to program the required muxes to connect the communication paths from a peripheral on the corresponding mux option, based on which the list is retrieved. In an embodiment, the information is maintained in the form of a table, with each entry storing the data corresponding to a mux and mux option. The entries are linked by appropriate pointers to form the linked list.