Abstract
This paper proposes an on-chip detector for the on-line testing of faults affecting clock signals and making them change with incorrect duty-cycle. Our scheme is particularly suitable to be integrated within Systems-On-a-Chip (SOCs), in order to avoid their possible incorrect operation because of faults affecting clock signals, thus solving their extreme criticality in clock faults' testing. In particular, our detector is suitable to be applied to clock signals within each SOC digital core, to the clock signals at the interface between the diverse cores, as well as to those driving the DFT and BIST structures used to perform the SOC test. Our scheme features self-checking ability with respect to its possible internal faults belonging to a realistic set including stuck-ats, transistor stuck-ons, stuck-opens and resistive bridgings.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
D.A. Anderson, “Design of Self-Checking Digital Network Using Coding Techniques, ” Tech. Report R-527, CSL, Univ. of Illinois, IL, 1971.
D.A. Anderson and G. Metze, “Design of Totally Self-Checking Circuits for m-Out-of-n Codes, ” IEEE Trans. Comput., vol. c-22, pp. 263–269, March 1973.
K. Chakrabarty, “Design of System-on-a-Chip Test Access Architectures Under Place-and-Route and Power Constraints, ” in Proc. of Design Automation Conf., 2000, pp. 432–437.
K. Chakrabarty, “Design of System-on-a-Chip Test Access Architectures Using Integer Linear Programming, ” pp. 127–134, 2000.
M.P. Desai, R. Cvijetic, and J. Jensen, “Sizing of Clock Distribution Networks for High Performance CPU Chips, ” in Proc. of Design Automation Conf., 1996, pp. 389–394.
J. Edmondson et al., “Internal Organization of the Alpha 21164, a 300-MHz, 64-bit, Quad-Issue, CMOS RISC Microprocessor, ” Digital Technical Journal, vol. 7, no. 1, 1995.
N. Gaitanis, “A Totally Self-Checking Error Indicator, ” IEEE Trans. Comput., vol. C-34, pp. 758–761, Aug. 1985.
N. Gaitanis, D. Gizopoulos, A. Paschalis, and P. Kostarakis, “An Asynchronous Totally Self-Checking Two-Rail Code Error Indicator, ” in Proc. of IEEE VLSI Test Symp., 1996, pp. 151–156.
R.K. Gupta and Y. Zorian, “Introducing Core-Based System Design, ” IEEE Design & Test of Computers, pp. 15–25, Oct.-Dec. 1997.
T. Haniotakis, A. Paschalis, and D. Nikolos, “Fast and Low Cost TSC Checkers for 1-Out-of-N and (N-1)-Out-of-N Codes in MOS Implementation, ” Int. J. of Electronics, vol. 71, no. 5, pp. 781–791, 1991.
G. Kim, M.-K. Kim, B.-S. Chang, and W. Kim, “ALow-Voltage, Low-Power CMOS Delay Element, ” IEEE J. of Solid State Circuit, vol. 31, pp. 966–971, July 1996.
J.C. Lo, “A Novel Area-Time Efficient Static CMOS Totally Self-Checking Comparator, ” IEEE J. of Solid State Circuit, vol. 28, pp. 165–168, Feb. 1993.
C. Metra, M. Favalli, and B. Riccòo, “Novel 1-Out-of-n CMOS Checker, ” IEE Electronics Letters, vol. 30, no. 17, pp. 1398–1400, Aug. 1994.
C. Metra, M. Favalli, and B. Riccòo, “Compact and Highly Testable Error Indicator for Self-Checking Circuits, ” in Proc. of IEEE Int. Symp. on Defect and Fault Tolerance in VLSI Systems, 1996, pp. 204–212.
C. Metra, M. Favalli, and B. Riccòo, “On-Line Testing Scheme for Clocks' Faults, ” in Proc. of IEEE Int. Test Conf., 1997, pp. 587–596.
C. Metra, M. Favalli, and B. Riccòo, “Highly Testable and Compact Single Output Comparator, ” in Proc. of IEEE VLSI Test Symp., 1997, pp. 210–215.
C. Metra, S.D. Francescantonio, T.M. Mak, and B. Riccòo, “Evaluation of Clock Distribution Networks' Most Likely Faults and Produced Effects, ” in Proc. of IEEE Int. Symp. on Defect and Fault Tolerance in VLSI Systems, to appear.
T. Nanya and T. Kawamura, “On Error Indication for Totally Self-Checking Systems, ” IEEE Trans. Comput., vol. c-36, pp. 1389–1391, Nov. 1987.
M. Nicolaidis and B. Courtois, “Strongly Code Disjoint Checkers, ” IEEE Trans. Comput., vol. 37, pp. 751–756, June 1988.
A.M. Paschalis, “Efficient PLA Design of TSC 1-Out-of-N Code Checkers, ” Int. J. of Electronics, vol. 73, no. 3, pp. 471–484, 1992.
S. Piestrak, “Design of Self-Testing Checkers for 1-Out-of-n Codes, ” in Proc. 6th Int. Conf. Fault-Tolerant Syst. Diagnost., 1983, pp. 57–63.
R. Rajsuman, “Design and Test of Large Embedded Memories: An Overview, ” IEEE Design & Test of Computers, pp. 16–27, May-June 2001.
R. Rodriguez-Montanes, E.M.J.G. Bruls, and J. Figueras, “Bridging Defect Resistance Measurements in a CMOS Process, ” in Proc. of IEEE Int. Test Conf., 1992, pp. 892–899.
A. Sekiyama, T. Seki, S. Nagai, N. Suzuki, and M. Hayasaka, “A IV Operating 256-Kbit FULL CMOS SRAM, ” in Symp. VLSI Circuits, Dig. Tech. Papers, 1990, pp. 53–54.
J. Shen, W. Maly, and F. Ferguson, “Inductive Fault Analysis of MOS Integrated Circuits, ” IEEE Design & Test of Computers, pp. 26–33, Dec. 1985.
J.E. Smith and G. Metze, “Strongly Fault-Secure logic Networks, ” IEEE Trans. Comput., vol. C-27, pp. 491–499, June 1978.
S. Tam, S. Rusu, U. Desai, R. Kim, J. Zhang, and I. Young, “Clock Generation and Distribution for the First IA-64 Microprocessor, ” IEEE J. of Solid State Circuit, vol. 35, Nov. 2000.
D.L. Tao, C.R.P. Hartmann, and P.K. Lala, “AGeneral Technique for Designing Totally Self-Checking Checker for 1-Out-of-n Code with Minimum Gate Delay, ” IEEE Trans. Comput., vol. 41, pp. 881–886, July 1992.
D.L. Tao and P.K. Lala, “Three-Level Totally Self-Checking Checker for 1-Out-of-n Code, ” in Proc. of IEEE Int. Symp. on Fault-Tolerant Computing, 1987, pp. 108–113.
J. Teixeira, I. Teixeira, C. Almeida, F. Goncalves, and J. Goncalves, “A Methodology for Testability Enhancement at Layout Level, ” J. Electronic Testing: Theory and Application, vol. 1, pp. 287–299, 1991.
Y. Watanabe, T. Ohsawa, K. Sakurai, and T. Furuyama, “ANew CR-Delay CircuitTechnology for High-Density and High-Speed DRAM's, ” IEEE J. of Solid State Circuit, vol. 24, pp. 905–910, Aug. 1989.
Y. Zorian, E.J. Marinissen, and S. Dey, “Testing Embedded-Core-Based System Chips, ” Computer, pp. 52–60, 1999.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Metra, C., Favalli, M., Di Francescantonio, S. et al. On-Chip Clock Faults' Detector. Journal of Electronic Testing 18, 555–564 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016570230205
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016570230205