[previous] [next] [contents]    Scan design techniques - Testability improvement via ad hoc solutions
Ad hoc measures to improve testability, as the name suggests, consist of design rules or amendments introduced to avoid test vector generation problems. These measures are specific to each design and therefore have two major drawbacks:
  • Are not always reusable, since each design has its specific requirements and testability problems.
  • Are not able to guarantee high testability levels regardless of the circuit.

A large number of examples might be used to illustrate ad hoc design for testability (DfT) rules, but it is largely preferable that structured DfT rules (considered in the following section) are used instead and as such we will only refer the following common solutions:

  • In order to avoid having to apply a large number of clock cycles to counters with a large number of bits, it is common to provide a way to split an n-bit counter into k (n/k)-bit counters for test purposes, which could then be taken to any n-bit combination with a much smaller number of clock cycles.
  • The provision of reset or preset lines, synchronous or asynchronous, are also common solutions to force the circuit to one or more given states with few or even no clock cycles being required.
  • In order to enable better observability, some internal nodes may be brought to primary output nodes, either by increasing the number of these nodes or by multiplexing existing primary outputs with the internal nodes to be observed. A similar solution is possible concerning controllability of internal nodes, which may be connected to additional primary inputs multiplexed with the internal signals controlling those nodes.

These and other measures are however not systematic enough as to enable a uniform approach to testable circuit design, which led since the mid-70s to the development of design methodologies that can always guarantee high levels of testability.