IP Library Granted Patent US 10,317,462
Granted Patent B2
US 10,317,462 · App. 15/592,763 · Granted Jun 11, 2019

Wide-range clock signal generation for speed grading of logic cores

Inventors: Shi-Yu Huang (Taoyuan, TW); Kun-Han Tsai (Lake Oswego, OR); Wu-Tung Cheng (Lake Oswego, OR); Tzu-Heng Huang (Kaohsiung, TW)
Assignee: Mentor Graphics Corporation
G01R31/31727G01R31/318552H03L7/23
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,317,462
App. No.
15/592,763
Granted
Jun 11, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

An integrated circuit for on-chip speed grading comprises test circuitry comprising scan chains and a test controller; and wide-range clock signal generation circuitry comprising phase-locked loop circuitry and frequency divider circuitry. The wide-range clock signal generation circuitry is configured to generate a wide-range test clock signal for the test circuitry to conduct a structural delay test for on-chip speed grading. The wide-range test clock signal is generated based on a test clock signal associated with the test circuitry, a frequency range selection signal and a frequency setting signal.

Claims (20)

1. An integrated circuit, comprising:

test circuitry comprising scan chains and a test controller; and

wide-range clock signal generation circuitry comprising phase-locked loop circuitry and frequency divider circuitry, the wide-range clock signal generation circuitry configured to generate a wide-range test clock signal for the test circuitry to conduct a structural delay test for on-chip speed grading, the wide-range test clock signal being generated based on a test clock signal associated with the test circuitry, a frequency range selection signal and a frequency setting signal.

2. The integrated circuit recited in claim 1 , wherein the phase-locked loop circuitry comprises a first phase-locked loop circuit and a second phase-locked loop circuit, and the frequency divider circuitry comprises a first frequency divider and a second frequency divider, wherein the first phase-locked loop circuit generates a high speed clock signal based on the test clock signal, the first frequency divider generates a preliminary tunable clock signal based on the high speed clock signal and the frequency setting signal, the second phase-locked loop circuit generates a tunable clock signal based on the preliminary tunable clock signal, and the second frequency divider generates the wide-range clock signal based on the tunable clock signal and the frequency range selection signal.

3. The integrated circuit recited in claim 1 , wherein the wide-range clock signal generation circuitry further comprises:

final test clock signal generation circuitry, the final test clock signal generation circuitry combining the test clock signal with the wide-range clock signal to generate a final test clock signal, the final test clock signal being used by the scan-based test circuitry to conduct the structural delay test.

4. The integrated circuit recited in claim 1 , wherein the structural delay test uses a launch-off-capture method.

5. The integrated circuit recited in claim 1 , wherein the test controller comprises a pseudo-random test pattern generator.

6. The integrated circuit recited in claim 1 , wherein the test controller comprises a decompressor for deterministic tests.

7. The integrated circuit recited in claim 1 , wherein the test controller comprises a speed grading controller configured to generate the frequency range selection signal and the frequency setting signal.

8. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions, that, when executed, cause a computer to create a system for on-chip speed grading in an electronic circuit design by:

creating test circuitry comprising scan chains and a test controller; and

creating wide-range clock signal generation circuitry comprising phase-locked loop circuitry and frequency divider circuitry, the wide-range clock signal generation circuitry configured to generate a wide-range test clock signal for the test circuitry to conduct a structural delay test for on-chip speed grading, the wide-range test clock signal being generated based on a test clock signal associated with the test circuitry, a frequency range selection signal and a frequency setting signal.

9. The one or more computer-readable media recited in claim 8 , wherein the phase-locked loop circuitry comprises a first phase-locked loop circuit and a second phase-locked loop circuit, and the frequency divider circuitry comprises a first frequency divider and a second frequency divider, wherein the first phase-locked loop circuit generates a high speed clock signal based on the test clock signal, the first frequency divider generates a preliminary tunable clock signal based on the high speed clock signal and the frequency setting signal, the second phase-locked loop circuit generates a tunable clock signal based on the preliminary tunable clock signal, and the second frequency divider generates the wide-range clock signal based on the tunable clock signal and the frequency range selection signal.

10. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media recited in claim 8 , wherein the wide-range clock signal generation circuitry further comprises:

final test clock signal generation circuitry, the final test clock signal generation circuitry combining the test clock signal with the wide-range clock signal to generate a final test clock signal, the final test clock signal being used by the scan-based test circuitry to conduct the structural delay test.

11. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media recited in claim 8 , wherein the structural delay test uses a launch-off-capture method.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media recited in claim 8 , wherein the test controller comprises a pseudo-random test pattern generator.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media recited in claim 8 , wherein the test controller comprises a decompressor for deterministic tests.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media recited in claim 8 , wherein the test controller comprises a speed grading controller configured to generate the frequency range selection signal and the frequency setting signal.

Assignments (2)
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 24, 2021
From: MENTOR GRAPHICS CORPORATION; SIEMENS INDUSTRY SOFTWARE INC.
To: SIEMENS INDUSTRY SOFTWARE INC.
Reel/Frame 056675/0285 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 17, 2017
From: HUANG, SHI-YU; TSAI, KUN-HAN; CHENG, WU-TUNG; HUANG, TZU-HENG
To: MENTOR GRAPHICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 042410/0545 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62337260 · May 16, 2016
Related Publication 20170328952A1 · Nov 16, 2017