Device for thorough testing of secure electronic components

1. An apparatus comprising:

a test circuit configured to generate test data in response to one or more test vectors;

an output circuit configured to present data in a first mode and prevent presentation of data in a second mode, wherein the output circuit is configured to switch between the first mode and the second mode in response to a control signal; and

a control circuit configured to generate the control signal according to predetermined criteria for protecting secure data within said apparatus while allowing said test data to be presented, wherein said control circuit comprises a state machine configured to control one or more output buffers of said output circuit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said apparatus comprises an integrated circuit.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said apparatus comprises a secure electronic device.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said test circuit comprises one or more scan chains.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of said one or more output buffers comprises a multiplexer circuit configured to select between a normal mode and a disabled mode of said output buffers in response to said control signal.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein inputs to each multiplexer circuit are hardwired to a predetermined value.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein inputs to each multiplexer circuit are programmable.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said state machine comprises a counter.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein said control signal is asserted when said counter is reset and disasserted when said counter reaches a predetermined value.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the predetermined value is programmable.

11. An apparatus comprising:

means for generating test data in response to one or more test vectors;

means for presenting data in a first mode and prevent presentation of data in a second mode, wherein the output circuit is configured to switch between the first mode and the second mode in response to a control signal; and

means for generating the control signal according to predetermined criteria for protecting secure data within said apparatus while allowing said test data to be presented, wherein said apparatus is tested using one or more scan chains are connected to one or more output buffers.

12. A method to thoroughly test a secure electronic component using one or more scan chains comprising the steps of:

generating test data in response to one or more test vectors;

presenting data in a first mode and preventing presentation of data in a second mode;

switching between the first mode and the second mode in response to a control signal; and

generating the control signal according to predetermined criteria for protecting secure data within said secure electronic component while allowing the test data to be presented, wherein said one or more scan chains are connected to one or more output buffers.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said secure electronic component comprises an integrated circuit.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein each of said one or more output buffers is configured to present data in a first mode, prevent presentation of data in a second mode and switch between the first mode and the second mode in response to the control signal.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein each of said one or more output buffers comprises a multiplexer circuit configured to select between a normal mode and a disabled mode of said output buffers.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein inputs to each multiplexer circuit are hardwired to a predetermined value.

17. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising programming values for the inputs to each multiplexer circuit.