IP Library Granted Patent US 8,086,926
Granted Patent B2
US 8,086,926 · App. 12/051,412 · Granted Dec 27, 2011

Failure diagnostic apparatus, failure diagnostic system, and failure diagnostic method

Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,086,926
App. No.
12/051,412
Granted
Dec 27, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

There is provided a failure diagnostic apparatus that diagnoses a semiconductor integrated circuit device for failure based on a compressed signal obtained by compressing a plurality of signals outputted from a plurality of scan chains in which a plurality of scan flip-flops, to which signals from the semiconductor integrated circuit device are inputted, are connected in series. For each stage of the scan chains, the failure diagnostic apparatus sets a virtual space compression circuit that compresses output signals of the scan flip-flops in the stage and a virtual pin connected to the output terminal of the virtual space compression circuit, and the output signal of the virtual pin is compared with the compression signal to diagnose the semiconductor integrated circuit device for failure.

Claims (44)

1. A failure diagnostic apparatus for failure-diagnosing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, comprising:

a plurality of scan chains, each of the plurality of scan chains including a plurality of scan flip-flops coupled in series and receiving signals from the semiconductor integrated circuit device; and

a compression circuit that compresses output signals of the plurality of scan chains to output a first compressed signal,

wherein a plurality of virtual compression circuits is provided, each of the plurality of virtual compression circuits compressing output signals of scan flip-flops which are provided at a corresponding stage of the plurality of scan chains to output a second compressed signal,

wherein the second compressed signal is compared with the first compressed signal to failure-diagnose the semiconductor integrated circuit device,

wherein an assumed failure in the semiconductor integrated circuit device is transmitted via the second compressed signal, and

the failure diagnostic apparatus carries out failure simulation based on the assumed failure.

2. The failure diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of virtual compression circuits is provided based on circuit information on the semiconductor integrated circuit device.

3. The failure diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an execution portion configured to perform failure simulation on virtual circuit data including the virtual space compression circuit.

4. The failure diagnostic apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising:

a judgment portion configured to compare the second compressed signal corresponding to the result of the failure simulation with the first compressed signal and to judge whether the assumed failure in the virtual circuit data is true or false.

5. The failure diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the first compressed signals are outputted, and a plurality of the virtual space compression circuits is set in correspondence to the first compressed signals.

6. The failure diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first compressed signal is a failure log including test output terminal information from which the first compressed signal is outputted and the cycle of failure transmission.

7. The failure diagnostic apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the failure log is assigned to the test output terminal and the cycle, and the assumed failure in the virtual circuit data is judged to be true when the second compressed signal having the transmitted failure coincides with the failure log.

8. A failure diagnostic system comprising:

a semiconductor integrated circuit device; and

a failure diagnostic apparatus configured to failure-diagnose a semiconductor integrated circuit device,

wherein the failure diagnostic apparatus includes:

a plurality of scan chains, each of the plurality of scan chains including a plurality of scan flip-flops coupled in series and receiving signals from the semiconductor integrated circuit device; and

a compression circuit that compresses output signals of the plurality of scan chains to output a first compressed signal,

wherein a plurality of virtual compression circuits is provided, each of the plurality of virtual compression circuits compressing output signals of scan flip-flops which are provided at a corresponding stage of the plurality of scan chains to output a second compressed signal,

wherein the second compressed signal is compared with the first compressed signal to failure-diagnose the semiconductor integrated circuit device,

wherein an assumed failure in the semiconductor integrated circuit device is transmitted via the second compressed signal, and

the failure diagnostic system carries out failure simulation based on the assumed failure.

9. The failure diagnostic system according to claim 8 , wherein the plurality of virtual compression circuits is provided based on circuit information on the semiconductor integrated circuit device.

10. The failure diagnostic system according to claim 8 , further comprising:

an execution portion configured to perform failure simulation on virtual circuit data including the virtual space compression circuit.

11. The failure diagnostic system according to claim 8 , wherein a plurality of the first compressed signals is outputted, and a plurality of the virtual space compression circuits is set in correspondence to the first compressed signals.

12. The failure diagnostic system according to claim 8 , wherein the first compressed signal is a failure log including test output terminal information from which the first compressed signal is outputted and the cycle of failure transmission.

13. The failure diagnostic system according to claim 8 , further comprising:

a test apparatus configured to input a test pattern to the semiconductor integrated circuit device and to compare the output signal of the semiconductor integrated circuit device with an expectation value.

14. A failure diagnostic method comprising:

inputting signals from a semiconductor integrated circuit device to a plurality of scan chains, each of the plurality of scan chains including a plurality of scan flip-flops connected in series;

compressing a plurality of signals outputted from the scan chains to generate a first compressed signal;

compressing output signals of scan flip-flops which are provided at a corresponding stage of the plurality of scan chains to output a second compressed signal; and

comparing the second compressed signal with the first compressed signal to diagnose the semiconductor integrated circuit device,

transmitting an assumed failure in the semiconductor integrated circuit device via the second compressed signal, and

carrying out failure simulation of a semiconductor integrated circuit device based on the assumed failure.

15. The failure diagnostic method according to claim 14 , further comprising:

performing failure simulation on the virtual space compression circuit.

16. The failure diagnostic method according to claim 14 , wherein a plurality of the first compressed signals are outputted, and a plurality of the virtual space compression circuits is set in correspondence to the first compressed signals.

17. The failure diagnostic method according to claim 14 , wherein the first compressed signal is a failure log including test output terminal information from which the first compressed signal is outputted and the cycle of failure transmission.

18. The failure diagnostic method according to claim 14 , further comprising determining a result of the failure simulation based on whether or not a signal is output at a level according to the assumed failure.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 27, 2015
From: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
To: SOCIONEXT INC.
Reel/Frame 035508/0637 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 27, 2010
From: FUJITSU MICROELECTRONICS LIMITED
To: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
Reel/Frame 024794/0500 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 10, 2008
From: FUJITSU LIMITED
To: FUJITSU MICROELECTRONICS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 021985/0715 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 19, 2008
From: KATO, TAKAYUKI
To: FUJITSU LIMITED
Reel/Frame 020712/0706 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2007-093853 · Mar 30, 2007 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20080244345A1 · Oct 2, 2008