Patent ID: 8311793
Filing Date: 2012-11-13
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for rating the quality of a test program for integrated circuits simulated by means of a computer, comprising (a) provision of a first file which describes an integrated circuit; (b) simulation of a mutated integrated circuit which is obtained by incorporating mutations into the integrated circuit described in the first file, where only one of the mutations is ever active, while the other mutations are inactive, and where the mutations are activated in succession; (c) supply of input values to the mutated integrated circuit and recording of the output values produced for these input values by the mutated integrated circuit; (d) comparison of the output values produced by the mutated integrated circuit with expected values which are provided by the test program, where the expected values have been generated in an independent reference system; and (e) rating of the quality of the test program on a basis of the comparison results.