Circuit and method for adding parametric test capability to digital boundary scan

A boundary scan cell for use in a circuit having a boundary scan shift register (BSSR) having boundary scan cells associated with pins of the circuit, the cell having a single-bit shift register element and an associated update latch, comprises a logic circuit for controlling the logic state of an associated pin, analog switches connecting the associated pin to analog test buses, and logic circuitry for selectively configuring the cell in a parametric test mode in which the cell shift register element controls the analog switches, and in a digital test mode in which the cell shift register element controls the logic state of the associated pin.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to the testing of integrated circuits (ICs) and circuit boards, or substrates, on which ICs are mounted and, more specifically, to a logic circuit for a circuit boundary scan cell and a method for performing parametric tests on a circuit having digital and analog pins.

2. Description of Related Art

As printed circuit boards populated with ICs get smaller and more dense, it becomes more difficult to quickly diagnose and repair the boards. As a result, digital boundary scan is becoming a popular design for test (DFT) technique to permit quick verification of board-level connections between ICs. Further, as the pin-count of new ICs increases each year, and the cost of high pin-count testers increases, it becomes necessary to consider reduced pin count testing where only a small subset of an IC's pins are contacted during an IC test. The un-contacted pins are then tested via boundary scan circuitry that controls every pin.

The preferred way, in industry, to implement digital boundary scan is according to the rules defined in the “IEEE Standard Test Access Port and Boundary-Scan Architecture”, published in 1990 and 2001, by the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), which is also known as IEEE Std. 1149.1-2001, or simply 1149.1. This standard requires a minimum of one shift register bit per IC pin, and shifts boundary scan data in to a boundary scan register via a pin denoted TDI and out through a pin denoted TDO, as shown inFIG. 1.FIG. 1shows a circuit10having digital circuitry12and digital pins14. The shift register bits are implemented by means of boundary scan cells16. A boundary scan cell for an individual digital pin is shown inFIG. 2. Boundary scan cell16includes a shift register element18whose output is connected to an update latch20and to a cell test data output TDO. A cell output multiplexer22receives a functional input, shown as “From core”, and the output of update latch20and a mode control signal, shown as selectJtagOut, and provides an output to pad24via pin driver26. A cell input multiplexer28receives the output of mux22and a test data input TDI and a control input shown as ShiftEnable. A Test Access Port (TAP) controller30is provided to facilitate digital boundary scan testing.FIG. 1Ais a state diagram for TAP controller30.

A digital boundary scan test comprises enabling a serial shift register that accesses the pins of an IC, shifting in logic values to each output pin, updating the logic value at each output pin with the value shifted in, parallel capturing the logic values received at each input pin, and serially shifting out the captured values for examination by a tester.

Another standard entitled “IEEE Standard for a Mixed Signal Test Bus”, was published in 1999 by the IEEE, and is known as IEEE Std. 1149.4-1999, or simply 1149.4. The general architecture of an IC designed according to 1149.4 is shown inFIG. 3.FIG. 3is similar toFIG. 1except for the addition of analog circuitry32and a Test Bus Interface (TBIC) Circuit34which connects and controls internal buses AB1and AB2to external buses via pins AT1and AT2and analog boundary modules (ABM)36associated with analog pins38. 1149.4 defines an analog bus that connects, within each IC, to the pins of the IC and permits an analog stimulus current to be conveyed to each pin on a bus, AB1, and the analog response voltage to be conveyed from each pin on another bus, AB2, as shown inFIG. 4. Electrical connection of each pin to each analog bus wire is enabled by two dedicated logic bits, denoted B1and B2, of a boundary scan shift register (BSSR), according to 1149.4, and each on-chip analog bus Wire is also connected via the test bus interface circuit (TBIC) to an off-chip analog bus pin, AT1or AT2, of the IC. This permits a stimulus signal to be supplied from a signal source external to the ICs and the response voltage to be measured by equipment external to the ICs. The digital state of each pin is also controlled by two dedicated bits, denoted D and C inFIG. 4, of the BSSR, according to 1149.4, for a total of four BSSR bits per pin.

The capabilities of this 1149.4 test bus have been described in several published papers, including, “Design, Fabrication, and Use of Mixed-Signal IC Testability Structures” by K. Parker et al, published in the Proceedings of the 1997 ITC (Nov. 1–6, 1997). This test bus was primarily designed to permit the measurement of discrete passive components, including capacitors and resistors, that are connected to the pins of ICs and that might otherwise be inaccessible due to the density of the circuit boards containing these ICs and components. It is possible to apply a stimulus to a pin, via one of these test buses, and to simultaneously monitor the pin's response voltage via another of these test buses, and to thus determine the impedance of a circuit that has been connected to the pin. The boundary scan cell for an individual analog pin is shown inFIG. 4. Almost identical circuitry is used for a digital pin if analog access to the pin is desired. It will be seen that an 1149.4 test cell requires many more gates than an 1149.1 test cell.

A paper entitled, “A Demonstration IC for the P1149.4 Mixed-Signal Test Standard” by K. Lofstrom and published in the 1996 ITC Proceedings (Oct. 20–25, 1996) discloses a technique denoted as “Early Capture” for comparing a pin voltage to a reference voltage that is supplied via one of the 1149.4 on-chip analog buses, and the digital comparison result is shifted out via the boundary scan register and TDO. A comparator is connected to the data scan register bit associated with each pin's signal.

Frodsham et al U.S. Pat. No. 6,262,585 granted on Jul. 17, 2001 for “Apparatus for I/O Leakage Self-test in an Integrated Circuit”, discloses circuitry which is the same as that prescribed by 1149.4, except that some elements have been removed, such as the second analog bus access to the pad. A boundary scan register bit at each pin enables an analog switch that connects an analog current stimulus bus to the pin. A comparator compares the voltage at the pin and an externally-supplied voltage threshold to determine if the leakage current through the pin is excessive.

Russell et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,358 granted on Apr. 4, 1995 for “Boundary Scan Architecture Analog Extension” discloses a method and apparatus which provide an analog mode of operation of a standard test access bus interface based on a standard Boundary Scan architecture. Circuits are included in the interface which enable a sharing of data paths at separate time intervals defined under instruction control for processing analog and digital signals thereby providing a hybrid capability without any increase in the number of lines required by the interface.

Applicant's U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/768,501 filed on Jan. 25, 2001 for “Method for Scan Controlled Sequential Sampling of Analog Circuits and Circuit for Use Therewith”, incorporated herein by reference, discloses the 1149.4 boundary scan cell to permit “partial updating”—updating only the latches that control the analog switches connecting each pin to the analog buses. This circuit requires a third mode signal to control whether full or partial update occurs.

A proposed standard for boundary scan testing of AC coupled differential signals, denoted as IEEE P1149.6 proposes comparing AC-coupled digital input signals to a reference voltage using a hysteretic comparator connected to each pin of a differential pair, and capturing the output of the comparator by the pin's boundary scan register bit, and then shifting out captured values via the boundary scan register. A hysteretic comparator is a comparator with hysteresis—its apparent input switching point is decreased slightly if the previous input voltage was higher than the reference voltage, and it is increased slightly if the previous input voltage was lower than the reference voltage.

A drawback of existing circuits is that a designer who wishes to provide analog access to digital IC pins that are controlled by 1149.1 boundary scan, is compelled to use the 1149.4 boundary scan cells ofFIG. 4, and accept the accompanying gate count penalty, in order to use conventional 1149.1 and 1149.4 software and hardware tools for performing boundary scan testing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to add analog access facilities to the 1149.1 boundary scan circuitry for digital pins using substantially fewer logic gates at each pin than required by 1149.4, and doing so in a manner which is compliant with 1149.1 and 1149.4 rules.

The present invention also seeks to provide test circuitry which will permit sequential analog access to the digital and analog pins without requiring reloading of the boundary scan chain, and the digital result of a sequential comparison between each pin's voltage and a reference voltage be output via the TDO pin so that commonly available 1149.1-based board test equipment can monitor the comparison results.

One aspect of the present invention is generally defined as a boundary scan cell for use in a circuit having a boundary scan shift register (BSSR) having boundary scan cells associated with pins of the circuit, the cell having a single-bit shift register element and an associated update latch, the boundary scan cell comprising: a logic circuit for controlling the logic state of an associated pin; analog switches connecting the associated pin to analog test buses; and logic circuitry, responsive to a cell mode signal, for selectively configuring the cell in a parametric test mode in which the cell shift register element controls the analog switches, and in a digital test mode in which the cell shift register element controls the logic state of the associated pin.

As will be seen, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the circuit comprises 1149.1 boundary scan that is modified to facilitate analog access to each IC pin via the on-chip AB1and AB2test buses stipulated by 1149.4. The inputs of a comparator may be connected to an on-chip analog bus, AB1or AB2, and the off-chip bus, AT1or AT2, and the output of the comparator connected to the test data output, TDO to allow conventional 1149.1-based software and hardware to perform parametric tests by simply supplying a DC reference voltage to AT1or AT2.

Another aspect of the present invention is generally defined as a method of preforming parametric tests on a circuit having a boundary scan shift register (BSSR) having boundary scan cells associated with each circuit pin and each boundary scan cell being configurable into a test mode in which the BSSR controls the logic state of the pin and a parametric test mode in which the BSSR controls analog switches connecting the associated circuit pin to analog test buses, the method comprising: configuring the boundary scan cells in a test mode in which the logic state of the pins is controlled by the content of its associated cell shift register element; loading logic O's and 1's into the BSSR to set the logic state of the circuit pins; configuring the boundary scan cells in a parametric test mode in which the state of the analog switches is controlled by the content of its associated cell shift register element; loading logic 0's and a single logic 1 into the BSSR; and shifting the contents of the BSSR while monitoring circuit test data output bits resulting from a comparison of a signal on one of the analog test buses with a reference voltage on another of the analog buses.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

A primary objective of the invention is to facilitate analog access to digital IC pins that are controlled by 1149.1 boundary scan cells in a way that is compliant with 1149.4 but that uses fewer logic gates than 1149.4 requires for analog pins.

As previously mentioned, 1149.4 defines an analog bus that connects within each IC to the pins of the IC and permits an analog stimulus current to be conveyed to each pin on a bus, AB1, and the analog response voltage to be conveyed from each pin on another bus, AB2, as shown inFIG. 4. Electrical connection of each pin to each analog bus wire is enabled by two dedicated logic bits (denoted B1and B2) of a boundary scan shift register (BSSR), according to 1149.4, and each on-chip analog bus wire is also connected via a test bus interface circuit (TBIC) to an off-chip analog bus pin, AT1or AT2, of the IC so that the stimulus signal can be supplied from a signal source external to the ICs and a response voltage can be measured by equipment external to the ICs. The digital state of each pin is also controlled by two dedicated bits (denoted D and C) of the BSSR, according to 1149.4, for a total of four BSSR bits per pin.

However, according to 1149.1, for a group of tristate digital pins (without analog bus access) that are enabled by a single Enable signal, only one BSSR bit is needed per pin, plus one BSSR bit for the common Enable. In other words, one BSSR bit per pin is the minimum number of gates that an 1149.1-compliant implementation requires. Therefore, this is our reference against which the number of gates will be compared. The present invention seeks to add the minimum number of gates beyond that to provide analog access to digital pins.

In the present invention, a single BSSR bit is sufficient to control the digital output value and access to on-chip analog busses.FIG. 5illustrates an embodiment of the present invention which provides an 1149.1 digital boundary scan cell100with analog bus access which provides one bus control bit per pin. The cell is similar to the cell shown inFIG. 3and, accordingly, the same reference numerals have been used to designate like parts. The circuit ofFIG. 5is provided with two analog switches102and104, in the form of transmission gates, connected to pad24and to internal busses AB1(or AB2) and AB2(or AB1). Cell100further includes a logic circuit106which has two mode signals, analogMode and selectJtagOut, as input and which indicate an active instruction according to the following table:

InstructionselJtagOutanalogModeEXTEST11PROBE01PARAMETRIC10Other00
In the embodiment ofFIG. 5, logic circuit106includes an EXOR gate108and a 2-input AND gate110. The output of EXOR gate108is a parametricMode signal. The output of shift register element18and the parametricMode signal are applied to AND gate110. AnalogMode is a signal which is common in 1149.4 boundary module applications to indicate whether a cell is being used in analog or digital mode. SelectJtagOut is common in all test cells to indicate whether the cell is in mission mode or test mode. The output of gate108is active (logic 1) only when one of its inputs is active. Thus, the parametricMode signal is logic 1 when either the PROBE or the PARAMETRIC instruction is active, but not when the EXTEST or Other instructions are active.

Alternatively, the parametricMode control could be generated using an AND gate (instead of EXOR gate108) with one inverting input, so that parametricMode=1 only when SelectJtagOut=1 and analogMode=0. This would prevent any analog bus access to digital pins for any instruction except PARAMETRIC, which may be simpler to use—it would prevent captured data during PROBE to cause bus inadvertent access to signals.

When the EXTEST instruction is active, the circuit ofFIG. 5performs according to 1149.1. The parametricMode signal is logic 0, which disables the analog switches.

The PROBE instruction is unique to 1149.4; hence, 1149.1 is mute on this instruction. When the PROBE instruction is active, 1149.4 requires that analog access to each analog pin be possible, via either, neither, or both analog buses. 1149.4 also requires that analog and digital pins remain in mission mode, connected to the core. During the PROBE instruction, parametricMode is logic 1 which allows analog switches102and104to be controlled by data in the shift register element18and the cell is in mission mode (selectJtagOut is inactive). Because only one bit is available for this digital pin (because it is an input-only, or 2-state output-only, or shares a common enable), both analog switches are either simultaneously enabled or simultaneously disabled. Although this does not allow full 1149.4 analog test capability (because it does not facilitate separate control of the AB1and AB2analog switches), 1149.4 does not mandate any analog access to digital pins. The circuit ofFIG. 5facilitates many useful tests, , such as monitoring the pin's mission-mode signal voltage, as discussed later herein.

The PARAMETRIC instruction is not specified by either 1149.1 or 1149.4—it is unique to the present invention. When the PARAMETRIC instruction is active, parametricMode is logic 1, which allows the analog switches to be controlled by data from the BSSR, and the cell is in test mode (selectJtagOut is active). During this mode, Update is suppressed, so that the state of the pin is maintained at whatever state was set to during the most recent EXTEST mode. In PARAMETRIC mode, many parametric tests can be performed, as will be discussed later (such as measuring output drive, pull-up resistance, and input switching point voltage).

During all “Other” instructions, the circuit ofFIG. 5behaves as a normal 1149.1 boundary scan cell.

FIG. 5shows TBIC switches112and114associated with analog buses AB1and AB2, respectively. A comparator116has one input connected to internal bus AB2(or AB1) and its other input connected to external bus contact pin AT2(or AT1). The output of the comparator is applied to the “1” input of a multiplexer118which is controlled by the parametricMode signal. The other input of multiplexer118is the scan data out signal SO. The output of the multiplexer is optionally connected to the input of a re-timing element120clocked by the test clock TCK. The output of the re-timing element is connected to the TDO pad via pad driver122.

The circuit ofFIG. 6is similar to that ofFIG. 5, but includes an extra update latch130so that the state of the analog switch control signal only changes when an update occurs during PARAMETRIC mode. In the PARAMETRIC mode, the state of the analog switch control signal is captured instead of the pad driver data value. The output of pad data update latch20is recycled to the latch input to hold the value loaded during the most recent EXTEST mode. This is implemented using multiplexer136that is controlled by the parametricMode signal, and whose data inputs are the output of shift register element18and the output of update latch20. The analog switch control signal (output of AND gate132) value can be captured by the BSSR register, via multiplexers134and28. This is achieved by the provision of an AND gate132, multiplexer134and multiplexer136. AND gate132receives the parametricMode signal and the output of latch130. Multiplexer136operates under control of the parametricMode signal. Multiplexer134receives the pad driver signal and the analog switch control signal. During PARAMETRIC mode, for this type of boundary scan cell, the Update operation does not need to be suppressed. No pin transients occur during the BSSR shifting in PARAMETRIC mode (as might occur for the circuit ofFIG. 5).

According to another embodiment of the present invention, for pins that have two dedicated BSSR bits, typically one for data and another for enable, the circuit ofFIG. 7can be used. For this case, the two analog bus switches102and104can be controlled separately. InFIG. 7, the data bit controls the AB1switch102, and the enable bit controls the AB2switch104. This circuit permits the voltage at one pin to be monitored while stimulus current is delivered to a different pin, and thus supports all 1149.4-style analog access.

Applications to 1149.4

The circuit described and claimed in Applicant's aforementioned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/768,501 can be modified to obtain the analog boundary module (ABM) circuit140ofFIG. 8which performs the function previously described for the PARAMETRIC instruction. The modification comprises the addition of logic circuit142which includes OR gate144and AND gate146with the output of AND gate146connected to the clock input of update latches D and C. When PARAMETRIC mode is active (analogMode=0 and selectJtagOut=1) and an Update-DR state occurs, the ABM140ofFIG. 8performs a partial update: only the latches B1and B2are updated. During this mode, the state of the pin is maintained at whatever state was set to during the most recent EXTEST mode. Thus, this circuit does not need the FullUpdate signal described in the prior application—the information is instead encoded into Mode1(selectJtagOut) and Mode2(analogMode).

A different embodiment is shown in circuit150ofFIG. 9. Analog switches102and104are enabled during the Shift-DR state, similar to the operation of the circuit inFIG. 5. In circuit150, a logic circuit151, comprised of AND gate152and OR gates153and154, is connected to the clock input of switch control latches B1and B2. As can be seen, the AND gate receives the selectJtagOut signal and an inverted analogMode signal and generates a parametric mode signal output. The OR gates receive the output of AND gate152and the Update-DR signal. The selectJtagOut and analogMode signals are also applied to the inputs of an OR gate155whose output is applied to one input of each of AND gates156and157which control analog switches102and104.

Methodology

During PARAMETRIC mode for the circuit ofFIG. 5, the normal sequence of TAP controller states is used, and all logic 0's and a single logic 1 are shifted into the BSSR, via the circuit TDI, during the Shift-DR state. As the logic 1 is shifted into each BSSR element that controls an analog switch pair, the switches (transmission gates) are enabled, the stimulus current is conveyed to the pin via AT1and AB1(the AT1/AB1TBIC switch is enabled), and the pin voltage will be conveyed to AB2. If the AB2/AT2TBIC switch is enabled, the voltage will be conveyed to AT2where it can be measured. If the AB2/AT2TBIC switch is disabled, the voltage on AB2is compared to the voltage on AT2and the comparison result is output via TDO.

During PARAMETRIC mode for the circuits ofFIGS. 11–14, the Capture-DR state action is suppressed. All logic 0's and a single logic 1 are shifted into the BSSR, and then an update is performed during the Update-DR state to enable analog access to a pin. Then, the logic 1 is shifted along the BSSR to a next pin of interest, and another update is performed in sequence to enable analog access to the next pin, without a Capture-DR operation over-writing the single 1 and many 0's.

Preferably, an IC would contain a consistent set of boundary scan cells, constructed according to the present invention, for its analog and digital pins. Specifically, it would contain conventional 1149.1 digital boundary scan cells, such as the prior art shown inFIG. 2, 1149.1 digital boundary scan cells with analog access, as shown inFIG. 5, conventional 1149.4 ABMs, such as the prior art shown inFIG. 4, and analog boundary modules, as shown inFIG. 9. This combination of boundary scan cells never requires a suppressed Capture function, but cannot isolate the on-chip analog buses from the pins when logic 1's are shifted in PARAMETRIC mode.

Alternatively, the IC would contain conventional 1149.1 digital boundary scan cells, 1149.1 digital boundary scan cells with analog access, as shown inFIGS. 6 and 7, conventional 1149.4 ABMs, and analog boundary modules, as shown in FIG.8—this combination of boundary scan cells requires a suppressed Capture, but isolates the on-chip analog buses from the pins while shifting in PARAMETRIC mode. However, both types of boundary scan cells can work correctly on the same IC.

As shown inFIG. 10, to perform comparisons between each pin's voltage and an externally supplied reference voltage, VREF, a comparator160is connected between on-chip analog bus AB2and the off-chip analog bus AT2. Of course, the TBIC switch between AB2and AT2must be disabled when these two buses are compared. The output of the comparator is output to the TDO pin after re-timing (if needed) so that transitions occur following the falling edge of TCK and well in advance of TCK rising. The TDO output driver is enabled, according to 1149.1, only during the Shift-DR (or Shift-IR) state. A multiplexer selects the comparator output when PARAMETRIC mode is active, and the normal scan data output otherwise.

The state of all output pins of all chips controlled via the 1149.1 TAP signals is constant while the Shift-DR state is active. Therefore, the values shifted out via TDO during the PARAMETRIC mode are the same as would be output if a comparator were located within every boundary module and the comparator outputs captured within each pin's BSSR element. The two approaches give essentially the same results, but using a single comparator (connecting AB2and AT2) uses less area on the semiconductor, conveniently permits an adjustable reference voltage to be used, and permits a higher performance comparator (or a selection of comparators) to be used.

The circuit inFIG. 11shows how comparators can be connected to both analog buses, and is especially suitable for testing differential pin pairs. A comparator180compares the signal on AB1to the reference voltage on AT1. A comparator182compares the signal on AB2to the reference voltage on AT2. A comparator184compares the signal on AB1to the signal on AB2, which generates a differential logic value if AB1and AB2are connected to a differential signal pair. A parallel input, serial output (PISO) shift register186captures all three comparator outputs and shifts them out through TDO, when in PARAMETRIC mode and after optional re-timing to the falling edge of TCK.

The circuit ofFIG. 12shows how the analog buses can be connected to a differential pin pair190, which includes a non-inverting pin (“+”)192associated with boundary scan cell196and an inverting pin (“−”)194associated with a second boundary scan cell198. Test cell196contains all of the circuitry of test cell198; however, for simplicity some of the circuitry has not been shown for test cell196.

Each of test cells196and198includes a logic circuit200for generating the parametricMode signal and analog switch control signals. The logic circuit includes EXOR gate202and a three input AND204. The analogMode signal and the cell mode signal, selectJtagOut, are applied to gate202. The outputs of AND gates204are applied to the control inputs of the associated cell analog switches102and104. Both switches of cell196are connected to the “+” pad. Both switches of cell198are connected to the “−” pad. Each AND gate receives the shift register output of its respective shift register element, the parametricMode signal and the inverted output of the shift register element of the other cell of the differential pair.

Thus, with parametricMode active, when all logic 0's and a single logic 1 are shifted into the BSSR, each of the pins of the differential pair will be accessed sequentially, as in the previously described embodiments. However, the two 3-input AND gates204in logic circuit200allow a second option—loading a pair of logic 1's instead of a single logic 1. When a pair of logic 1's is detected in the two BSSR bits corresponding to the differential pin pair, instead of a single logic 0, the non-inverting pin (“+”) is connected to AB1and the inverting pin (“−”) is connected to AB2, thus allowing a differential access. If the comparators are connected as shown in the circuit ofFIG. 11, then the differential voltage is compared, and simultaneously the two single pin voltages are compared to off-chip reference voltages.

The circuit ofFIG. 13is similar to the circuit ofFIG. 12, except that cells196and198include update latches130and associated components are provided for the same purpose as that previously described in connection with the circuit ofFIG. 6.

For particularly noisy environments, the analog bus signals can be low pass filtered by means of low pass filters210prior to comparing, as shown in the circuit ofFIG. 14.

An alternative technique for handling noisy signals, or for signals that are AC-coupled to the IC pins, is to use a Schmitt-trigger comparator220, as shown inFIG. 15. The Schmitt-trigger comparator changes its apparent switching point voltage depending on the present logic value at its output. If the output of the comparator is logic 1, then the input switching point for the positive input is decreased slightly. If the output of the comparator is logic 0, then the input switching point for the positive input is increased slightly. This permits the circuit to test signals that are AC-coupled to the pin. If transitions are induced on the pin's signal, through the AC-coupling, the momentary signal spikes received by the pin will cause the Schmitt-trigger comparators to change state. The transitions occur simultaneously with the rising edge of TCK, as required by 1149.1, and the comparator output changes state in time to be latched by the TDO re-timing flip-flop. The circuit shown inFIG. 16is similar to that inFIG. 15, except that the reference voltage for comparator220is the constant reference voltage used for terminating the single-ended or differential signals being accessed at the pins.

The circuit ofFIG. 17is similar to the circuitFIG. 10, except that a strobed comparator222is used instead of a continuously operating comparator. Strobed comparators typically use less power and achieve higher performance (accuracy, resolution, and speed). TCK is the strobe signal, and as shown in the waveforms, the comparator makes a comparison on the rising edge of TCK. Other timing is possible.

The circuit ofFIG. 18is similar to the circuit ofFIG. 17, except that the Update-DR state is used to strobe the comparator. This only permits one output result per update.

The circuit ofFIG. 19shows a configuration in which the signals on AB1and AB2are buffered by analog buffers (op-amps)230, as permitted by 1149.4. The invention facilitates sequentially accessing pin signals, as previously described herein, and the resulting analog signals driving the AT1or AT2pins, so that the signals can be evaluated off-chip. In this case, the result is output via AT1and AT2instead of via TDO. The various other boundary scan circuits of the present invention can also be used instead of the one shown inFIG. 19.

Function and performance (especially offset) of the comparators used inFIGS. 5,10,11,14,15,16,17, and18can be easily tested (calibrated) because all inputs and outputs are accessible via AT1, AT2, and TDO. As can be seen inFIG. 4, the TBIC has an additional switch between AT1and AB2, and between AT2and AB1—these are for calibrations like that needed for the comparators just described.

Output via TDO is shifted out with regular timing, therefore the result can be shifted out via the boundary scan circuitry of other chips on a circuit board.

The practicality of using high performance comparators, with off-chip adjustable reference voltage means that the invention can also be used to sample the pad voltages of small-swing signals, such as low voltage differential signals (LVDS) and other differential signals.

The scan rate, when sequentially accessing pin voltages is limited by RC, where R=500 ohms for the ABM switch +100 ohms for the a typical pad driver, and C=5 pF for a typical AB2on-chip analog bus, so 10*RC=30 ns, therefore, the maximum TCK frequency for this example is 30 MHz, which is faster than the present typical TCK frequency of 1˜10 MHz.

The reference voltage supplied to AT1and AT2can be supplied by a digital to analog converter (DAC)240as shown inFIG. 5, so it is practical to generate a different reference voltage for each pin voltage comparison—this is not possible when a comparator is connected within each ABM and its output captured within each ABM.

The stimulus current can be generated by test equipment off-chip, or within another IC on the circuit board, or within the IC whose pin capacitance is being tested. Similarly, the response voltage can be monitored by test equipment off-chip, or within another IC on the circuit board, or within the IC whose pin is being tested. For example, the stimulus current could be generated within each IC by a constant current source, and the voltage could be monitored by a comparator whose logic output level changes when the pin voltage exceeds a reference voltage connected to the other input of the comparator.

The 1149.4 standard defines a test access port (TAP) that has 4 or 5 pins dedicated to test access. It also permits these pins to be switched between test and non-test functions using a “compliance-enable” pin. However, it is possible to maintain control of test functions via the TAP controller when the TAP pins are in non-test mode. A function-mode data bus can be used to send data directly to the TAP controller within the IC, bypassing the TAP pins completely. The present invention anticipates this type of access, so that the number of pins dedicated to providing test access for measuring pin capacitances can be minimized. Also, the two analog buses could be entirely within each IC, without the dedicated analog test pins AT1and AT2(however this arrangement would not be compliant with the 1149.4 standard).

Although the present invention has been described in detail with regard to preferred embodiments and drawings of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various adaptions, modifications and alterations may be accomplished without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the accompanying drawings as set forth hereinabove are not intended to limit the breadth of the present invention, which should be inferred only from the following claims and their appropriately construed legal equivalents.