Patent ID: 7797603

Claim:
A method, comprising: using a computer, determining one or more specified test pattern values of a test pattern, the specified test pattern values targeting one or more faults in an integrated circuit and being associated with respective scan chain shift cycles; assigning a self-loop state of a decompressor to one or more of the scan chain shift cycles having one or more associated specified test pattern values, the assigned self-loop state corresponding to an operational state of the decompressor in which the decompressor produces values that are compatible with the associated specified test pattern values in the one or more scan chain shift cycles and that are reproducible by the decompressor over consecutive scan chain shift cycles; determining one or more decompressor input values that cause the decompressor to operate in the assigned self-loop state during two or more scan chain shift cycles; and storing the one or more decompressor input values in one or more computer-readable media.