Patent Document

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
       [0001]    This is a Division of application Ser. No. 11/857,717 filed Sep. 19, 2007, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/826,168, “Scan Architecture for Full Custom Blocks in C8830” filed by Manish Shrivastava on Sep. 16, 2006. The disclosures of the prior applications are hereby incorporated by references herein in their entireties. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]      FIG. 1  shows an internal scan chain test structure for testing combinational logic matrices included in an integrated circuit on a semiconductor chip. In the scan chain test structure, multiplexed flip-flops MF 1   102 , MF 2   106 , MF 3   108 , MF 4   110  and MF 5   104  may receive test input data values in sequence while clocked by a scan clock signal. For example, when a first scan clock pulse is received, input terminal SI of multiplexed flip-flop MF 1   102  may receive a first test input data value. When a second scan clock pulse is received, input terminal SI of second multiplexed flip-flop MF 2   106  may receive the first test input data value from output terminal SO of multiplexed flip-flop MF 1   102 , and input terminal SI of multiplexed flip-flop MF 1   102  may receive a second test input data value. 
         [0003]    Accordingly, when a fifth scan clock pulse is received, multiplexed flip-flop MF 5   104  may receive the first test input data value from output terminal SO of multiplexed flip-flop MF 4   110 . Meanwhile, input terminal SI of multiplexed flip-flop MF 4   110  may receive the second test input data value from output SO of multiplexed flip-flop MF 3   108 . Input terminal SI of multiplexed flip-flop MF 3   108  may receive the third test input data value from output SO of multiplexed flip-flop MF 2   106 . Input terminal SI of multiplexed flip-flop MF 2   106  may receive the fourth test input data value from output SO of multiplexed flip-flop MF 1   102 . Input terminal SI of multiplexed flip-flop MF 1   102  may receive the fifth test input data value. 
         [0004]    When a pulse from the system clock is received, combinational logic  112  may receive test input data from multiplexed flip flops not shown in  FIG. 1 . Further, combinational logic  114  may receive the fifth test input data value from output terminal Q of multiplexed flip-flop MF 1   102  and the fourth test input data value from output terminal Q of multiplexed flip-flop MF 2   106 , and combinational logic  116  may receive the third test input data value from output terminal Q of multiplexed flip-flop MF 3   108 , the second test input data value from output terminal Q of multiplexed flip-flop MF 4   110 , and the first test input data value from output terminal Q of multiplexed flip-flop MF 5   104  so that combinational logic matrices  112 ,  114 ,  116  may be tested. 
         [0005]    As a result of passing the test input data to the respective combinational logic matrices, test output data generated by combinational logic  112  may be output to input terminals D of multiplexed flip-flop MF 1   102  and multiplexed flip-flop MF 2   106 , and test output data generated by combinational logic  114  may be output to input terminals D of multiplexed flips flops MF 3   108 , MF 4   110  and MF 5   104 . 
         [0006]    Therefore, when the next scan clock is activated, output terminal SO of multiplexed flip-flop MF 5   104  may output a first test result; output terminal SO of multiplexed flip-flop MF 4   110  may output a second test result to input terminal SI of multiplexed flip-flop MF 5   104 ; output terminal SO of multiplexed flip-flop MF 3   108  may output a third test result to input terminal SI of multiplexed flip-flop MF 4   110 ; output terminal SO of multiplexed flip-flop MF 2   106  may output a fourth test result to input terminal SI of multiplexed flip-flop MF 3   108 ; and output terminal SO of multiplexed flip-flop MF 1   102  may output a fifth test result to input terminal SI of multiplexed flip-flop MF 2   106 . Accordingly, in response to the fifth scan clock, output terminal SO of multiplexed flip-flop MF 5   104  may output the fifth test result. 
         [0007]    Thus, the combinational logic matrices included on an integrated circuit semiconductor chip may be tested with an internal scan chain. The above steps may be used to determine whether the combinational logic modules in the integrated circuit function normally prior to packaging the circuit for operational use. 
         [0008]    Although the circuit described above with respect to  FIG. 1  may be used to support internal scan testing of a combinational logic circuit, an internal scan chain testing based on the insertion a multiplexed flip-flop along each data line in the combinational logic circuit requires additional chip space, thereby reducing the space available for implementing functional circuits. Further, due to the complexity of a multiplexed flip-flop based approach, the chance of introducing faults within the scan chain circuitry itself is greatly increased. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0009]    In accordance with the described approach, output storage latches which were originally configured to support only functional processing performed by a combinational logic circuit may be adapted to support scan chain testing as well as functional processing performed by the combinational logic circuit. 
         [0010]    For example, output storage latches within a combinational logic circuit may be adapted to further support: (1) a scan chain test preparation mode in which a sequence of test input data may be received and passed along a chain of similarly modified output storage latches in preparation for a test, (2) a scan chain test execution mode in which the loaded test data may be passed to a combinational logic for execution and the generated output results may be stored to the modified output storage latches, and (3) a scan chain test output mode in which received scan chain test results may be sequentially passed along the scan chain and output to a test result register. 
         [0011]    Such a dual use approach can reduce the surface area requirements for implementing scan chain testing within an integrated circuit by reducing the number of additional transistors that would otherwise be needed to support an equivalent level of scan chain testing. Further, the approach can result in a less complex circuit layout than previous approaches for implementing scan chain testing within an integrated circuit, and thereby reducing the likelihood of faults and improving circuit reliability. 
         [0012]    In addition, combinational logic circuits may be selectively modified so that circuits that support scan chain testing may be strategically placed at key locations throughout the integrated circuit design to selectively test and/or monitor the performance of the functional combinational logic circuits. Based upon the described modified circuit design and a modified system of control clock signals, modified output storage latches may be used along-side unaltered output storage latches that receive data from the same combinational logic matrix. Such flexibility allows greater flexibility with respect to the number and placement scan chain test points within the logic circuit. 
         [0013]    In an exemplary embodiment, such a combinational logic circuit may include, an input latch that controls passage of a binary input data signal through the input latch, based on a master phase clock signal of a two-phase clock, to combinational logic that receives the binary input data signal and generates an output data signal based on applying combinational logic to the received binary input data signal. Further, the exemplary combinational logic circuit may include an passthrough switch that controls passage of the output data signal generated by the combinational logic matrix, based on a slave phase clock signal of the two-phase clock, to an output storage latch that stores a binary output data signal value based on a level of the received output data signal. In addition, the output storage latch may include a first transistor that controls a connection between the output storage latch and a LOW logic signal source such that when the output data signal is passed to the output storage latch, the first transistor is open, thereby facilitating the establishment of a new output data value in the output storage latch. 
         [0014]    In another exemplary embodiment, an exemplary integrated circuit that supports scan chain based testing of combinational logic matrices within the integrated circuit may include, a plurality of combinational logic matrices, each combinational logic including, a plurality of input data line connections, a plurality of output data line connections, and a plurality of interconnected logic elements configured to receive a binary input data value on each of the plurality of input data line connections, to process the received input data values based on the interconnected logic elements, and to produce a binary output data value on each of the plurality of output lines. Further, the exemplary integrated circuit may include at least one input latch array, each input latch in the array controlling passage of a binary input data value to one of the plurality of input data line connections of one of the plurality of combinational logic matrices. In addition, the exemplary integrated circuit may include a plurality of scan flip-flop modules, each of the scan flip-flop modules including, an passthrough switch that controls passage of a binary output data value received on one of the plurality of output lines, based on a value of a first slave phase clock signal of the two-phase clock, a scanning control circuit that passes one of a scan test input data value and a scan test output data value based on a value of a scan clock signal, and an output storage latch that receives one of a data value from the passthrough switch and a data value from the scan control circuit. The output storage latch in a first scan flip-flop module may include a first output port that may connect to an input port of the scanning control circuit of a second scan flip-flop module, so that an output data value stored by the output storage latch may be passed to the input port of the scanning control circuit of the next scan flip-flop latch in the chain. Further, a second output port of the output storage latch of a first scan flip-flop module may connect to an input port of an input latch that controls passage of data to a next combinational logic matrix. In addition, the output storage latch may include a first transistor that opens and closes based on the value of a scan clock signal and a second transistor that opens and closes based on an inverted value of the slave phase clock signal, such that when either the first transistor or the second transistor is open a connection between the output storage latch and a LOW signal source is open, thereby facilitating the establishment of a new output data value in the latch. 
         [0015]    An exemplary method of performing a scan chain test of a combinational logic unit within the above exemplary integrated circuits may include, setting a first mode of operation by setting a slave phase clock signal to a fixed value, thereby setting combinational logic circuits with output storage latches that are not part of the scan chain to a pass-through mode. Further, the master phase clock may be set to a fixed value that opens the latches in the input latch array, and the scan slave phase clock signal may be set to a fixed value thereby opening the latches in the output latch array, thereby blocking a flow of data through the combinational logic matrices of the circuit. Once the flow of data is blocked in such a manner, a scan clock may be cycled to pass, with each scan clock cycle, a data value received on the input port of the scanning control circuit to the output storage latch, and to receive a new data value on the input port of the scanning control circuit. In this manner input data may be scanned into the scan chain. Next, a second mode of operation may be set by setting a scan clock signal to a fixed value, thereby deactivating the passage of data along the scan chain, cycling a master phase clock signal for one cycle to pass test input data stored on the output storage latches into a combinational logic matrix, and cycling the scan slave phase clock signal for one cycle to pass test output data generated by the combinational logic into the output storage latches. Finally, the mode of operation may be set back to the first mode of operation, and the scan clock may be cycled sequentially pass the generated test output data from the scan chain. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    Exemplary embodiments of a scan chain test flip-flop latch and exemplary embodiments of a clock circuit that supports operation of the scan chain test flip-flop latch will be described with reference to the following drawings, wherein like numerals designate like elements, and wherein: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  shows the internal scan chain of a test chip; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2   a  shows an exemplary latch circuit; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2   b  shows an exemplary pin-out block representation of the latch circuit, or latch, shown in  FIG. 2   a;    
           [0020]      FIG. 3  shows an exemplary portion of a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) combinational logic circuit that includes an array of master input latches, combinational logic, and an array slave output latches; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  shows the exemplary portion of a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) combinational logic circuit of  FIG. 3  in which the slave output latch circuit is configured for use with an internal scan chain using a multiplexed flip-flop; 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  shows the exemplary semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) combinational logic circuit of  FIG. 3  in which the slave output latch circuit is adapted for use with an internal scan chain using an exemplary scan flip-flop latch; 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  shows, in isolation, an exemplary slave output latch circuit adapted for use with an internal scan chain using an exemplary scan flip-flop latch; 
           [0024]      FIG. 7  shows an exemplary pin-out block representation of the slave output latch circuit with integrated scan flip-flop latch shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 8  shows an exemplary clock circuit that generates timing signals for operating the exemplary combinational logic circuit with scan flip-flop latch shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 9  shows an exemplary combinational logic scan chain that uses a plurality of exemplary scan flip-flop latches and a plurality unaltered output scan latches; 
           [0027]      FIG. 10  shows exemplary clock timing relationships for exemplary clock signals described above with respect to  FIG. 8 ; and 
           [0028]      FIG. 11  shows a flow-chart of an exemplary process for scan chain based testing of one or more integrated circuits on a semiconductor wafer. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0029]      FIG. 2   a  shows an exemplary latch circuit, or latch,  200 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , latch  200 , may include a pass transistor switch  202  and a storage circuit  204  that may include a feed forward inverter  206 , and a feedback inverter  212 , shown in  FIG. 2  as including p-type transistor  208  and n-type transistor  210 . 
         [0030]    As further shown in  FIG. 2 , pass transistor switch  202  may include an n-type control gate, PHI, a p-type control gate, PHIB, an input gate and an output gate. The input gate of pass transistor switch  202  may be connected to a binary data signal at node  201  and an output gate of pass transistor switch  202  may be connected to node  215 . One of a source and a drain of p-type transistor  208  may be connected to a HIGH voltage source, VDD, while the other of the source and the drain of p-type transistor  208  may be connected to node  215 . One of a source and a drain of n-type transistor  210  may be connected to a LOW voltage source, VSS, while the other of the source and the drain of n-type transistor  210  may be connected to node  215 . A input of forward feed inverter  206  may be connected to node  215 , and the output of forward feed inverter  206  may be connected to both the gate of p-type transistor  208  and the gate of n-type transistor  210 . 
         [0031]    In operation, when a HIGH logic signal is received on n-type control gate, PHI, and a LOW logic signal is received on p-type control gate, PHIB, pass transistor switch  202  is closed and a binary signal data value, D, may be passed from node  201  to node  215 . When a LOW logic signal is received on n-type control gate, PHI, and a HIGH logic signal is received on p-type control gate, PHIB, pass transistor switch  202  is opened, and the data value passed through pass transistor switch  202  to node  215  may be maintained by storage circuit  204 , indefinitely, or until replaced with a subsequent data value received from pass transistor switch  202 . The data value maintained by storage circuit  204  may be presented as a binary signal data value, Q, at node  203 . 
         [0032]    If a HIGH value is placed at node  215  the value is inverted by inverter  206  and a LOW value is placed on node  217 . A LOW value on node  217  results in closing p-type transistor  208  and opening n-type transistor  210 . As a result, node  215  is connected to HIGH voltage source VDD and the value at node  215  is held HIGH. Alternatively, if a LOW value is placed at node  215  the value may be inverted by inverter  206  and applied to the gates of both p-type transistor  208  and n-type transistor  210 . As a result of placing a HIGH value at node  217 , p-type transistor  208  opens and n-type transistor  210  closes thereby forming a direct connection between node  215  and VSS. In this manner the value at  215  may be maintained at a LOW value. 
         [0033]      FIG. 2   b  shows an exemplary pin-out block representation of latch circuit  200 , or latch, shown in  FIG. 2   a . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the pin-out block representation of latch circuit  200  includes input pins D, PHI, PHIB and output pin Q. These input and output pins correspond with the input and output nodes described above with respect to  FIG. 2   a . Specifically, input D represents node  201  in  FIG. 2   a . PHI and PHIB correspond to the n-type and p-type control gates, respectively; and output Q represents node  203  in  FIG. 2   a . Leads shown in  FIG. 2   a  connected to HIGH voltage source, VDD, and LOW voltage source, VSS, are not shown in the pin-out block representation of latch circuit  200 , by convention. 
         [0034]    In subsequent figures described in this application, both the circuit based representation of latch  200 , as shown in  FIG. 2   a  and the pin-out block representation of latch circuit  200 , as shown in  FIG. 2   b  may be used. For example, the circuit-based representation of latch circuit  200 , as shown in  FIG. 2   a , may be used in figures in which the details of the latch are needed to facilitate comparison of the circuit with circuits described in other figures. The pin-out block representation of latch circuit  200 , as shown in  FIG. 2   a , may be used to conserve drawing space in figures in which multiple latches are shown, and the significant point being illustrated is that the latches may be formed in an array capable of receiving and/or transmitting a plurality of binary signal data values in support of a combinational logic circuit. 
         [0035]      FIG. 3  is exemplary portion of a combinational logic circuit  300 . Combinational logic circuit  300  may be capable of receiving input binary values, submitting the received binary values to a combinational logic matrix, and generating and indefinitely storing the output values of the combinational logic matrix. However, the circuit  300  shown in  FIG. 3  does not include an internal scan chain structure for testing the combinational logic included in the circuit, such as the scan chain structure described above with respect to  FIG. 1 . 
         [0036]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , combinational logic circuit  300  may include an array of master input latches  302 , a combinational logic  304 , and an array of slave output latches  306 . As further shown in  FIG. 3 , combinational logic circuit  300  may be controlled by master phase clock signal (PHIM), inverted master phase clock signal (PHIMB), slave phase clock signal (PHIS), and inverted slave phase clock signal (PHISB). As addressed in greater detail below, PRIM and PHIS may be master and slave phase clock signals of a two-phase clock generated from external master clock EM_CLK. As such, during normal functional operations, PHIM and PHIS are never HIGH at the same time. 
         [0037]    Master input latch array  302  may include a plurality of master input latches  302   a - n , each latch within the array may be the same as latch  200  described above with respect to  FIG. 2   a  and  FIG. 2   b , and each latch within the array may open and close simultaneously based on the value of master phase clock signal (PRIM). For example, when PHIM is HIGH (and PHIMB is LOW), all of master input latches  302   a - n  may close and may allow a binary input value on each of the respective input leads D in   1  through D in n to pass to a corresponding input port in combinational logic  304 ; however, when PHIM is LOW (and PHIMB is HIGH), all of master input latches  302   a - n  may open, thereby isolating combinational logic  304  from each of the respective input lines D in   1  through D in n. 
         [0038]    Combinational logic  304  may include a plurality of interconnected logic elements, e.g., AND, NAND, OR, NOR, etc., that may be prearranged to receive binary input data values, i.e., an electrical signal that corresponds to one of a HIGH logic value, or a LOW logic value, on each of input lines D in   1  through D in n and to process the received input data values based on the preconfigured logic circuits contained in combinational logic  304  to produce binary output data values, i.e., an electrical signal that corresponds to one of a HIGH logic value, or a LOW logic value, on each of output lines D out   1  through D out m. 
         [0039]    It should be noted that, for the sake of clarity, combinational logic circuit  300  shown in  FIG. 3  shows a plurality of input lines D in   1  through D in n to combinational logic  304 , and a plurality of data output lines D out   1  through D out m. For convenience sake, this document may refer to input lines D in   1  through D in n collectively, and individually, as D in x, and may refer to output lines D out   1  through D out m collectively, and individually, as D. 
         [0040]    Further, slave output latch  306 , may be configured as a slave output latch array such that when PHIS is LOW (and PHISB is HIGH), all of the slave output latches in the slave output latch array may be open, thereby isolating each output storage latch  308  from its respective data output line, D out x; but when PHIS is HIGH (and PHISB is LOW), all of the slave output latches in the slave output latch array may be closed, thereby allowing binary output data on each of data output line, D out x, to be stored on its respective output storage latch  306 . However, for convenience, slave output latch  306 , may be referred to at a single latch, since, as addressed above, a single slave output latch  306  may be associated with each data output line, D out n. 
         [0041]    In operation, when master input latches  302  are closed, slave output latches  306  are open. Therefore, binary input data may pass from each of input electrodes D in x into combinational logic  304  to produce outputs on each of output leads D out x. However, the value on each output lead from combinational logic  304  may not proceed to the respective slave output latches  306  to be maintained by slave output latch array  306  until (1) master phase clock signal PHIM goes LOW thereby opening the master input latches in master input latch array  302  and (2) slave clock PHIS goes HIGH thereby closing the slave output latch  306 . As soon as slave clock PHIS becomes HIGH, slave output latch  306  may be closed and the values on each output lead from combinational logic  304  may proceed to a respective slave output latch in slave output latch array  306  to be maintained by the latch, as described above with respect to  FIG. 2 . 
         [0042]    As addressed in greater detail below with respect to  FIG. 9 , the logical signal value presented at each node Q may be provided as an input to one of input electrodes D in x of the next combinational logic  304  of the next combinational logic circuit  300  in a chain of combinational logic circuits  300  on the semiconductor integrated circuit. In this manner, with each full cycle of the external master clock EM_CLK, master phase clock PHIM and slave phase clock PHIS may be sequentially triggered (1) to pass data into the next phase of combinational logic and then (2) to store the output results for presentation on the next clock cycle as inputs to the next unit of combinational logic included on the IC chip. 
         [0043]    As described above with respect to  FIG. 1 , in order to verify the proper operation of the functional units of combinational logic circuits included on an integrated circuit, it may be desirable to be able to test the output of each of the combinational logic circuits included on the IC chip. Therefore, processes have been developed that allow the respective combinational units included on the IC chip to be tested. As described above with respect to  FIG. 1 , such an approach may be accomplished with the use of multiplexed flip-flops added to the integrated circuit at designated locations so that test input data may be scanned into the integrated circuitry on the IC chip and test output data produced as a result of passing the test input data through the respective combinational logic. The generated output data may be compared to a set of expected results to determine whether the combinational logic circuits performed correctly. 
         [0044]      FIG. 4  shows an exemplary portion of a combinational logic circuit, as described above with respect to  FIG. 3 , in which the slave output latch circuit may be adapted for use with an internal scan chain structure, using a multiplexed flip-flop based approach, that may be used to test the combinational logic included in the circuit in a manner similar to that described above with respect to  FIG. 1 . 
         [0045]    Features in  FIG. 4 , similar to those described earlier with respect to  FIG. 3 , have been identified with like numerals. For example, a feature in  FIG. 4  corresponding to a like feature described with respect to  FIG. 3  will be identified with a number that retains the last two digits of the numeric identifier of the object described with respect to  FIG. 3 . Unless otherwise indicated, the features and operational function of like numbered objects remain identical to those described above with respect to  FIG. 3  and therefore are not addressed in further detail with respect to  FIG. 4 . However, please note that slave output latch  406  may be the same as the latch described above with respect to  FIG. 2  and, therefore, components within latch  406  are labeled with numbers that match those used above with respect to  FIG. 2 . 
         [0046]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the combinational logic circuit described above with respect to  FIG. 3  may be adapted to support scan chain based testing using a multiplexed flip-flop based approach. In such a modified circuit, the features of master input latch array  402 , combinational logic  404 , and slave output latch  406 , remain the same as those described with respect to  FIG. 3  above and, therefore, will not be described again. However, the circuit shown in  FIG. 4  includes a multiplexed flip-flop  430  having digital multiplexor  432 , flip-flop  434 , and second digital multiplexor  438 . 
         [0047]    Similar to the circuit described above with respect to  FIG. 3 , the circuit shown in  FIG. 4  includes an array of master input latches  402  that controls data signal value transmitted to combinational logic  404 . However, due to space limitations, only a single slave output latch  406  that receives and maintains an output data value from a first output lead, D out x, from combinational logic  404  is shown. In an actual circuit, a multiplexed flip-flop  430  and a slave output latch  406  would be provided for each output lead, D out   1 , from combinational logic  404 . Further, the respective slave output latches may be configured in a slave output latch array similar to that described above with respect to  FIG. 3 . Further, although different representations are used, please note that each latch in array of master input latches  402  and slave latch  406  may be the same as the latch described above with respect to  FIG. 2   a  and  FIG. 2   b . Each latch in master input latch  402  is presented using the pin-out block representation described with respect to  FIG. 2   b , above, while slave latch  406  is represented using the circuit schematic described above with respect to  FIG. 2   a , above. 
         [0048]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , multiplexor  432  may be controlled by a scan enable signal, SCAN_EN and multiplexor  438  may be controlled by a scan test mode signal, SCAN_TEST_MODE. If the SCAN_EN and SCAN_TEST_MODE signals are LOW, each of the respective multiplexors will pass a signal received on a first input line, indicated in  FIG. 4  with a “zero” on each digital multiplexor, to the output of the respective digital multiplexor. If the SCAN_EN and SCAN_TEST_MODE signals are HIGH, each of the respective multiplexors will pass a signal received on a second input line, indicated on  FIG. 4  with a “1” on each digital multiplexor, to the output of the respective digital multiplexor. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the LOW input of multiplexor  432  may be connected to node  411  at the output of combinational logic  404  and the HIGH input line of multiplexor  432  may be connected to a scan input data line (SCAN_IN). The output of multiplexor  432  may be connected to the data input port of flip-flop  434 . The LOW input of multiplexor  438  may be connected to an output lead of combinational logic  404 , the HIGH input line of multiplexor  438  may be connected to the data output port of flip-flop  434  and the output of multiplexor  438  may be connected through pass transistor switch  202  to node  215  of slave output latch  406 . The input clock of flip-flop  434  may be connected to a scan clock (SCAN_CKB). Further, the output port of flip-flop  434  may be connected through inverter  436  to node  409  which may be connected to the HIGH input lead of multiplexor  438 , as addressed above, and through inverter  440  to node  419 , labeled SCAN_OUT, which may be used to output scan results to a next multiplexed flip-flop in an internal scan chain (not shown in  FIG. 4 ), or to output final scan chain results to a scan test output data storage register (not shown in  FIG. 4 ). 
         [0049]    During operation if the SCAN_EN lead and SCAN_TEST_MODE lead are set LOW the circuit performs in exactly the same manner described above with respect to  FIG. 3  with the exception that on every clock cycle of PHIM, the output value D x  of combinational logic  404  may be passed via the LOW input lead of multiplexor  432  to the input lead of flip-flop  434 . However, unless the SCAN_CKB signal is triggered, the output value D x  may be ignored by flip-flop  434 . 
         [0050]    In preparation for a scan test, the SCAN_TEST_MODE signal may be set to HIGH, thereby isolating input D at node  401  from combination logic matrix  404 . Further, the slave phase clock signal PHIS may be fixed to a HIGH value, thereby closing pass transistor switch  202  in the slave phase latch. In addition, master phase clock signal PHIM may be fixed to a HIGH value, thereby closing the master latch. Such a configuration may be referred to as the transparent mode of the circuit. Next, the SCAN_EN signal may be set to HIGH so that multiplexor  434  may receive data from the SCAN_EN lead  421  and binary scan test input values may be sequentially input at node  421  on the SCAN_IN electrode and the SCAN_CKB signal may be cycled between HIGH and LOW signal values to sequentially read each input value presented on the SCAN_EN line into multiplexed flip-flop  434 . 
         [0051]    As described above with respect to  FIG. 1 , the SCAN_OUT electrode at node  419  may be connected to the scan in node  421  of the subsequent multiplexed flip-flop circuitry in the scan chain. Therefore, each time a new binary value is placed on node  421  and scan clock signal SCAN_CKB is cycled on node  423 , a new test value may be stored in flip-flop  434  and the previously stored value may be forwarded to the next multiplexed flip-flop until each binary scan test input value has been sequentially read into the circuit. 
         [0052]    Once all binary scan test input values have been input into the integrated circuit, and stored to the respective multiplexed flip-flops, a test of the combinational logic of combinational logic matrix  404  may be conducted. For example, to execute a test of the combinational logic of combinational logic matrix  404  using the binary scan test input values, the SCAN_EN signal may be set to LOW, and the values of input electrodes D in   1  through D in n may be passed into combinational logic  404  to generate respective combinational logic output values D x  which may be passed through LOW input terminal of multiplexor  432  and presented to the input lead of each multiplexed flip-flop  434 . A single pulse of scan clock signal SCAN_CKB on node  423  may then read the value into multiplexed flip-flop  434 . 
         [0053]    Once the test output values have been stored into multiplexed flip-flops  434 , the SCAN_EN signal may then be set to HIGH. The scan test results stored in the respective flip-flops  434  may be output by clocking scan clock SCAN_CKB at node  423  a sufficient number of times to pass the string of output data from each of the respective flip-flops  434  through  419  through the chain of remaining multiplexed flip-flops to a final scan output of the last multiplexed flip-flop circuit included in the chain. The scan output may be received by a storage register connected to SCAN_OUT electrode  419  of the last multiplexed flip-flop circuit included in the chain. The SCAN_TEST_MODE signal may be held HIGH during the whole test and the subsequent part of logic receives data from multiplexed flip-flop  434   
         [0054]    Although the circuit described above with respect to  FIG. 4  may be used to support internal scan testing of a combinational logic circuit, an internal scan chain based on the insertion a multiplexed flip-flop at each test point within the circuit requires significant chip space due to the inclusion of two digital multiplexors, a flip-flop, as well as an additional scan clock SCAN_CKB lead directed to the multiplexed flip flop for each scan point established within the circuit. Further, due to the complexity of the circuit, the chance of introducing faults within the scan chain circuitry itself is greatly increased. 
         [0055]      FIG. 5  shows an exemplary semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) combinational logic circuit of  FIG. 3 , adapted to support scan chain based testing using an approach which is different from the circuit and approach described above with respect to  FIG. 4 . 
         [0056]    Features in  FIG. 5  similar to those described earlier with respect to  FIG. 3  have been identified with like numerals. For example, a feature in  FIG. 5  corresponding to a like feature described with respect to  FIG. 3  will be identified with a number that retains the last two digits of the numeric identifier of the object described with respect to  FIG. 3 . Unless otherwise indicated, the features and operational function of like numbered objects remain identical to those described above with respect to  FIG. 3  and therefore are not described again with reference to  FIG. 5 . 
         [0057]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , combinational logic circuit  500  does not include a multiplexed flip-flop at each test point within the combinational logic IC circuitry to be tested. Instead, the original combinational logic circuit  300 , as described above with respect to  FIG. 3 , is modified so that the modified storage circuit, as shown in  FIG. 5  at  508 , may be used to support both normal processing as well as scan chain based test processing. The modified output latch may be referred to as a scan flip-flop latch (SFFLAT)  555  and is described in greater detail below. 
         [0058]    Specifically, SFFLAT  555 , as shown in combinational logic circuit  500 , may include two additional n-type transistors. The source of n-type transistor  524  may be connected to the drain of p-type transistor  516  at node  515 , the drain of n-type transistor  524  may be connected to the source of n-type transistor  526  and the drain of n-type transistor  526  may be connected to the source of n-type transistor  518 . Further, the gate of n-type transistor  524  may be connected to an electrode that may receive inverted slave phase clock signal PHISSB and the gate of n-type transistor  526  may be connected to an electrode that may receive an inverted scan clock signal SCLKB. 
         [0059]    During operation, so long as n-type transistor  524  and n-type transistor  526  are both closed, modified storage circuit  508  performs in the same manner described above with respect to feedback inverter  212  in  FIG. 2 . However, if any one or both of n-type transistor  524  and n-type transistor  526  are open, the connection between node  515  and VSS is broken. As a result, SFFLAT  555  may be controlled by inverted scan slave phase clock signal PHISSB and inverted scan clock signal SCLKB to serve as a semi-fighting latch, as described in greater detail below. 
         [0060]    The latch is non-fighting for a change LOW to HIGH at node  515  and fighting for a change of HIGH to LOW at note  515 . Therefore, when in operation supporting normal processing functions of combinational logic circuit  500 , inverted scan clock signal SCLKB may be set HIGH, and SFFLAT  555  operates in the same manner as output storage latch  306 , described with respect to  FIG. 3 , receiving and maintaining output data signal values received from combinational logic  504 . However, in support of scan chain based testing, SFFLAT  555  may be used to store and forward both scan test input values, as well as scan test output values, as described in greater detail below. 
         [0061]    In addition to the modifications made to SFFLAT  555 , described above, combinational logic circuit  500  may also include a scanning control circuit  550  that may be used to control receipt and sequential shifting scan test input data in preparation of a scan test, as well as to control the receipt and sequential shifting scan test output data after completion of a scan test, as described in greater detail below. 
         [0062]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , scanning control circuit  550  may include a first scan passthrough switch  552 , a output storage circuit  554 , and a second scan passthrough switch  556 . First scan passthrough switch  552  may be configured so that the latch may be closed when scan clock signal SCLK is LOW and inverted scan clock signal SCLKB is HIGH. Second scan passthrough switch  556  may be configured so that the latch may be closed when scan clock signal SCLK is HIGH and inverted scan clock signal SCLKB is LOW. 
         [0063]    In operation, when SCLK is LOW and inverted scan clock signal SCLKB is HIGH, first scan passthrough switch  552  may be closed and second scan passthrough switch  556  may be open and first scan passthrough switch  552  may pass a signal value received at node  551  to input node  553  of output storage circuit  554  and output storage circuit  554  may maintain the signal value received. When scan clock signal SCLK becomes HIGH and inverted scan clock signal SCLKB becomes LOW, first scan passthrough switch  552  may be open and second scan passthrough switch  556  may be closed and the signal value maintained by output storage circuit  554  may be passed to node  515 , where the passed signal value may be maintained by storage circuit  508 , as described in greater detail below. Note that during this mode, PHISS may be held LOW and PHISSB may be held HIGH to avoid contention at node  515 . 
         [0064]    Output storage circuit  554 , shown in  FIG. 5  may include a HIGH voltage source, VDD, a p-type transistor  560 , a first n-type transistor  562 , a second n-type transistor  564 , a first inverter  568 , a second inverter  570  and a LOW voltage source VSS. VDD may be connected to the source electrode of p-type transistor  560 , the drain of p-type electrode  560  may be connected to the source electrode of n-type transistor  562  at node  553 , the drain of n-type transistor  562  may be connected to the source of n-type transistor  564 , and the drain of n-type transistor  564  may be connected to VSS. The input side of first inverter  568  may be connected, at node  553 , to the junction of the drain electrode of p-type transistor  560  with the source electrode of n-type transistor  562 . The output side of first inverter  568  may be connected to node  569  which may be connected to both the gate of p-type transistor  560  and to the gate of n-type transistor  564 . In addition the gate of n-type electrode  562  may be connected to scan clock signal SCLK. 
         [0065]    In operation, assuming that scan clock SCLK is HIGH, and hence n-type transistor  562  may be closed, if a HIGH value is placed at node  553  the value may be inverted by first inverter  568  and a LOW value may be placed on node  569 . A LOW value on node  569  results in closing p-type transistor  560  and opening n-type transistor  564 . As a result, node  553  may be connected to HIGH voltage source VDD and the value at node  553  may be held HIGH. Alternatively, if a LOW value is placed at node  553  the value may be inverted by first inverter  568  and a HIGH value may be applied at node  569  and across the gates of both p-type transistor  560  and n-type transistor  564 . As a result of placing a HIGH value at node  569 , p-type transistor  560  opens and n-type transistor  564  closes thereby forming a direct connection between node  553  and VSS. In this manner the LOW value placed at  553  may be maintained. 
         [0066]    As addressed above, the gate of n-type electrode  562  may be connected to scan clock signal SCLK. Since, scan clock signal SCLK is LOW when first scan passthrough switch  552  is closed, the connection between node  553  and VSS is open. As a result, output storage circuit  554  avoids a scenario in which a HIGH signal value provided via electrode SI is forced to set the signal value of node  553  to HIGH when node  553  is grounded, i.e., the circuit avoids “fighting” between the new input value and a previous stored value being maintained by storage circuit  554 . 
         [0067]    P-type transistor  560  may be sized so that p-type transistor  560  operates as a weak pull-up transistor. For example, when a LOW value needs to be placed at node  553 , which is initially HIGH, circuit  554  may exhibit a fighting style behavior, but the initially HIGH value at node  553  may be overwritten by a LOW value because p-type transistor  560  operates as a weak pull-up transistor. When SCLK goes HIGH, switch  552  is open and node  553  may maintain a LOW value because n-type transistor  562  is closed. If switch  556  is closed, the value stored in node  553  may be passed through inverter  568  and inverter  570  to node  515 . When SCLK is HIGH, PHISS may be LOW, as explained below with respect to the clock circuit presented in  FIG. 8 . Hence switch  506  may be open and n-type transistor  524  may be closed, since PHISSB may be HIGH, and n-type transistor  526  may be open because SCLKB may be LOW. If node  515  was HIGH, node  517  may be LOW and P-type transistor  516  may be closed. A LOW value from  553  may be passed through inverter  568  and inverter  570  to node  515  and the weak pull-up of p-type transistor  516  may be closed. A LOW value from node  553  may be passed through inverter  568  and inverter  570  to node  515  and the weak pull-up of p-type transistor  516  may be overwritten by strong pull-down of inverter  570 . If node  515  was LOW, a HIGH value from node  553  may be passed through inverter  568  and inverter  570  to node  515  and since n-type transistor  526  is open, it avoids fighting a HIGH value at node  515 . When SCLK goes back to LOW, n-type transistor  526  may be closed and switch  556  may be open. A HIGH value at node  515  may be inverted by inverter  520 , thereby placing a LOW value at node  517 , which closes p-type transistor  516 , opens n-type transistor  518  and keeps a HIGH value at node  515 . A LOW value at node  515  may be inverted by inverter  520 , thereby placing a HIGH value at node  517 . P-type transistor  516  may, therefore, be open, and n-type transistor  518  may be closed, thereby maintaining a LOW value at node  515 . 
         [0068]      FIG. 6  shows, in isolation, an SSFLAT output latch  555  with a passthrough switch  506 , a modified storage circuit  508 , and a scanning control circuit  550 , in isolation from any other circuitry. The combined circuitry may be referred to as a scan-enabled SSFLAT module  555 .  FIG. 7  shows an exemplary pin-out block representation of scan-enabled SSFLAT module, or SSFLAT module  555 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the pin-out block representation of SSFLAT module  555  may include input pins D, SI, PHISS, PHISSB, SCLK, SCLKB and output pins Q and SO. These input and output pins correspond with the input and output nodes described above with respect to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 . Specifically, input D represents node  501  in  FIG. 5  which is connected to an output lead D out x of combinational logic  504 ; PHISS and PHISSB correspond to the n-type and p-type gate leads on passthrough switch  506  and n-type transistor  524 , that receive slave phase clock signal PHISS and inverted slave phase clock signal PHISSB, respectively; output Q represents node  503  in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6  which presents a single binary output value output by combinational logic  504  on one of the respective one of output leads D out x; and output SO represents node  517  in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6  which, when scan chain mode is enabled, forwards scan test input data or scan test output data along the scan chain, as addressed in greater detail below. 
         [0069]      FIG. 8  shows an exemplary clock circuit that generates timing signals for operating the exemplary combinational logic circuit  500  with an SSFLAT module  555 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , during both normal functional operations and during scan chain based testing. As shown in  FIG. 8 , exemplary clock circuit  800  may include four sections: scan-enable module  802 ; external clock module  804 ; scan clock module  806 ; and master/slave clock module  808 , each of which is described in detail below. 
         [0070]    Scan-enable module  802  may receive a power down signal PD, a scan enable signal SCAN_ENABLE and scan test mode signal SCAN_TEST_MODE. Further, scan-enable module  802  outputs a single data signal, labeled X 1 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , scan-enable module  802  includes an inverter  826 , a flip flop  822 , and a digital multiplexor  824  controlled by scan test signal SCAN_TEST_MODE. Power down signal PD may be supplied via flip flop  822  to the LOW input line of digital multiplexor  824 . Scan enable signal SCAN_ENABLE may be supplied via inverter  826  to the high input line of digital multiplexor  824 . The single output data signal X 1  may be produced at the output of digital multiplexor  824 . Therefore, when scan test signal SCAN_TEST_MODE is HIGH, output data signal X 1  may be the same as inverted scan enable signal SCAN_ENABLE; when scan test signal SCAN_TEST_MODE is LOW, output data signal X 1  may be the same as power down signal PD. 
         [0071]    External clock module  804  may receive an external master clock signal EM_CLK and outputs the signal to both NAND gate  812  of scan clock module  806 , described below, and NAND gate  828  of a first section of a master/slave clock module  808   a , described below. 
         [0072]    Scan clock module  806  may receive scan enable signal SCAN_ENABLE, EM_CLK and scan test signal SCAN_TEST_MODE. Further, scan clock module  806  outputs scan clock SCLK and inverted scan clock SCLKB, described above with respect to  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , scan clock module  806  includes a NAND logic gate  812  and inverter  816 . Signal EM_CLK, signal SCAN_TEST_MODE and the scan enable signal SCAN_ENABLE may be supplied to the input lines of NAND gate  812 . The output of NAND gate  812  is presented as inverted scan clock SCLKB. Scan clock SCLK may be produced by passing the output of digital multiplexor  814  through inverter  816 . 
         [0073]    Master/slave clock module  808  may receive output signal X 1  from scan-enable module  802 , EM_CLK from external clock module  804 , scan test signal SCAN_TEST_MODE, signal INC_NOVLP, a hardware reset control signal HW_RESET, a HIGH voltage signal VDD and a LOW voltage signal VSS. Further, master/slave clock module  808  outputs master phase clock signal PHIM, slave phase clock signal PHIS and scan slave phase clock signal PHISS, described above with respect to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 5 . Signals PHIMB, PHISB and PHISSB are derived by inverting PHIM, PHIS and PHISS, respectively. 
         [0074]    A first section of master/slave clock module  808 , labeled in  FIG. 8  as  808 A, may include NAND gate  828 , inverter  830 , inverter  832  and digital multiplexor  834 . A second section of master/slave clock module  808 , labeled in  FIG. 8  as  808 B, may include NAND gate  836 , and inverting tri-state switch  838 , an inverter  839  and pull-up/pull-down transistors  840 . A third section of master/slave clock module  808 , labeled in  FIG. 8  as  808 C, may include a NOR gate  844 , inverter  846 , and inverting tri-state switch  848  with pull-up/pull-down transistors  850 . A fourth section of master/slave clock module  808 , labeled in  FIG. 8  as  808 D, may include inverting tri-state switch  852 , inverter  854 , and pull-up/pull-down transistors  856 . Note that pull-up/pull-down transistors  840 ,  850  and  856  may be similarly configured with a HIGH voltage source VDD, a p-type transistor, labeled  840 A,  850 A and  856 A, respectively, an n-type transistor, labeled  840 B,  850 B and  856 B, respectively, and a LOW voltage source VSS. 
         [0075]    Master/slave clock module section  808 A may receive signal X 1  from scan-enable module  802 , may receive signal EM_CLK from external clock module  804  and may output signal X 3  and ′X 3 . Signal X 1  and EM_CLK may be received as inputs to NAND gate  828 . The output of NAND gate  828  may be signal X 3 , which may be further processed to produce signal ′X 3 . Digital multiplexor  834  may be controlled by external signal INC_NOVLP. For example, signal X 3  may be supplied to the LOW input line of digital multiplexor  834  and signal X 3  may also be supplied to the high input line of digital multiplexor  834  after having passed through inverter  830  and inverter  832 . Therefore, if signal INC_NOVLP is LOW, output signal ′X 3  from digital multiplexor  834  may be a delayed form of signal X 3 . If signal INC_NOVLP is HIGH, output signal ′X 3  from digital multiplexor  834  may be a more delayed version of X 3 . Unless otherwise noted, signal INC_NOVLP may be assumed to be HIGH and, therefore, signal ′X 3  is a slightly delayed version of X 3 . 
         [0076]    Master/slave clock module section  808 B may receive signal X 3  and ′X 3  from section  808 A and outputs master phase clock signal PHIM. Signal X 3  and signal ′X 3  may be received as inputs to NAND gate  836 . The output of NAND gate  836  may be signal X 4 . Signal X 4  may be inverted by inverting tri-state inverter  838  and maintained by pull-up/pull-down  840  at node  841 . The inverted X 4  signal may be presented outside of clock circuit  800  as master phase clock signal PHIM. PHIMB is generated by inverting PHIM. A hardware reset control signal, HW_RESET, may control tri-state inverter  838 , and via an inverter  839 , control the control signal applied to p-type transistor  840   a  of pull-up/pull-down  840 . For example, by setting signal HW_RESET to HIGH, tri-state inverter  838  may be turned off and a LOW value may be applied to p-type transistor  840   a  of pull-up/pull-down  840 , thereby holding the value of clock signal PHIM to HIGH. 
         [0077]    Master/slave clock module section  808 C may receive signal X 3  and ′X 3  from section  802 A and outputs scan slave phase clock signal PHISS. PHISSB is generated by inverting PHISS. Signal X 3  and signal ′X 3  may be received as inputs to NOR gate  844 . The output of NOR gate  844  may be signal X s . Signal X 5  may be inverted by inverter  846  to produce signal X 6 . Signal X 6  may be inverted by tri-state inverter  848  and maintained by pull-up/pull-down  850  at node  851 . The inverted X 6  signal may be presented outside of clock circuit  800  as scan slave phase clock signal PHISS. The hardware reset control signal, HW_RESET, may control tri-state inverter  848 , and via an inverter  839 , control the control signal applied to p-type transistor  850   a  of pull-up/pull-down  850 . For example, by setting signal HW_RESET to HIGH, tri-state inverter  848  may be turned off and a LOW value may be applied to p-type transistor  850   a  of pull-up/pull-down  840 , thereby holding the value of clock signal PHISS to HIGH. 
         [0078]    Master/slave clock module  808 D may receive signal X 6  from section  808 C, may receive scan test signal SCAN_TEST_MODE and outputs slave phase clock signal PHIS. Signal X 6  may be received from section  808 C, inverted by tri-state inverter  852  and maintained by pull-up/pull-down  856  at node  857  as the clock signal PHIS. PHISB is generated by inverting PHIS. However, the PHIS signal level at node  857  may be overwritten based on the value of signal SCAN_TEST_MODE. For example, SCAN_TEST_MODE may control tri-state inverter  852 , and via an inverter  854 , may control the control signal applied to p-type transistor  856   a  of pull-up/pull-down  856 . For example, by setting signal SCAN_TEST_MODE to HIGH, tri-state inverter  848  may be turned off and a LOW value may be applied, via inverter  854  to p-type transistor  856   a  of pull-up/pull-down  856 , thereby holding the value of clock signal PHIS to HIGH. The signal at node  857  may be presented outside of clock circuit  800  as slave phase clock signal PHIS. 
         [0079]      FIG. 10  shows exemplary clock timing relationships between an exemplary external master clock EM_CLK, an exemplary master phase clock signal PHIM, an exemplary slave phase clock signal PHIS, and an exemplary scan slave phase clock signal PHISS, as described above with respect to clock circuit  800  in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0080]    For example, master phase clock signal PHIM and slave phase clock signal PHIS, shown in  FIG. 10 , may each represent a single phase of a master/slave two-phase clock generated by master/slave clock module  808  of clock circuit  800 , described above with respect to  FIG. 8 . However, two separate signals, PHIS and PHISS, may be needed to control a combinational logic circuit, such as combinational logic circuit  900 , as described below with respect to  FIG. 9 , that includes both scan enabled and non-scan enabled output latches. For example, the slave clock signal PHIS may be used to control an output latch that does not support scan testing, such as latch  200  described above with respect to  FIG. 2   a ,  FIG. 2   b  and  FIG. 3 , while slave clock signal PHISS may be used to control a scan enabled output latch, such as scan flip-flop latch (SFFLAT)  555 , described above with respect to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 . Further, the values of PHIS and PHISS may be overwritten with one of HIGH and LOW values based on the respective operational modes in which a combinational logic circuit is operated, as described below in greater detail with respect to Table 4. 
         [0081]    For example, as shown in  FIG. 10 , the rising edge of external master clock EM_CLK, via external clock module  804  of clock circuit  800 , may lead the falling edge of master phase clock signal PHIM, which in turn may lead the rising edge of scan slave phase clock signal PHISS. The falling edge of external master clock EM_CLK may lead the falling edge of scan slave phase clock signal PHISS, which in turn may lead the rising edge of master phase clock signal PHIM. The exemplary timing shown in  FIG. 10  is exemplary only, and represents exemplary timing relationships in a mode in which slave clock signal PHIS is held constant 
         [0082]    The timing relationships, addressed above, may be important to the physical opening and closing of electronic components used to implement control combinational logic circuit  900 . For example, although the opening and closing of electronic components, e.g., transistors, latches, flip-flops, multiplexors, etc., may be discussed with respect to the logic level, e.g., HIGH or LOW, of the respective driving signals used to control the respective components, the physical response of the respective components may actually be driven by the rising and falling edges of the respective driving signals. Therefore, such relationships may be considered during the circuit design process based on the mix and nature of the components used to implement the respective circuits, e.g. rising edge driven components, falling edge driven components, etc. 
         [0083]    Table 1 presents an overview of signal value relationships at each of the respective nodes identified in the description of exemplary clock circuit  800 , for a single cycle of external master clock EM_CLK, when the signal SCAN_TEST_MODE is set LOW, and SCAN_ENABLE may be set to ANY VALUE. As described in greater detail, below, such SCAN_TEST_MODE and SCAN_ENABLE values may be applied in order to allow combinational logic circuit  500  to operate in normal operational mode, i.e., not in scan chain test mode, to sequentially pass input data into combination logic  504 , and then pass generated output results to the next combination logic. In such a mode, combinational logic circuit  500  may operate in the same manner as combinational logic circuit  300 , as described above with respect to  FIG. 3 . 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
                 Signal Name 
                 Signal Value Dependencies 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 EM CLK 
                 1 
                 0 
               
               
                   
                 SCAN TEST MODE 
                 0 
                 0 
               
               
                   
                 SCAN ENABLE 
                 X 
                 X 
               
               
                   
                 SCLK 
                 0 
                 0 
               
               
                   
                 SCLKB 
                 1 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 PHIM 
                 0 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 PHIS 
                 1 
                 0 
               
               
                   
                 PHISS 
                 1 
                 0 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 X = Don&#39;t Care 
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0084]    Table 2 presents an overview of signal value relationships at each of the respective nodes identified in the description of exemplary clock circuit  800 , for a single cycle of external master clock EM_CLK, when the signal SCAN_TEST_MODE is set HIGH, and SCAN_ENABLE is set HIGH. As described in greater detail below, such values may be applied to SCAN_TEST_MODE and SCAN_ENABLE to isolate each SFFLAT from combination logic  504 , and thus, such values may be set prior to sequentially inputting and shifting new test data values into the respective SSFLATs in a scan chain, or to shift test results out of a scan chain after a test has been conducted and a binary test result may be stored at node  515  of each storage circuit  508  in the scan chain. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
                 Signal Name 
                 Signal Value Dependencies 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 EM CLK 
                 1 
                 0 
               
               
                   
                 SCAN TEST MODE 
                 1 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 SCAN ENABLE 
                 1 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 SCLK 
                 1 
                 0 
               
               
                   
                 SCLKB 
                 0 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 PHIM 
                 1 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 PHIS 
                 1 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 PHISS 
                 0 
                 0 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0085]    Table 3, below, presents an overview of signal value relationships at each of the respective nodes identified in the description of exemplary clock circuit  800 , for a single cycle of external master clock EM_CLK, when the signal SCAN_TEST_MODE is set HIGH, and SCAN_ENABLE is set LOW. Such SCAN_TEST_MODE and SCAN_ENABLE values may be applied after test values have been sequentially input and stored at node  515  in each storage circuit  508  in a scan chain. As described in greater detail below, by setting SCAN_ENABLE to LOW for a single clock cycle allows the test data values to be passed through master input latch array  502  into combinational logic  504  and for the resulting data values to be passed through passthrough switch  506  and stored at node  515  of each storage circuit  508  in the scan chain. After the test data has been generated and stored, the settings for SCAN_TEST_MODE and SCAN_ENABLE may both be returned to HIGH and the signal value relationships may return to those described above with respect to Table 2, so that the test data may be sequentially shifted out, as described above with respect to Table 2. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 3 
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
                 Signal Name 
                 Signal Value Dependencies 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 EM CLK 
                 1 
                 0 
               
               
                   
                 SCAN TEST MODE 
                 1 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 SCAN ENABLE 
                 0 
                 0 
               
               
                   
                 SCLK 
                 0 
                 0 
               
               
                   
                 SCLKB 
                 1 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 PHIM 
                 0 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 PHIS 
                 1 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 PHISS 
                 1 
                 0 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0086]    Table 4 presents an overview of the relationships between the clock signals that may be used to control combinational logic circuit  500  described above with respect to Tables 1-3. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 4 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                   
                 Mode I 
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 SCAN_TEST_MODE = LOW  
                 Mode II 
                 Mode III 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 SCAN_ENABLE = 
                 SCAN_TEST_MODE = HIGH 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 DON&#39;T CARE 
                 SCAN_ENABLE = HIGH 
                 SCAN_ENABLE = LOW  
               
               
                   
                 Table 1, above 
                 Table 2, above 
                 Table 3, above 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 PHIM 
                 Follows Inverted 
                 HIGH 
                 Follows Inverted 
               
               
                   
                 EM CLK 
                   
                 EM CLK 
               
               
                 PHIS 
                 Follows EM_CLK 
                 HIGH 
                 HIGH 
               
               
                 PHISS 
                 Follows EM_CLK 
                 LOW 
                 Follows EM_CLK 
               
               
                 SCLKB 
                 HIGH 
                 Follows Inverted 
                 HIGH 
               
               
                   
                   
                 EM CLK 
                   
               
               
                 PD 
                 HIGH 
                 DON&#39;T CARE 
                 DONT CARE 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0087]    As shown in Table 4, combinational logic circuit  500  with scan-enabled SSFLAT module  555  may support three operational modes: Mode I, or functional mode, in which combinational logic circuit  500  operates without consideration of its embedded scan chain test capabilities to functionally process operational data; Mode II, or shift-in/shift-out mode, in which each combinational logic circuit  500  in a scan chain passes data to the next SSFLAT module  555  in the scan chain either to receive a chain of test input data, or to output a chain of test output data; and Mode III, or test execution mode, in which the master phase clock signal may be initiated for one cycle to submit a sequence of test input data, preloaded during a previous Mode II shift-in phase, to a combinational logic and to store the resulting test output data, in preparation for a subsequent Mode II shift-out phase. It should be understood that a next sequence of test input data may be sequentially shifted into the scan chain in preparation for the next test execution phase, as test output data from the previous test execution phase may be sequentially shifted out. 
         [0088]    During normal functional operations, i.e., Mode I, or functional mode, signal SCAN_TEST_MODE is fixed LOW, and the SCAN_ENABLE signal may be ignored. As a result, as indicated in Table 1, based on the exemplary clock circuit  800  described above with respect to  FIG. 8 , inverted scan clock signal SCLKB remains HIGH, master phase clock signal PHIM follows an inverted version of external master clock signal EM_CLK, slave phase clock signal PHIS follows external master clock signal EM_CLK, and scan slave phase clock signal PHISS also follows external master clock signal EM_CLK. 
         [0089]    When master phase clock signal PHIM is HIGH, inverted master phase clock signal PHIMB is LOW, and slave/scan slave clock signals PHIS/PHISS are LOW and inverted slave/scan slave signals PHISB/PHISSB are HIGH. When master phase clock signal PHIM is LOW, inverted master phase clock signal PHIMB is HIGH, and slave/scan slave clock signals PHIS/PHISS are HIGH and inverted slave/scan slave signals PHISB/PHISSB are LOW. 
         [0090]    Based on the above-described timing relationships, combinational logic circuit  500 , as described with respect to  FIG. 5 , may operate as described below. 
         [0091]    Since inverted scan clock signal SCLKB is set HIGH, as shown in Table 1 and Table 4, second scan passthrough switch  556  may be open and no shift-in or shift-out data may be passed from scanning control circuit  550  to node  515  for maintenance by storage circuit  508 . Further, because inverted scan clock signal SCLKB is HIGH, transistor  526  in storage circuit  508  may be fixed in a closed state. 
         [0092]    When scan slave phase clock signal PHISS is LOW, inverted scan slave phase clock signal PHISSB is HIGH, therefore, when passthrough switch  506  is open, transistor  524  is closed, thereby allowing storage circuit  508  to maintain a previously received signal value. 
         [0093]    At the start of the next data processing cycle, however, master phase clock signal PHIM goes HIGH, thereby closing master input latch  502  and allowing an input data signal to pass from input line D in x into combinational logic  504 , resulting in a new output data value emerging from combinational logic  504  on output line D out x. However, soon after the new output data value emerges on output line D out x, PHISS goes HIGH, thereby allowing the new output data value to pass to node  515 . 
         [0094]    At the time that PHISS is HIGH, and the new output data value is passed to node  515 , inverted scan slave phase clock signal PHISSB is LOW and transistor  524  is open. Therefore, there is no closed connection between node  515  and the LOW data signal VSS. This allows the new output data value to be passed to node  515  and avoids “fighting,” i.e., a condition in which inverter  510  may be required to place a HIGH signal value at node  515  when node  515  connected to LOW signal source VSS, or ground. For a HIGH to LOW transition, P-type transistor  516  may be always weaker than switch  506  and drivers before that, so the value can be switched. However, when PHISS again becomes LOW, PHISSB becomes HIGH, thereby closing transistor  524  and allowing storage circuit  508  to maintain the newly received output data value, either HIGH or LOW. 
         [0095]    During Mode I, the above cycle of events may repeat continuously to process operational data and to generate operational output results. 
         [0096]    During Mode II, or shift-in/shift-out mode, each combinational logic circuit  500  in a scan chain may pass data to the next SSFLAT module  555  in the scan chain either to receive a chain of test input data, or to output a chain of test output data. As addressed above, a next sequence of test input data may be sequentially shifted into a scan chain as test output data may be sequentially shifted out. 
         [0097]    In preparation for Mode II, both signal SCAN_TEST_MODE and signal SCAN_ENABLE may be set HIGH. As a result, as indicated in Table 2 and Table 4, and based on the exemplary clock circuit  800  described above with respect to  FIG. 8 , master phase clock signal PHIM is set HIGH, slave phase clock signal PHIS is set HIGH and scan slave phase clock signal PHISS is set LOW. Therefore, master input latch  502  remains closed, passthrough switch  506  remains open, and transistor  524 , in storage circuit  508 , remains closed. As a result, computational logic  504  may be isolated, by the blocking capabilities of passthrough switch  506 , from SSFLAT module  555 . However, operation of SSFLAT module  555  may proceed, driven by scan clock SCLK and inverted scan clock SCLKB as described below. 
         [0098]    Further, because PHIS is HIGH, the slave output latch of each combinational logic circuit is set in a closed state. Therefore, even though each combinational logic circuit includes a output storage latch that does not support scan chain testing, rather than an SFFLAT module that does support scan chain testing, each combinational logic circuit remains transparent to scan chain testing and, therefore, does not interfere with the scan chain testing process. 
         [0099]    As described above with respect to  FIG. 5 , when SCLK is LOW and inverted scan clock signal SCLKB is HIGH, first scan passthrough switch  552  may be closed and second scan passthrough switch  556  may be open and first scan passthrough switch  552  may pass a signal value received at node  551  to input node  553  of output storage circuit  554  and output storage circuit  554  may maintain the signal value received. When scan clock signal SCLK becomes HIGH and inverted scan clock signal SCLKB becomes LOW, first scan passthrough switch  552  may be open and second scan passthrough switch  556  may be closed and the signal value maintained by output storage circuit  554  may be passed to node  515 , where the passed signal value may be maintained by storage circuit  508 . 
         [0100]    When scan clock signal SCLK becomes HIGH and inverted scan clock signal SCLKB becomes LOW and the signal value maintained by output storage circuit  554  is passed to node  515 , n-type transistor  526  of storage circuit  508  may be open. Therefore, there may be no closed connection between node  515  and the LOW signal source VSS, or ground. This allows the new data value to be passed to node  515  and avoids “fighting,” i.e., a condition in which scanning control circuit  550  may be required to place a HIGH signal value at node  515  when node  515  may be grounded. If a LOW value needs to be placed on node  515 , since p-toye transistor  516  is week, node  515  can be overwritten to a LOW value. However, when SCLK again becomes LOW, SCLKB becomes HIGH, thereby closing transistor  524  and allowing storage circuit  508  to maintain the newly received data value. 
         [0101]    As described above, node  515  of SSFLAT module  555  may be connected to node  551  of the subsequent SSFLAT module  555  in a scan chain. In such a configuration, when SCLK is LOW, a data value may be passed from node  551  to node  553  of scanning control circuit  550 , and when SCLK is HIGH the stored data value may be passed from  553  to node  515  of SSFLAT module  555 , and presented at node  551  of the subsequent SSFLAT module  555 . 
         [0102]    During Mode II, the above cycle of events may repeat continuously to either load new test input data received at node  551  of a first SSFLAT module  555  into a scan chain or to pass test input data from one SSFLAT module  555  in a scan chain to a subsequent SSFLAT module  555  in a scan chain. Further, after a scan test has been executed, as described below with respect to Mode III, the same Mode II process may be used to pass test output data along the respective SSFLAT modules in a scan chain to a last SSFLAT module  555  and out to a scan test result storage buffer. Such a storage buffer may receive data simultaneously from the last SSFLAT module  555  of a plurality of scan chains, thus allowing results from multiple scan tests to be output in parallel to be analyzed against expected results. 
         [0103]    Mode III, or test execution mode, may be executed after implementing Mode II to shift in a sequence of test input data into a scan chain, as described above. During test execution mode, the master and slave phase clock signal may be initiated for one cycle to submit a sequence of test input data stored in the respective SSFLAT modules of the scan chain to a combinational logic and to store the resulting test output data in the same SSFLAT modules of the scan chain. 
         [0104]    In transitioning from Mode II, to Mode III, signal SCAN_TEST_MODE is held HIGH, but signal SCAN_ENABLE is set LOW. As a result, based on clock circuit  800  described above with respect to  FIG. 8 , both slave phase clock signal PHIS and inverted scan clock signal SCLKB may be set HIGH, master phase clock signal PHIM follows inverted external master clock signal EM_CLK, and scan slave phase clock signal PHISS follows external master clock signal EM_CLK. 
         [0105]    Since inverted scan clock signal SCLKB is HIGH, second scan passthrough switch  556  is open and no shift-in or shift-out data may be passed from scanning control circuit  550  to node  515  for maintenance by storage circuit  508 . Further, because inverted scan clock signal SCLKB is HIGH, transistor  526  in storage circuit  508  may be fixed in a closed state. 
         [0106]    As addressed above with respect to Mode II, Mode III may be used immediately after loading a sequential series of test input data into a scan chain. As soon as SCAN_ENABLE is set LOW, on the next EM_CLK going HIGH, master phase PHIM goes to LOW, thus opening the master latch  502  and disconnecting D in  from  504 . This is followed by PHISS going HIGH and the previously evaluated value generated by combinational logic  504  may be passed to node  515  through the closed switch  506 . PHIM, being LOW, blocks the updated value in  515  from affecting the stored value in subsequent SFFLAT&#39;s. When EM_CLK goes LOW, PHISS goes LOW, switch  506  opens and node  515  maintains the value stored. PHIM goes HIGH, but since PHISS is LOW, closed switch  502  does not affect the stored value at node  515 . 
         [0107]    As described above, when PHISS is HIGH, PHISSB is LOW, and n-type transistor  524  of storage circuit  508  is open. Therefore, there may be no closed connection between node  515  and the LOW data signal VSS. This allows the new data value to be passed to node  515  and avoids “fighting,” i.e., a condition in which passthrough switch  506  may be required to place a HIGH signal value at node  515  when node  515  may be connected to LOW signal source VSS, or ground. However, when PHISS again becomes LOW, PHISSB becomes HIGH, thereby closing transistor  524  and allowing storage circuit  508  to maintain the newly received data value. The HIGH to LOW transition at node  515  does cause fighting, but since p-type transistor  516  is weak, the value is overwritten. 
         [0108]    Mode III may be initiated for one clock cycle, thereby allowing a single stored test input data value at node  515  to be passed to combinatorial logic  504  to generate a new test output data value which is then stored at node  515 . Once the once clock cycle is completed, signal SCAN_ENABLE may be set HIGH, and combinational logic circuit  500  may return to Mode II to sequentially scan out the respective stored test output data in the manner described above with respect to Mode III. 
         [0109]      FIG. 9  shows a portion of an exemplary combinational logic scan chain  900  equipped with slave output latch circuits  906   a  and  906   b  that do not support scan based testing operations and SSFLAT module  555   a , SSFLAT module  555   b  and SSFLAT module  555   c  that do support scan chain based testing. 
         [0110]    The plurality of combinational logic circuits shown in  FIG. 9  may represent only a portion of the total number of combinational logic circuits chained together and placed on a single integrated circuit chip. For example, an exemplary combinational logic circuit  500  as described above with respect to  FIG. 5 , may be found in  FIG. 9  and may include input line D in   1 , master input latch  902 A, combinational logic  904 , output line D out   1 , and SSFLAT module  555 A. Further, an exemplary combinational logic circuit  200  as described above with respect to  FIG. 2   a ,  FIG. 2   b  and  FIG. 3 , may be found in  FIG. 9  and may include input line D in   4 , master input latch  902 D, combinational logic  9   04 , output line D out   4 , and slave output latch circuit  906   b.    
         [0111]    The exemplary portion of a scan chain represented in  FIG. 9  includes a total of three combinational logic circuits  500 , as described above with respect to  FIG. 5 , and a total of two combinational logic circuit  300  as described above with respect to  FIG. 3 . It should be understood that number and type of combinational logic circuits included in  FIG. 9  is exemplary only. Any number of combinational logic circuits may be arranged in any manner, e.g., in series, or in parallel, with other combinational logic circuits in the integrated circuit. For example, array of output latches  910  may be provide input data values to a subsequent combinational logic which may generated output data values, each stored in one of a slave output latch circuit that does not support scan based testing operations, e.g., such as latch  200  as described above with respect to  FIG. 2 , and a slave output latch circuit that does support scan based testing operations, e.g., such as latch  555  as described above with respect to  FIG. 5 . One such an exemplary integrated circuit may include any number of latches arranged in series, each latch separated from another latch by combinational logic, as shown in  FIG. 9 . In such a circuit, at least one PHIM-controlled latch may be included between any two PHISS-controlled latches in series; however, any number of alternating PRIM-controlled and PHIS-controlled latches may be placed between any two PHISS-controlled latches in series in the circuit. 
         [0112]    As shown in  FIG. 9 , a scan chain may be formed by the respective SSFLAT modules  555 . For example, a first link in the scan chain may be formed by SSFLAT module  555 A, a second link in the scan chain may be formed by SSFLAT module  555 B, and a third link in the scan chain may be formed by SSFLAT module  555 C. The respective SSFLAT modules  555  support functional operations as described above with respect to Mode I, and provide 3 test points for combinational logic  904 , as described above with respect to Mode II and Mode III. 
         [0113]    Further, as shown in  FIG. 9 , exemplary combinational logic scan chain  900  may include three slave output latch circuits  906  that support functional operations in Mode I, and that transparently support scan chain testing during Mode II and Mode III, as described above. For example, in Mode II, slave output latch circuits  906  do not interfere with the sequential loading of test input data into the scan chain, nor interfere with the sequential shifting out of test output data from the scan chain. Further, in Mode III, slave output latch circuits  906  transparently pass test output data from, for example, output leads of combinational logic  904  to the input leads combinational logic  908   b.    
         [0114]    For example, as described above with respect to Table 4, during scan based testing operations, e.g., Mode II and Mode III, as described above, slave phase clock signal PHIS is fixed to a HIGH signal value. In this manner, slave output latch circuits  906  may be configured to transparently pass test output data from, for example, output leads of combinational logic  904  to the input leads of combinational logic  908 . 
         [0115]      FIG. 11  shows a flow-chart of an exemplary process for scan chain based testing of one or more integrated circuits on a semiconductor wafer. As shown in  FIG. 11 , operation of the method begins at step S 1102  and proceeds to step S 1104 . 
         [0116]    In step S 1104 , a semiconductor wafer is fabricated that includes one or more integrated circuits. Each integrated circuit may include a plurality of combinational logic circuits, as described above with respect to  FIG. 9 . These combinational logic circuits support scan chain based testing of the combinational logic matrices using any number of scan chains, as described above with respect to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 9 . Further, these scan chains may scan test data out to any number of output scan registers, as described above with respect to  FIG. 9 . After the semiconductor wafer, with one or more integrated circuits is fabricated, operation of the method continues to step S 1106 . 
         [0117]    In step S 1106 , the semiconductor wafer with one or more integrated circuits is configured for testing, for example, by placing the wafer in an automated testing system capable of forming electrical connections to the leads of one or more integrated circuits on the wafer, and operation of the method continues to step S 1108 . 
         [0118]    In step S 1108 , a first, or next, integrated circuit is prepared for testing by the automated testing system by establishing, e.g., using pins or probes, electrical connections to the control leads of the integrated circuit so that power, control signals and/or data and clock signals may be passed from the automated testing system to the integrated circuit under test, and operation of the method continues to step S 1110 . 
         [0119]    In step S 1110  the automated testing system passes power and signals to the integrated circuit to configure combinational logic circuits into Mode II, shift-in/shift-out mode, as described above with respect to Table 4. For example, in preparation for Mode II, both signal SCAN_TEST_MODE and signal SCAN_ENABLE may be set HIGH. As a result, as indicated in Table 2 and Table 4, and based on the exemplary clock circuit  800  described above with respect to  FIG. 8 , master phase clock signal PHIM is set HIGH, slave phase clock signal PHIS is set HIGH and scan slave phase clock signal PHISS is set LOW. Operation of the method continues to step S 1112 . 
         [0120]    In step S 1112 , once configured in Mode II, with each cycle of scan clock signal SCLK, each combinational logic circuit in a scan chain may receive a binary bit of test input data via SSFLAT module  555  from either a scan input port at the start of a scan chain or from a preceding SSFLAT module  555  in the scan chain and may pass a binary bit of test input data to the next SSFLAT module  555  in the scan chain, and operation of the method continues to step S 1114 . 
         [0121]    If, in step S 1114 , all of the test input data needed to execute a test has been loaded, operation of the method continues to step S 1116 , otherwise operation of the method returns to step S 1112 . 
         [0122]    In step S 1116 , the automated testing system may pass power and signals to the integrated circuit to configure combinational logic circuits into Mode III, test execution mode, as described above with respect to Table 4. For example, the automated testing system may hold signal SCAN_TEST_MODE to HIGH, but may set signal SCAN_ENABLE to LOW, thereby adjusting the clock signals generated by clock circuit  800 , as described above with respect to Table 3 and Table 4 above, thereby configuring combinational logic circuits into Mode III, test execution mode, as described above with respect to Table 4, and operation of the method continues to step S 1118 . 
         [0123]    In step S 1118 , the master phase clock signal may be initiated for one cycle to submit a sequence of test input data stored in the respective SSFLAT modules of the scan chain to one or more combinational logic matrices and to store the resulting test output data in the same SSFLAT modules of the scan chain, and operation of the method continues to step S 1120 . 
         [0124]    In step S 1120 , the automated testing system passes power and signals to the integrated circuit to configure combinational logic circuits back into Mode II, shift-in/shift-out mode. For example, both signal SCAN_TEST_MODE and signal SCAN_ENABLE to HIGH, as indicated in Table 2 and Table 4, and based on the exemplary clock circuit  800  described above with respect to  FIG. 8 , master phase clock signal PRIM is set HIGH, slave phase clock signal PHIS is set HIGH and scan slave phase clock signal PHISS is set LOW. Operation of the method continues to step S 1122 . 
         [0125]    In step S 1122 , once reconfigured in Mode II, each combinational logic circuit  500  in a scan chain may, with each cycle of scan clock signal SCLK, receive a binary bit of test output data via SSFLAT module  555  from a preceding SSFLAT module  555  in the scan chain and may pass a binary bit of test output data to the next SSFLAT module  555  in the scan chain, or to a scan output port at the end of a scan chain, and operation of the method continues to step S 1124 . 
         [0126]    If, in step S 1124 , the test application determines that the output registers are full, operation of the method continues to step S 1126 , otherwise, operation of the method returns to step S 1122 . 
         [0127]    In step S 1126 , the test output data stored in the output register may be compared to an expected test result, and operation of the method continues to step S 1128 . 
         [0128]    If, in step S 1128 , the test application determines that the output data in the output register does not match an expected test result, operation of the method continues to step S 1138 , the circuit is marked for discard for failing to pass the applied test, and operation of the method then continues to step S 1136 . If, in step S 1128 , the test application determines that the output data in the output register does match an expected test result, operation of the method then continues to step S 1130 . 
         [0129]    If, in step S 1130 , the test application determines that all test output data has been scanned out to the scan chain test output registers, operation of the method continues to step S 1132 , otherwise, operation of the method then returns to step S 1122 . 
         [0130]    If, in step S 1132 , the test application determines that all desired tests have been executed, operation of the method continues to step S 1134 , otherwise, operation of the method then returns to step S 1110 . 
         [0131]    In step S 1134 , the integrated circuit, having passed all applied scan chain based tests, may be marked for packaging, and operation of the method continues at step S 1136 . 
         [0132]    If, in step S 1136 , the test application determines that all the integrated circuits to be tested have been tested, operation of the method then proceeds to step S 1140  and the process terminates, otherwise operation of the method returns to step S 1108 . 
         [0133]    For purposes of explanation, in the above description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the SFFLAT and use of the SFFLAT to support scan chain testing of combinational logic circuits. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the SFFLAT may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the features of the SFFLAT. 
         [0134]    While the SFFLAT has been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, embodiments of the SFFLAT as set forth herein are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. There are changes that may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Category: g