Static Test Compaction for Multiple Full-Scan Circuits

Current design methodologies and methodologies for reducing test data volume and test application time for full-scan circuits allow testing of multiple circuits (or subcircuits of the same circuit) simultaneously using the same test data. We describe a static compaction procedure that accepts test sets generated independently for multiple full-scan circuits, and produces a compact test set that detects all the faults detected by the individual test sets. The resulting test set can be used for testing the circuits simultaneously using the same test data. This procedure provides an alternative to test generation procedures that perform test generation for complex circuits made up of multiple circuits. Such procedures also reduce the amount of test data and test application time required for testing all the circuits by testing them simultaneously using the same test data. However, they require consideration of a more complex circuit.