3 . Reliable Mixed - signal Systems ( RMS )

A Computer-Aided-Test (CAT) platform has been integrated in the Cadence Design Framework Environment for the evaluation of analogue/mixed-signal/RF Built-In-Self-Test (BIST) techniques. It comprises tools for statistical modelling of circuit performances, fault simulation, test generation and test optimization. The fault modelling and fault injection tools are simulator-independent, thus they are flexible with respect to past approaches. Figure 1 illustrates a simplified architecture of the platform. Fault modelling, fault injection and fault simulation are carried out using the tool set FIDESIM. The results are saved in a database, which can be accessed by the other tool sets, in particular the OPTEVAL used for test evaluation and the OPTEGEN used for test generation. OPTEGEN includes multi-frequency and pseudorandom test vector generation algorithms as well as multi-objective algorithms for the optimisation of digitally coded mixed-signal test vectors. The platform is constantly updated with refinements and new algorithms that are gaining increasing acceptance in our community.