Automatic test generation of linear analog circuits under parameter variations

This paper presents a simulation-based approach to automatic test-frequency generation of linear analog circuits considering parameter variations. It consists of two steps. First, a candidate set of frequencies-each detects robustly some faults-is generated by a concurrent and lazy fault simulation method. Next, the minimum number of test frequencies to detect all the possible faults is selected by solving the set covering problem. With an interval-mathematic algorithm to computer circuit responses under parameter variations and a decision-diagram-based algorithm for exact set covering, the proposed approach is fast and capable of finding an optimal set of test frequencies. The approach has been implemented, and some experimental results are described.