Automatic BIST design tool for mixed-signal circuits

This paper describes the development of a software tool for automating the design process of built-in self-test (BIST) circuits for mixed-signal circuit cards. The purpose of this tool is to generate a complete design of microcontroller-based BIST circuits including hardware and firmware. A typical BIST system generated by this tool consists of a microcontroller, A/D, D/A converters, digital I/Os, digital/analog multiplexers, and a programmable logic device. Several heuristic-based algorithms were developed in this work to optimize the configuration of multiplexers so that the required number of input and output ports is minimized, and the size and number of multiplexers are also reduced. The design tool reported here can greatly simplify the time-consuming procedure of designing BIST circuits and optimize the BIST circuits for mixed-signal circuit cards. A demonstration board is currently under development to evaluate the usability of this tool. The paper focuses on the overall theory and application of the tool, and also describes how if interfaces to the larger tool set we have developed. This larger tool set includes tools to help the designer define the level of built-in test required to meet the system maintainability goals.