Bottom-up methodology for test preparation and refinement

A bottom-up testing methodology is used to derive realistic fault lists (at layout level), to refine gate-level test patterns, and to provide accurate test validation (at switch-level), thus making possible the evaluation of the fault coverage of the most likely circuit faults. For this purpose, the developed software tools, which are integrated in the ICD toolbox, are described, and their usefulness is ascertained through several design examples. Interesting spin-offs of the proposed methodology and directions of future work are also described.<>