Creating a mixed-signal simulation capability for concurrent IC design and test program development

The ability to link mixed-signal IC design and test databases can shorten product development cycles in multiple ways. By allowing designers to simulate device tests and by giving test engineers access to the results, such a link promotes testability from the earliest stages of design, and generates data usable in test program development. Moreover, by enabling test program development to take place in simulation, design/test integration frees test engineers to both work in parallel with designers rather than having to wait for a fabricated device, and to debug test programs and hardware off-line at a workstation rather than waiting for time on a busy test system. This paper describes the development of both the test instrument models required for a design simulator to generate device test data, and of software links to let the design simulator share data with the test programming environment. The resulting integration supports concurrent design and test engineering efforts in developing new mixed-signal IC products