Techniques for functional test pattern execution

Functional debugging of application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) has been recognized as a very labor-intensive and expensive process. We propose a new approach based on the divide and conquer optimization paradigm for the functional test pattern execution. The goal is to maximize the simultaneous controllability of an arbitrary set of the user selected variables in the design at the debugging time for facilitating the functional test pattern execution while minimizing the hardware overhead. The approach imposes minimal restriction on register sharing so that the synthesized designs will have the desired characteristic while minimizing the additional hardware overhead and minimizing the disruption of the optimization potential when scheduling, allocation and binding tasks in high-level synthesis are performed. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated on a number of designs