A software-based self-test and hardware reconfiguration solution for VLIW processors

Technology scaling inevitably leads to fabrication processes, which are more susceptible to production faults. At the same time, devices become more vulnerable to wear-out effects, which reduce the long term system reliability. The upcoming challenge of future designs is the development of integrated test and repair techniques dealing with both types of fault mechanisms. Our paper presents a built-in self-test (BIST) and repair solution for regular data path structures of VLIW processors by software-based self-test (SBST). After fault detection and localization by software a hardware reconfiguration, by using redundant components, takes place. Our software test and repair solution can be used to improve yield as well as reliability.