Design and implementation of Automatic Test Equipment IP module

Summary form of the only given: The paper presents an IP module containing an L-ATE (IPATE) able to conduct digital test at a very low cost. The module sends test vectors and analyzes output responses through a one bit bidirectional synchronous channel, as well as performing standard flow and shmoo tests. Apart from the digital information of the test, the IP-ATE system can control the following parameters of the DUT: clock frequency and phase, capture cycle delay and supply voltage. A low cost, customer specific external programmable power supply was designed for the controlling the supply voltage commanded from the IP-ATE system through a bus interface. Several IPATEs can be synthesized in one or more FPGAs to create a multisite tester. They can operate independently or in cooperation, depending on the test needs. The fail-safe design of the digital part makes the operation of the system robust against catastrophic failures of the FPGA.