Re-configurable embedded core test protocol

We report on a new, reconfigurable, packet-based, embedded test protocol that supports several popular test methodologies (boundary scan, full-scan and BIST among others) for testing multicore SOCs. Unlike the conventional SOC test methods that require use of an expensive automatic test equipment, our proposal uses on-chip embedded cores that serve as microtesters. The protocol is implemented using two embedded cores: test server and test client. The test server delivers test parameters as test packets to test clients. Experimental results show that our new test protocol can be implemented with low (less than 2%) hardware overhead. Since hardware overhead for our test protocol does not grow as the size of SOCs, it is even lower for large SOCs.