Persistent command parameter table for pre-silicon device testing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9524801-B2
Application number	US-201615073221-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2016
Priority date	Feb 12, 2015
Publication date	Dec 20, 2016
Grant date	Dec 20, 2016

Abstract

Embodiments relate to pre-silicon device testing using a persistent command table. An aspect includes receiving a value for a persistent command parameter from a user. Another aspect includes determining whether the value of the persistent command parameter is greater than zero. Another aspect includes based on determining whether the value of the persistent command parameter is greater than zero, selecting a number of commands equal to the value of the persistent command parameter from a regular command table of a driver of a device under test. Another aspect includes adding the selected commands to the persistent command table of the driver. Another aspect includes performing testing of the device under test via the driver using only commands that are in the persistent command table of the driver.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer implemented method using a persistent command parameter for pre-silicon device testing, the method comprising:
executing, by a processor, testing logic for a pre-silicon device of a cache design in a virtual environment;
obtaining, by the processor, the persistent command parameter and a repetitive sequence parameter having been specified for testing of a device under test, the testing of the device under test being via a single driver or multiple drivers of a same type;
wherein the device under test is the pre-silicon device in the virtual environment, wherein a regular command table is defined as comprising a full set of available commands configured to test the pre-silicon device, wherein a persistent command table comprises a random subset of the available commands configured to test the pre-silicon device, wherein a persistent command parameter defines a number of the available commands to be in the persistent command table, wherein a repetitive sequence parameter defines whether the available commands in the persistent command table are to be driven to test the pre-silicon device in a repetitive manner or in a random order, wherein the persistent command table is utilized to evaluate fairness, priority, livelock, and starvation;
commencing the testing which comprises:
(i) determining, by the processor, whether the persistent command parameter is greater than zero;
(ii) in response to determining that the persistent command parameter is not greater than zero, proceeding with the testing using a full set of the available commands in the regular command table;
(iii) in response to determining that the persistent command parameter is greater than zero, randomly selecting a command from the regular command table, adding the command to the persistent command table, and decrementing the persistent command parameter;
(iv) determining whether the persistent command parameter is greater than zero after decrementing the persistent command parameter;
(v) in response to determining that the persistent command parameter is greater than zero after decrementing the persistent command parameter, repeating (iii) and (iv) until a number of commands in the persistent command table is equal to an original value that was set in the persistent command parameter;
(vi) in response to determining that the persistent command parameter is not greater than zero after decrementing the persistent command parameter, determining whether the repetitive sequence parameter is true;
(vii) in response to determining that the repetitive sequence parameter is not true, performing the testing of the device under test with the single driver or the multiple drivers of the same type using random selections from the persistent command table; and
(viii) in response to determining that the repetitive sequence parameter is true, performing the testing of the device under test with the single driver or the multiple drivers of the same type driving commands repeatedly in an order of appearance in the persistent command table.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Bair Dean G
• Gott Rebecca M
• Kaminski Jr Edward J
• Lewis William J
• Rayadurgam Chakrapani

Classifications

• G06F11/2635 Primary

  using a storage for the test inputs, e.g. test ROM, script files · CPC title

• G06F11/263

  Generation of test inputs, e.g. test vectors, patterns or sequences {; with adaptation of the tested hardware for testability with external testers} · CPC title

• G11C29/54

  Arrangements for designing test circuits, e.g. design for test [DFT] tools · CPC title

• G06F11/261

  by simulating additional hardware, e.g. fault simulation · CPC title

• G06F11/2733

  Test interface between tester and unit under test · CPC title