Abstract
This work proposes the use of a simple 1-bit digitizer as an analog block observer, in order to enable the implementation of on-line test strategies for RF analog circuits in the System-on-Chip environment. The main advantages of using a simple digitizer for RF circuits are related to the increased observability of the RF signal path and minimum RF signal degradation, as neither reconfiguration of the signal path nor variable load for the analog RF circuit are introduced. As an additional advantage, the same digitizer can be used to implement BIST strategies, if required. The feasibility of using a 1-bit digitizer for the test of analog signals has already been presented in the literature for low frequency linear analog systems. This paper discusses the implementation of an on-line test strategy for analog RF circuits in the SoC environment, and presents new results for on-line RF testing. Moreover, we also provide detailed analysis regarding the overhead of the test strategy implementation. Experimental results illustrate the feasibility of the proposed technique.
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Marcelo Negreiros was born in Porto Alegre, Brazil, in 1969. He received the electrical engineering degree in 1992 and the M.S. degree in 1994, both from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil. Since then he was been working as an associate researcher in the Signal Processing Lab. (LaPSI) of the Electrical Engineering Department at UFRGS. Since 2000 he also works toward a Ph.D. in Computer Science from UFRGS. His main research interests include mixed-signal and analog testing and digital signal processing.
Luigi Carro was born in Porto Alegre, Brazil, in 1962. He received the Electrical Engineering and the MSc. degrees from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil, in 1985 and 1989, respectively. From 1989 to 1991 he worked at ST-Microelectronics, Agrate, Italy, in the R&D group. In 1996 he received the Ph.D. degree in the area of Computer Science from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil. He is presently a lecturer at the Electrical Engineering Department of UFRGS, in charge of Digital Systems Design and Digital Signal processing disciplines at the graduate and undergraduate level. He is also a member of the Graduation Program in Computer Science of UFRGS, where he is responsible for courses in Embedded Systems, Digital Signal Processing, and VLSI Design. His primary research interests include mixed-signal design, digital signal processing, mixed-signal and analog testing, and fast system prototyping. He has published more than 90 technical papers in those topics and is the author of the book Digital Systems Design and Prototyping (in portuguese).
Altamiro A. Susin was born in Vacaria-RS, Brazil, in 1945. He received the Electrical Engineering and the MSc. degrees from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil, in 1972 and 1977, respectively. Since 1968 he worked in the start up of Computer Centers of two local Universities. In 1981 he got his Dr Eng degree from Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble-France. He is presently a lecturer at the Electrical Engineering Department of UFRGS, in charge of Digital Systems Design disciplines at the graduate and undergraduate level. He is also a member of the Graduation Program in Computer Science of UFRGS, where he is responsible for courses in VLSI Architecture and is also thesis director. His main research interests are integrated circuit architecture, embedded systems, signal processing with more than 50 technical papers published in those domains. He is/was responsible for several R&D projects either funded with public and/or industry resources.
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Negreiros, M., Carro, L. & Susin, A.A. Low Cost On-Line Testing Strategy for RF Circuits. J Electron Test 21, 417–427 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10836-005-1151-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10836-005-1151-y