ASSET Hosts New JTAG Validation Service
ASSET collaborated with Agilent Technologies Inc. on the development of the free online service. ASSET will host and support the web site on an ongoing basis. Agilent previously offered an e-mail-based BSDL checker. The new BSDL Validation Service expands on its predecessor's capabilities and is available in a web browser interface.
BSDL files are required to perform boundary scan tests or programming operations on electronic circuit boards and systems. BSDL files are used to build a model of the unit under test in order to apply test patterns or programming algorithms to it. An inaccurate BSDL file can cause faulty results when boundary scan operations take place.
"Before JTAG tests can be automatically generated, the engineer has to have BSDL files for all of the devices on a scan chain," said Alan Sguigna, vice president of sales and marketing for ASSET. "So the whole process begins with BSDL files. Anything we can do to help chip suppliers verify the accuracy of BSDL files will greatly improve the testability of printed circuit boards and systems for hardware manufacturers."
The BSDL Validation Service has two functional modules. Once a BSDL file is submitted online at www.asset-intertech.com/bsdl_service, the BSDL Syntax Checker examines punctuation and spelling to determine whether the syntax of the file is accurate. Then it analyzes the BSDL file to locate any semantic discrepancies, such as missing instruction codes, register associations or register cells, as required by the standard. The service's second module, Automatic Test Pattern Generation, creates a set of test vectors in a simple truth-table format. These vectors can effectively test a chip design during the simulation phase to verify that it meets many of the requirements of the IEEE 1149.1 boundary scan standard and that the BSDL accurately describes the silicon.
"The more accurate BSDL files are, the better off hardware manufacturers will be," said Ken Parker, engineering scientist with Agilent. "There are few, if any, tools that automate some of the base level checking on BSDL files. This new BSDL Validation Service has significantly enhanced functionality and it is simpler to use because it is available directly on the Internet."
The new BSDL Validation Service is completely free. After creating a user account and password, a BSDL file can be submitted to the tool immediately. The tool retains a history of each user's submissions and, for a limited time, it will store the results of a syntax check and any test patterns that are generated. These outputs from the tool can be downloaded at any time, providing they are still stored on the system. ASSET's technical support department maintains and supports the BSDL Validation Service.
SOURCE: ASSET InterTech, Inc.