Combining symbolic and genetic techniques for efficient sequential circuit test generation

Abstract

Symbolic and genetic techniques are combined in a new approach to sequential circuit test generation that uses circuit decomposition, rather than the algorithmic decomposition used in previous hybrid test generators. Symbolic techniques are used to generate test sequences for the control logic, and genetic algorithms are used to generate sequences for the datapath. The combined sequences provide higher fault coverages than those generated by existing deterministic and GA-based test generators, and execution times are significantly lower in many cases.