Built-in test IC provides automatic test equipment capabilities

An approach to implementing built-in test (BIT) and built-in test equipment (BITE) is introduced. It consists of an IC that was designed to be used with any digital circuit. Called built-in test exerciser and sensor or BITES, the chip furnishes all stimuli generation and response measurements needed to monitor performance. It also detects and isolates faults in digital systems, circuit boards, and ASICs. BITES can facilitate a variety of tests with a general-purpose computer that would otherwise require several generically different automatic test equipments (ATEs). Combined with boundary-scan, it can also provide test features not available with conventional ATE.<>