Testing DSP cores based on self-test programs

This paper presents a new method for the testing of the datapath of DSP cores based on self-test program. During the test, random patterns are loaded into the core, exercise different components of the core, and then are loaded out of the core for observation under the control of the self-test programs. We propose a systematic approach to generate the self-test program based on two metrics. One is the structural coverage and the other is the testability metric. Experimental results show the self-test program obtained by this approach con reach very high fault coverage in programmable core testing