Test Generation Techniques for

Combinational Circuits
Deepa, Dept of EIE
SIT
 Test Generation Techniques for
Combinational Circuits
• Truth table method
• Fault matrix method
• Boolean difference method
• Path sensitization method
• D-Roth algorithm
• PODEM and FAN
• Detection of Multiple Faults in Combinational
Logic Circuits.
 Test
• Test is the set of input combination used to test the
faults in the given circuit.
• Exhaustive testing: an n-input combinational circuit
can be completely tested by applying all 2n
combinations to it. For a sequential circuit with n
inputs and m flip-flops, the total number of input
combinations necessary to exhaustively test the
circuit is 2n×2m=2m+n. If, for example, n=20 and m=40,
there would be 260 tests.
• Non-exhaustive testing
 Truth table method

α s-a-0 and β s-a-l

Thus, the test for α s-a-0 is x1x2x3=110, and

the test for β s-a-l is x1x2x3=001.
 Fault matrix method

• The minimum number of tests required to

detect a set of faults in a combinational circuit
can be obtained from a fault matrix.
 Fault matrix method

x1 x2 x3 Fault A sa0 bsa0 C sa0 D sa1 E sa0 F sa1

free
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 1
0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1
0 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1
1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1
 Fault matrix method

• Minimal test set to detect the faults

x1 x2 x3 a s-a-0 b s-a-0 c s-a-0 d s-a-1 e s-a-0 f s-a-1

0 0 0 1 1

0 1 0 1 1

1 1 0 1 1

0 0 1 1 1

(c)
 Path Sensitization
• The basic principle of the path sensitization method is to
choose some path from the origin of the fault to the
circuit output.
• A path is sensitized if the inputs to the gates along the
path are assigned values such that the effect of the fault
can be propagated to the output
Table: non-redundant values for gates
a b C(AND) C(NAND) a b C(OR) C(NOR)

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0
1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0
1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0
 Path Sensitization example
• To illustrate, let us consider the circuit shown in figure and assume that line
α is s-a-1. To test for α, both G3 and C must be set at 1. In addition, D and G6
must be set at 1 so that G7=1 if the fault is absent. To propagate the fault
from G7 to the circuit output f via G8 requires the output of G4 to be 1. This is
because if G4=0, the output f will be forced to be 1, independent of the
value of gate G7. The process of propagating the effect of the fault from its
original location to the circuit output is known as the forward trace.
 backward trace(PATH SENSITIZATION)
• The next phase of the method is the backward trace, in which the necessary
signal values at the gate outputs specified in the forward trace phase are
established. For example, to set G3 at 1, A must be set at 0, which also sets
G4=1. In order for G6 to be at 1, B must be set at 0; note that G6 cannot be
set at 1 by making C=0 because this is inconsistent with the assignment of C
in the forward trace phase. Therefore, the test ABCD=0011 detects the fault
α s-a-1, since the output f will be 0 for the fault-free circuit and 1 in the
presence of the fault.
Refference:
• Essentials of Electronic Testing for Digital, Memory and
Mixed-Signal VLSI Circuits: 17 (Frontiers in Electronic Testing)
by M. Bushnell and Vishwani Agarawal