Testing embedded memories in telecommunication systems

Extensive system testing is mandatory nowadays to achieve high product qual ity. Telecommunication systems are particularly sensitive to such a require ment; to maintain market competitiveness, manufacturers need to combine red uced costs, shorter life cycles, advanced technologies, and high quality. M oreover, strict reliability constraints usually impose very low fault laten cies and a high degree of fault detection for both permanent and transient faults. This article analyzes major problems related to testing complex tel ecommunication systems, with particular emphasis on their memory modules, o ften so critical from the reliability point of view. In particular, advance d BIST-based solutions are analyzed, and two significant industrial case st udies presented.