Module allocation with idle-time utilization for on-line testability

This paper presents a module allocation technique to improve on-line testab ility of a data path. The technique assigns multi-type operations to module s. Types of modules and count of each type of module, needed to synthesize a given scheduled data flow graph (SDFG) must be known a priori. The testin g utilizes idle time of modules. The objective is to test each type of oper ation assigned to a module. Testing time is reduced by minimizing the numbe r of types of operations assigned to a module. Certain operations called id le-time operations are scheduled in the SDFG and assigned to modules in the ir idle time to enhance testing. Ideally, one idle-time operation is requir ed for each type of operation assigned to the module. The technique minimiz es number of types of operations assigned to each module and creates suffic ient idle time. Promising results are obtained on benchmark examples. (C) 2 001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.