SSN (Streaming scan network)
Content
1) Traditional scan problems
2) How SSN is solution
3) SSN block and detailed diagram
4) SSN bypass
5) Working of SSN
6) How SSN is better
SoC
Traditional Scan problems
Traditionally, core-level scan channels are connected to chip-level pins through the use of a
pin-multiplexing (mux) network. This works fine for smaller designs but becomes problematic as the
number of cores increases and designs become more complex. It presents barriers to efficiently
testing cores in parallel to save on time and cost. Challenges include..
1) Limited available IO pins for scan test;
2) Limited channels at the core level;
3) Potential routing congestion due to additional scan channels.
This is the easiest approach for small design but it can end up wasting bandwidth because the different
cores that are grouped together for testing can have different scan chain lengths and pattern counts.
Pin-Multiplexing
1) In initial design we have to
decide which core should
test parallel and which core
should skip..
2) We can use only available
IO pins so design cause
routing issue
How SSN is solution
1) Streaming Scan Network (SSN) : It reduces both DFT effort
and test time..
2) The width of the SSN bus is independent of the number of
scan channels per core, the number of scan channels at chip
level, and the number of cores in the design
3) The SSN architecture is flexible and easy routing congestion
and timing closure because it eliminates top-level test mode
muxing.
4) SSN bus is high speed synchronous bus to deliver the
SSN block diagram
1) SSN look like Ring Network
2) Each block contain 1 SSH
and it may contain Many
buses.
3) SSH is not directly connected
to another SSH through bus
only it is connecting.
4) BUS can connect to another
bus or SSH.
Detailed SSN
Bypass blocks
Bypass Blocks
In old picture Tap will control SSH.
Through mux Tap will control which core should tested
simultaneously and which core should skip according to
requirement… It is not hard wired, everything
preprogrammed by IJTAG..
While Validating SSN we have to check SSN Continuity that
each SSH is connected or not because SSN is connected as
Ring network and if any circuit is open then whole network
will fail..
SSH
1) Clk Gen : To generated DFT
signals like scan_en, edt_update.
2) IJTAG: signals which coming
from TAP cell.
3) Loopback: To check without EDT
SSH is working or not..
4) MUX: To bypass the SSH.
SSN With EDT
1) Host nodes generate DFT
signals locally, Host ensure that
the right data is picked up from
SSN and sent to scan input of
core and output of data placed at
bus..
2) Each node know what to do and
when to do based on
configuration steps of IJTAG.
Working
Block A and B having 5 & 4 scan channels. A packet is the total
amount of data needed to perform one shift cycle across both
cores. The packet size in this example is 9 bits. But SSN bus
width is 8 bits. so 1 bus cycle will get 8 bits so it will take 1
more bit from another bus cycle
How SSN is better
In Non-SSN capture cycle of all the
effected cores must be aligned if
multiple cores are there then bcz of
different scan chain length padded is
required and we have to compromise
with Time or Effort
In SSN Host node can shift
independently but capture occurs
once all core completed with
load-unload
Thank You
