Meaning
A standardized syntax designed to describe the test architectures and register configurations of modular silicon blocks simplifies the reuse of test scripts in larger systems. Integrators use core test language to exchange test data across different design teams without exposing the proprietary intellectual property of the block. It enables automated test equipment to interpret the test patterns of individual circuit blocks and apply them at the chip level.
Test Description
Declarative blocks in the syntax define the ports, scan paths, and operational modes of the embedded block. The language allows engineers to specify how test patterns are applied to the core boundaries during assembly. Test benches use these descriptions to simulate and verify core-level behavior in larger system integrations.
Hierarchical Integration
Automation tools process the description file to map core-level stimulus to the top-level pins of the integrated circuit. This mapping eliminates the need for manual test pattern conversion by the silicon design engineer. The hierarchal approach simplifies the engineering effort required to integrate diverse IP blocks from multiple vendors.
Syntactic Structure
The grammar relies on structured blocks that separate the test configurations from the functional operation modes. This separation ensures that test automation engines can parse the test infrastructure of a device independently from its application logic. Parsers use the resulting files to generate testing routines.