BEAVERTON, Ore. — Opmaxx Inc. has commercialized a built-in self-test (BIST) solution for systems-on-a-chip testing of mixed-signal, analog and digital circuits.

The only other announced analog built-in self-test comes from LogicVision, but the Opmaxx approach, called BISTMaxx, is far different in scope and technique.

Other BIST players include Duet Technologies, Mentor Graphics and Viewlogic Systems.

In separate announcements, Opmaxx (Beaverton, Ore.) said it was adding capabilities to its DesignMaxx and TestMaxx products. The new capabilities include yield optimization through transistor mismatch analysis, post-processing calculations and test-setup compaction.

The BISTMaxx product draws on proprietary work in oscillation BIST by Bozena Kaminska, Opmaxx's vice president and chief of technology, and others. It targets IP providers who must incorporate test into their cores.

Kaminska said the patented oscillation-BIST technique can test any analog or mixed-signal circuit — either functionally or structurally — including A/D and D/A converters, amplifiers, filters, phase-locked loops, and reliability and temperature sensors. It conducts the tests at-speed, with a single universal methodology no matter what function is under test.

"We have found no exceptions," Kaminska said. "The tests are of the highest quality, and the area and performance impact are minimal."

Mike Kondradt, vice president of marketing for Opmaxx, described BISTMaxx as a three-part solution: a comprehensive library of IP blocks, a uniform-control module and engineering-consulting services. The product also includes a family of software tools for insertion and fault analysis.

BISTMaxx is compatible with IEEE 1149.1 and other digital-scan techniques and offers several other benefits: It can be reused and controlled digitally and it provides both delay and interconnect testing.

"The BISTMaxx technology and its underlying methodology appear to be one of the first good methods for on-chip linear BIST," said Jerry Hutcheson, chief executive officer of VLSI Research Inc. "The oscillation approach is a straightforward adaptation of a commonsense way of diagnosing linear circuits."

The basic idea behind BISTMaxx is that any circuit can be made to oscillate by incorporating a feedback mechanism. The frequency of oscillation can be calculated or simulated and is a direct measure of the "health" of the circuit.

Any frequency deviation — which can signify a hard (catastrophic) or soft fault — can be measured on-chip, either by conversion to a digital number or a go/no-go comparison with a preset number. A third option is to route the results to an external test pin.

That makes BISTMaxx a generalized, or universal, vectorless digital-output BIST technique. Other methods for testing A/D converters on-chip, for example, apply only to a specific type of converter or application.

Kaminska said the oscillation technique "was not intrusive and would have low area and performance impact, to the extent of the small, high-quality, low-capacitance switches placed in the signal path or simple elements needed to form the oscillator." Kaminska said no changes in design flow were necessary.

Opmaxx said that test-cost savings would depend on the user's test approach and target markets. Capital-equipment savings could be enormous, given the Semiconductor Industry Association's price-tag projection of $12 million within three years for conventional ATE systems.

BISTMaxx licensing starts from $25,000.

The company will exhibit at booth 338 at next week's Design Automation Conference at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.