This book first provides a comprehensive coverage of state-of-the-art
validation solutions based on real-time signal tracing to guarantee the
correctness of VLSI circuits. The authors discuss several key challenges
in post-silicon validation and provide automated solutions that are
systematic and cost-effective. A series of automatic tracing solutions
and innovative design for debug (DfD) techniques are described,
including techniques for trace signal selection for enhancing visibility
of functional errors, a multiplexed signal tracing strategy for
improving functional error detection, a tracing solution for debugging
electrical errors, an interconnection fabric for increasing data
bandwidth and supporting multi-core debug, an interconnection fabric
design and optimization technique to increase transfer flexibility and a
DfD design and associated tracing solution for improving debug
efficiency and expanding tracing window. The solutions presented in this
book improve the validation quality of VLSI circuits, and ultimately
enable the design and fabrication of reliable electronic devices.