Board-level prototype validation: a built-in controller and extended BST architecture

Prototype validation is a major concern in modern electronic products design and development. Simulation, structural test, functional and timing debug are all forming parts of the validation process, although very often addressed as dissociated tasks. In this paper we describe an integrated approach to board-level prototype validation, based on a set of mandatory / optional BST instructions and a built-in controller for debug and test, that addresses the late mentioned tasks as inherent parts of a whole process.