Jump to content

Universal Test Specification Language

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Datacom111 (talk | contribs) at 10:49, 8 May 2015. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

UTSL (Universal Test Specification Language) [1] is a programming language used to describe ASIC tests in a format that leads to an automated translation of the test specification into and executable test code. UTSL[1] is platform independent and provided a code generation interface for a specific platform is available, UTSL[1] code can be translated into the programming language of a specific ATE[2] (Automatic Test Equipment).

[3]

[4] [5] [6] [3] [7]



History

Increased complexity of ASICs lead to requirements of more complex test programs with longer development times. An automated test program generation could simplify and speed up this process. [8] [9]

[10] Teradyne Inc. together with Robert Bosch GmbH agreed to developed a concept and a tool chain for an automated test-program generation. To achieve this a tester independent programming language was required. Hence, UTSL[1], a programming language that enables detailed description of tests that can be translated into the ATE[2] specific programming language was developed. The ATE manufacturers need to provide a Test Program Generator that uses the UTSL[1] test description as inputs and generates the ATE[2]-specific test code with optimal resource mapping and best practice program code.

As long as the ATE manufacturer provides with the test program generator that can use UTSL[1] as an input the cumbersome task of translating a test program from one platform to another can be significantly simplified. In other words the task of rewriting of the test programs for a specific platform can be replaced by the automatically generating the code from the UTSL[1] based test specification. Prerequisite for this is that the UTSL[1] description of tests is sufficiently detailed with definition of the test technique as well as the description of all the necessary inputs and outputs.

Being a platform independent programming language, UTSL[1] allows the engineers to read, analyse and modify the tests in the test specification regardless of the ATE at which the testing of the ASIC will be done.

UTSL[1] is based on C# [11] , allows procedural programming and is class oriented. The classes contain sub-classes which in term have their sub-classes.[12]











UTSL[1] contains high amount of commands and test-functions. It also allows the usage of commonly known high level programming language syntax elements such as "if/then/else" and etc.








Design

UTSL[1] is a C# like language where the test are defined as blocks of code. Simple tests such a forcing current and measuring voltage or visa versa can be easily written in UTSL[1] and with the means of the ATE (Automatic Test Equipment) specific code generator translated into testable code (see the picture1).

UTSL[1] allows the user to set the instruments ranges and clamps in order to guarantee the measurement precision and to prevent the measurements from exceeding the instrument clamp values. The current UTSL[1] capabilities can cover c.a. 70% of the required test specification for ASIC testing. For the remaining 30% one could use the option of writing comments in an informal form as it was done in the past. The vision is that in the future UTSL[1] will be capable of covering close to 100% of the testing requirements.

UTSL[1] supports language features such as: 

  Flow control - "if/then/else, select/case" 
  Loops - "for, while, for each" 
  Data types - "int, double, bool, string" 
  Numerical operators - "=, +, -, *, /, %, **, --, &, |, <<, >>" 
  Logical operators - "==, <, >, >=, <=, !=, ^" 
  Arrays - "declare, resize, and [] operator"

Furthermore specialized classes for testing were added: 

  Pin and PinList classes - "for the test board specifics" 
  TestEnvironment class - "wafer level vs final testing" 
  SerialPort and SerialDataFrame classes - "for device serial communications" 
  Evaluate class - "data-logs the results and compares the results to the defined limits"

UTSL[1] also supports the unitls and scales wherever floating point numbers are used. This is essential for a language that describes a test program where the values can be returned as "V, mV, uV, A, mA, uA" and etc.


picture1


Also more complex tests such as serial communications with ASIC that require write and/or read to and from register can be easily implemented using UTSL[1]. The example below shows a test where a certain trim code is written to a register and based on the trim code the internal regulator steps in voltage which is read back (see the picture2).

picture2


Additionally, UTSL[1] allows the user to define the state of the instrument i.e. connected to the pin, or disconnected from the pin.

Advantages

  • UTSL[1] needs to be learnt once unlike the ATE[2] specific languages that can vary from one ATE[2] manufacturer to another
  • It it easier to reuse test methods written in UTSL because the test code is not dependent on the specific ATE instruments
  • UTSL[1] as a standardized language is easier for people other than the code author to be read and debugged
  • The separation of the test specification from the tester dependant instruments makes it easier to switch the program to a tester with a different configuration
  • Test program matches the test-spec which matches the design specification hence, reducing the chances of inconsistencies

Disadvantages

  • Test engineers need to be trained and learn the UTSL[1] programming language
  • The use of UTSL[1] does not necessarily eliminate the need to learn the ATE specific language
  • UTSL[1] is sequential which means the tests can not run concurrently

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y R. Baumann, N. Nebel, “Die automatische Generierung von Testprogrammen im täglichen Einsatz”, 27. GI/GMM/ITG-Workshop, Bad Urach 2015, page 59.
  2. ^ a b c d e https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_test_equipment
  3. ^ a b A. Drappa, P. Huber und J. Vollmar, “Automatic Test Program Generation for Automotive Devices”, 23. GI/GMM/ITG-Workshop Universität Passau, 2011, Seite 81.
  4. ^ A. Drappa, P. Huber und J. Vollmar, “Automatic Test Program Generation for Automotive Devices”, 23. GI/GMM/ITG-Workshop Universität Passau, 2011, Seite 81.
  5. ^ R. Baumann und N. Nebel, “Automated Test Program Generation for Automotive Devices”, Teradyne User Group (TUG) Conference, Fort Worth, TX, 2013.
  6. ^ R. Baumann und N. Nebel, “Integrating Automated Test Program Generation in Your Daily Workflow Saves Time”, Teradyne User Group (TUG) Conference, Anaheim, California, 2014.
  7. ^ https://www.vde.com/de/fg/GMM/Arbeitsgebiete/FB6/Seiten/UTSLUniversalTestSpecificationLanguage.aspx
  8. ^ A. Drappa, J. Vollmar und P. Huber, “Automatic Test Program Generation for Automotive Devices”, International Test Conference (ITC), Austin, Texas USA, 2010, Paper 17.1.
  9. ^ https://www.ieee.org/conferences_events/conferences/conferencedetails/index.html?Conf_ID=32654
  10. ^ http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/articleDetails.jsp?arnumber=5699253&tag=1
  11. ^ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C_shell
  12. ^ “UTSL Universal Test Specification Language”. http://www.vde.com/de/fg/GMM/Arbeitsgebiete/FB7/FA7.1/Documents/utsl_reference.pdf .
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Universal_Test_Specification_Language&oldid=661394250"