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Abstract

A reconfigurable built-in self-test ('BIST') engine for testing a reconfigurable memory is disclosed. The BIST engine executes a test on a memory for detecting faults. If the memory under test fails the test executed by the BIST engine, a decision is made depending on whether it is possible to reconfigure the memory under test. If memory reconfiguration is possible, the memory under test is reconfigured, such as by disabling the bad half of the memory under test. Once the memory under test is reconfigured, the BIST engine is also reconfigured in a manner appropriate for the type of BIST engine--centralized or distributed. In the case of a centralized BIST engine, a centralized BIST controller is modified to generate addresses corresponding only to the good half of the memory under test. In the case of a distributed BIST engine, a BIST meta-controller is modified to disable distributed BIST engines corresponding to memory sub-blocks in the bad half of the memory under test and to ignore error signals reported by any such disabled distributed BIST engines. The reconfigured memory under test is then tested with the reconfigured BIST engine.

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First Claim