Hardware and software tools for microprocessor functional test

The GAPT project (automatic generation of test programs for microprocessors) is in its final phase. The various components of the project (method, software tools and hardware environment) are presented. A behavioral test method of programmable circuits based on the notion of behavioral sequential machine and the identification principle is proposed. A system for automated generation of microprocessor test programs has been realized: starting from a concise description of the microprocessor, GAPT generates the test programs in assembly languages and the successive signal configurations. Using GAPT, the test program of a microprocess can be generated within a few weeks. A specific test environment has been designed and realized: it allows automatic test program generation and is able to handle large test programs; thus the duration is not prohibitive (according to the chosen option, the test duration is from a few seconds to a few minutes for a MC68000)