level-sensitive scan design

(circuit design) (LSSD) A kind of scan design which uses separate system and scan clocks to distinguish between normal and test mode. Latches are used in pairs, each has a normal data input, data output and clock for system operation. For test operation, the two latches form a master/slave pair with one scan input, one scan output and non-overlapping scan clocks A and B which are held low during system operation but cause the scan data to be latched when pulsed high during scan.

	  ____
 	 |    |
  Sin ----|S   |
  A ------|>   |
 	 |   Q|---+--------------- Q1
  D1 -----|D   |   |
  CLK1 ---|>   |	  |
 	 |____|	  |    ____
 		  |   |	   |
 		  +---|S   |
  B -------------------|>   |
 		      |	  Q|------ Q2 / SOut
  D2 ------------------|D   |
  CLK2 ----------------|>   |
 		      |____|
In a single latch LSSD configuration, the second latch is used only for scan operation. Allowing it to be use as a second system latch reduces the silicon overhead.

(15 Feb 1995)