Built-in self-testing of integrated circuits

Patent Granted BIST is used to make faster, less-expensive integrated circuit manufacturing tests. The IC has a function that verifies all or a portion of the internal functionality of the IC. In some cases, this is valuable to customers, as well. For example, a BIST mechanism is provided in advanced fieldbus systems to verify functionality. At a high level this can be viewed similar to the PC BIOS's power-on self-test (POST) that performs a self-test of the RAM and buses on power-up.