Whitepaper explains how new IEEE P1687 IJTAG standard will tap into embedded instrumentation

Richardson, TX (June, 2 2011) – In a new whitepaper from ASSET InterTech, Al Couch, ASSET’s chief technologist for core instrumentation and co-chairman of the IEEE P1687 IJTAG working group, explains how the standard will enable instruments that were originally embedded into chips for chip characterization and test can be re-used later in circuit board design validation, volume manufacturing test and field service troubleshooting. According to Crouch, the IEEE P1687 preliminary standard is expected to be ratified later this year or early 2012.

ASSET is a leading supplier of tools for embedded instrumentation.

The official title of this new standard is IEEE P1687 Standard for Access and Control of Instrumentation Embedded within a Semiconductor Device. Since the standard makes use of the IEEE 1149.1 boundary-scan or JTAG standard for physical access to embedded instruments, the new IEEE P1687 standard it is most often simply referred to as the Internal JTAG or IJTAG standard.

The whitepaper includes a section which describes and illustrates the on-chip IJTAG architecture. In addition, the paper also describes how validation, test and debug engineers will be able to deploy IJTAG-based tools to automate and schedule the operations of embedded instrument.