A Simulation-Based Directed-Search Method for Test Generation

A simulation-based directed-search approach for generating tests for digital circuits is developed. The search for a test vector for any given fault is conducted in the space of all input vectors. In order to determine the direction of move, all vectors at unit Hamming distance from the current vector are simulated. On the basis of the simulation result, the cost of finding a test for the given fault is computed and the vector with the minimum cost is chosen as the next vector.