Evolutionary derivation of optimal test sets for neural network based analog and mixed signal circuits fault diagnosis approach

Testing issues are becoming more and more important with the quick development of both digital and analog circuit industry. In this paper, we study the utilization of evolutionary algorithms for optimal input vectors derivation of neural network based analog and mixed signal circuits fault diagnosis approach and compare the results with normal method. We have introduced a new procedure which uses the n-detection test set concept and selects the input samples in a way that for each case of fault injection, there will be at least n sample to activate that fault. This procedure performs the optimization in two ways. The first one called speed method generates samples in a way that acceptable decision strength and lower training phase duration would be achieved. The second one called stamina method generates samples in a way that best decision strength and higher training phase duration would be achieved. Experimental results demonstrate that the obtained input voltages yields fault diagnosis with increased fault coverage and high decision strength.