Initially the boundary-scan technology was invented for board testing purposes only to overcome the access problems introduced by surface mount package types. In due time it turned out that in addition to board testing, boundary-scan can also be applied to support other engineering tasks without a need to have all devices to be equipped with boundary-scan. Such tasks are:

• In-system programming of almost all types of CPLDs and flash memories, regardless of size or package type, on the board, after PCB assembly.

• In-system programming of special programable devices using various types of serial protocols.

• System level testing via external access or using embedded techniques. 

This section of the website provides an overview of the devices supported by JTAG Technologies to create boundary-scan applications for the above-mentioned activities. Moreover, links to IC-vendor websites are provided to download the BSDL files, necessary for automated application generation.

SCIP and SCIL

The SCIP (Serially Controlled IC Programmer) series is JTAG Technologies latest solution to programming internal memories (typically embedded) flash)within microcontrollers,microprocessors and DSPs. Devices from AD, Atmel, Freescale, Infineon, Microchip, NXP, Renesas, SI Labs, ST Micros and TI are supported using not only the standard JTAG interface but also a variety of 'other' serial busses.

Examples of 'other' interfaces are BDM (Background Debug Mode), PIC, Mono-8, I2C and SPI. When accessing devices using interfaces other than JTAG an additional SCIL (Scan Configurable Interface Logic) hardware module is required to be fitted into the JTAG DataBlaster TAP pod socket. An example of a SCIL module is JT 2149/MPV-018 for Freescale BDM compatible microprocessors. SCIL modules can be installed along side conventional JT 2149 TAP modules.