This paper proposes an operation-region model for analyzing and testing analog and mixed-signal circuits, which is based on observation of change in MOSFET operation regions. First, the relation between the change in MOSFET operation regions and the fault behavior of a mixed-signal circuit containing a bridging fault is investigated. Next, we propose an analysis procedure based on the operation-region model and apply it to generate the optimal input combination for testing the circuit. We also determine which transistors should be observed in order to estimate the circuit behavior. Since the operation-region model is a method for modeling circuit behavior abstractly, the proposed method will be useful for modeling circuit behavior and for analyzing and testing many kinds of analog and mixed-signal circuits.

This paper proposes a novel method to realize an input stage for a rail-to-rail operational transconductance amplifier (OTA). The proposed input stage consists of single channel type MOSFETs. Therefore no matching is necessary between n-channel MOSFETs and p-channel MOSFETs unlike conventional methods. The proposed input stage is composed of three MOSFETs which operate in plural operation regions. Nevertheless a combination of drain currents of the three MOSFETs is proportional to an input voltage which varies between two power-supply rails. A circuit configuration to realize a rail-to-rail OTA with the proposed input stage is also proposed. The operation principle and the validity of the proposed circuit are confirmed through HSPICE simulations.

The relationship between the change in transistor operation regions and the fault behavior of a mixed-signal circuit having a bridging fault was investigated. We also discussed determination of transistors to be observed for estimating the fault behavior. These results will be useful for modeling faulty behaviors and analyzing and diagnosing faults in mixed-signal circuits.