Tuning a testing apparatus for measuring skew
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- configuring a programmable clock source in a testing apparatus by selecting a configuration of the clock source from a plurality of pre-defined configurations of the clock source, wherein each configuration of the clock source corresponds to a respective frequency response of the testing apparatus different from frequency responses of other configurations of the clock source, and wherein each of the respective frequency responses represents a respective change of output power of the clock source as a function of frequency, and wherein each of the respective frequency responses of the plurality of pre-defined configurations includes frequency content used by a respective target computing system in a plurality of target computing systems, wherein the frequency content includes a range of frequencies used by the respective target computing system during operation;
processing a reference clock signal using the configured clock source to generate a modified clock signal that is uniquely generated by the selected pre-defined configuration of the clock source;
driving a testing signal based on the modified clock signal onto a plurality of conductors, wherein the plurality of conductors are configured to be used in one of the plurality of target computing systems; and
measuring skew between the plurality of conductors in response to driving the testing signal.
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Abstract
Embodiments herein discuss tuning a testing apparatus to better match the input response of a target system in which a cable will be used. For example, conductors in the cable may have a different skew depending on the system in which they are used. The testing apparatus may be tuned using frequency information regarding the type of signals that will be driven on the cable when installed in the target system. In one embodiment, the testing apparatus uses the frequency information to configure a programmable clock source that can be used to shape a reference clock and control a driver to match the signals in the target system. Using the clock source to modify the reference clock results in the driver outputting a testing signal that better reflects the actual signals that will be transmitted on the cable in the target system.
36 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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configuring a programmable clock source in a testing apparatus by selecting a configuration of the clock source from a plurality of pre-defined configurations of the clock source, wherein each configuration of the clock source corresponds to a respective frequency response of the testing apparatus different from frequency responses of other configurations of the clock source, and wherein each of the respective frequency responses represents a respective change of output power of the clock source as a function of frequency, and wherein each of the respective frequency responses of the plurality of pre-defined configurations includes frequency content used by a respective target computing system in a plurality of target computing systems, wherein the frequency content includes a range of frequencies used by the respective target computing system during operation; processing a reference clock signal using the configured clock source to generate a modified clock signal that is uniquely generated by the selected pre-defined configuration of the clock source; driving a testing signal based on the modified clock signal onto a plurality of conductors, wherein the plurality of conductors are configured to be used in one of the plurality of target computing systems; and measuring skew between the plurality of conductors in response to driving the testing signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A testing apparatus, comprising:
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a clock adjustor configured to; configure a programmable clock source by selecting a configuration of the clock source from a plurality of pre-defined configurations of the clock source, wherein each configuration of the clock source corresponds to a respective frequency response of the testing apparatus different from frequency responses of other configurations of the clock source, and wherein each of the respective frequency responses represents a respective change of output power of the clock source as a function of frequency, and wherein each of the respective frequency responses of the plurality of pre-defined configurations includes frequency content used by a respective target computing system of a plurality of target computing systems, wherein the frequency content includes a range of frequencies used by the respective target computing system during operation, and process a reference clock signal using the configured clock source to generate a modified clock signal that is uniquely generated by the selected pre-defined configuration of the clock source; a driver configured to drive a testing signal based on the modified clock signal onto a plurality of conductors, wherein the plurality of conductors are configured to be used in one of the plurality of target computing systems; and a skew calculator configured to measure skew between the plurality of conductors in response to driving the testing signal. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer program product for testing a plurality of conductors, the computer program product comprising:
a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied therewith, the computer-readable program code executable by one or more computer processors to; configure a programmable clock source in a testing apparatus by selecting a configuration of the clock source from a plurality of pre-defined configurations of the clock source, wherein each configuration of the clock source corresponds to a respective frequency response of the testing apparatus different from frequency responses of other configurations of the clock source, and wherein each of the respective frequency responses represents a respective change of output power of the clock source as a function of frequency, and wherein each of the respective frequency responses of the plurality of pre-defined configurations includes frequency content used by a respective target computing system of a plurality of target computing systems wherein the frequency content includes a range of frequencies used by the respective target computing system during operation; process a reference clock signal using the configured clock source to generate a modified clock signal that is uniquely generated by the selected pre-defined configuration of the clock source; drive a testing signal based on the modified clock signal onto a plurality of conductors, wherein the plurality of conductors are configured to be used in one of the plurality of target computing systems; and measure skew associated with the conductors in response to driving the testing signal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
Specification