Automatic analog test & compensation with built-in pattern generator & analyzer

• US 20060020865A1
• Filed: 07/22/2005
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auburn University
• Original Assignee: Auburn University
• Inventors: Dai, Fa, Stroud, Charles E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,428,683 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/738
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3167 Testing of combined analog and digital circuits testing ADC's H03M1/1071
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31813 Test pattern generators

Abstract

A built-in-self test (BIST) scheme for analog circuitry functionality tests such as frequency response, gain, cut-off frequency, signal-to-noise ratio, and linearity measurement. The BIST scheme utilizes a built-in direct digital synthesizer (DDS) as the test pattern generator that can generate various test waveforms such as chirp, ramp, step frequency, two-tone frequencies, sweep frequencies, MSK, phase modulation, amplitude modulation, QAM and other hybrid modulations. The BIST scheme utilizes a multiplier followed by an accumulator as the output response analyzer (ORA). The multiplier extracts the spectrum information at the desired frequency without using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and the accumulator picks up the DC component by averaging the multiplier output.

Claims

1. A linearity measurement circuit, comprising:

a. a test pattern generator for generating a first sine wave pattern, a second sine wave pattern, and a third sine wave pattern, each sine wave pattern in the form of a digital signal, wherein the first sine wave pattern and the second sine wave pattern are summed by an adder and supplied to a D-A converter and an analog circuit under test;

b. an A-D converter operative to convert an analog signal outputted from the analog circuit under test to a digital output signal; and

c. an output response analyzer including a first multiplier and accumulator pair for multiplying and accumulating the digital output signal and the second sine wave pattern to generate a first signal power, and a second multiplier and accumulator pair for multiplying and accumulating the digital output signal and the third sine wave pattern to generate a second signal power.

2. The circuit of claim 1 wherein the test pattern generator comprises a plurality of direct digital synthesizers (DDS) outputting the sine wave patterns.

3. The circuit of claim 2 wherein each DDS comprises an accumulator and a read-only memory (ROM).

4. The circuit of claim 3 wherein the ROM is a look-up table.

5. The circuit of claim 1 wherein a set of phase delay measurements from the circuit correct a linearity measurement.

6. The circuit of claim 1, further comprising a multiplexer configured to timeshare the output response analyzer.

7. The circuit of claim 5 wherein the linearity measurement monitors performance of an analog circuit and adaptively adjust the analog circuit.

8. The circuit of claim 1 wherein the linearity measurement circuit is incorporated in an Applications-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) for making on-chip measurements.

9. The circuit of claim 1 wherein the linearity measurement circuit is incorporated in an ASIC for making in-system measurements.

10. The circuit of claim 1 wherein the linearity measurement circuit is incorporated in an external test device for manufacturing testing of an analog circuit.

11. The circuit of claim 1 wherein the linearity measurement circuit is synthesized into a programmable logic device for off-line test, measurement and compensation.

12. The circuit of claim 11 wherein the programmable logic device is an FPGA.

13. The circuit of claim 1 wherein the circuit is used for test, measurement and compensation of an RF circuit.

14. A phase and gain measurement circuit, comprising:

a. a test pattern generator for generating a sine wave pattern and a cosine wave pattern, each wave pattern in the form of a digital signal, and supplying the sine wave pattern to a D-A converter and an analog circuit under test;

b. an A-D converter operative to convert an analog signal outputted from the analog circuit under test to a digital output signal; and

c. an output response analyzer including a first multiplier and accumulator pair for multiplying and accumulating the digital output signal and the sine wave pattern to generate a first signal power and a second multiplier and accumulator pair for multiplying and accumulating the digital output signal and the cosine wave pattern to generate a second signal power.

15. The circuit of claim 14 wherein the test pattern generator comprises a plurality of direct digital synthesizers (DDS) outputting the sine wave pattern and the cosine wave pattern.

16. The circuit of claim 15 wherein each DDS comprises an accumulator and a read-only memory (ROM).

17. The circuit of claim 16 wherein the ROM is a look-up table.

18. The circuit of claim 14 wherein a frequency response including at least one of a gain and phase delay measurement is measured by the phase-and-gain measurement circuit.

19. The circuit of claim 18 wherein the phase delay measurements from the phase-and-gain measurement circuit are used to correct a linearity measurement.

20. The circuit of claim 18 wherein the phase-and-gain measurement circuit with the phase delay measurements correct a signal-to-noise ratio.

21. The circuit of claim 18 wherein the at least one of a gain-and-phase measurement measurements monitor performance of an analog circuit and adaptively adjusts the analog circuit.

22. The circuit of claim 14 wherein the phase-and-gain measurement circuit is incorporated in an ASIC for making on-chip measurements.

23. The circuit of claim 14 wherein the phase-and-gain measurement circuit is incorporated in an ASIC for making in-system measurements.

24. The circuit of claim 14 wherein the phase-and-gain measurement circuit is incorporated in an external test device for manufacturing testing of an analog circuit.

25. The circuit of claim 14 wherein the phase-and-gain measurement circuit is synthesized into a programmable logic device for off-line test, measurement and compensation.

26. The circuit of claim 25 wherein the programmable logic device is an FPGA.

27. The circuit of claim 14 wherein the circuit is used for test, measurement and compensation of RF circuits.

28. The circuit of claim 14, further comprising a multiplexer configured to timeshare the output response analyzer.

29. A signal-to-noise measurement circuit, comprising:

a. a test pattern generator for generating a first sine wave pattern, a second sine wave pattern, and a cosine wave pattern, each sine wave pattern in the form of a digital signal, wherein the first sine wave pattern is supplied to a D-A converter and an analog circuit under test;

b. an A-D converter operative to convert an analog signal outputted from the analog circuit under test to a digital output signal; and

c. an output response analyzer including a first multiplier and accumulator pair for multiplying and accumulating the digital output signal and the second sine wave pattern to generate a first signal power, and a second multiplier and accumulator pair for multiplying and accumulating the digital output signal and the cosine wave pattern to generate a second signal power.

30. The circuit of claim 29 wherein the test pattern generator comprises a plurality of direct digital synthesizers (DDS) outputting the sine wave patterns and the cosine wave patterns.

31. The circuit of claim 30 wherein each of the DDS includes an accumulator and a read-only memory (ROM).

32. The circuit of claim 31 wherein the ROM is a look-up table.

33. The circuit of claim 29 wherein the signal-to-noise measurement circuit uses a set of phase delay measurements to measure the signal-to-noise ratio.

34. The circuit of claim 33 wherein the set of signal-to-noise measurements monitor performance of an analog circuit and adaptively adjusts the analog circuit.

35. The circuit of claim 29 wherein the signal-to-noise measurement circuit is incorporated in an ASIC for making on-chip measurements.

36. The circuit of claim 29 wherein the signal-to-noise measurement circuit is incorporated in an ASIC for making in-system measurements.

37. The circuit of claim 29 wherein the signal-to-noise measurement circuit is incorporated in an external test device for manufacturing testing of an analog circuit.

38. The circuit of claim 29 wherein the signal-to-noise measurement circuit is synthesized into a programmable logic device for off-line test, measurement and compensation.

39. The circuit of claim 38 wherein the programmable logic device is an FPGA.

40. The circuit of claim 29 wherein the signal-to-noise measurement circuit is used for test, measurement and Compensation of an RF circuit.

41. The circuit of claim 29, further comprising a multiplexer configured to timeshare the output response analyzer.

42. A built-in self test (BIST) architecture for an analog circuit functionality test, the BIST architecture comprising:

a. a direct digital synthesizer (DDS) configured to generate a test waveform;

b. a D-A converter configured to receive and convert the test waveform to an analog signal, wherein the analog signal is an input signal for a device under test;

c. an A-D converter configured to receive an output from the device under test, and further configured to convert the output to a digital signal; and

d. an output response analyzer (ORA), wherein the ORA includes;

i. a multiplier configured to receive the digital signal and the test waveform, and further configured to extract a set of spectrum information at a desired frequency; and

ii. an accumulator coupled to the multiplier, wherein the accumulator is configured to average an output of the multiplier, wherein the test waveform is generated over a number of clock cycles and the accumulator collects the output from the analog circuit.