Signal identification method and apparatus for analogue electrical systems

• US 20060259161A1
• Filed: 05/10/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dixon, Robert Christopher, Hartfiel, John Wayne, Pham, Tung Nguyen, Le, Hein Minh
• Granted Patent: US 7,266,463 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/25
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3167 Testing of combined analog and digital circuits testing ADC's H03M1/1071
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31924 Voltage or current aspects, e.g. driver, receiver

Abstract

An apparatus, a method, and a computer program product are provided for identifying signals in analogue electrical systems. The ID select signals that control the timing of this signal identification circuit comprise sequential numbers that count up and identify a corresponding signal. The signals to be identified are located on a group of input/output (I/O) pins. One multiplexer (first) selects a specific I/O pin in response to the ID select signals. An isolated voltage source is connected to this multiplexer and provides the selected signal to another multiplexer (second). The second multiplexer switches from this isolated voltage source to ground potential in response to the ID select signals. The isolated voltage source floats at the DC level of the selected I/O driver pin. Therefore, by connecting to the selected signal'"'"'s I/O pin and the output of the second multiplexer, the selected signal can be identified and then probed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for identifying signals in analogue electrical systems by utilizing identification (ID) select signals comprising:

a plurality of input/output (I/O) pins that correspond to a plurality of signals;

at least one first multiplexer which interfaces at least one isolated voltage source, and that is at least configured to select a corresponding I/O pin of the plurality of I/O pins in response to the ID select signals;

at least one isolated voltage source which interfaces at least one second multiplexer, and that is at least configured to produce an alternating current (AC) signal in response to the ID select signals; and

at least one second multiplexer that is at least configured to select the at least one isolated voltage source or ground in response to the ID select signals.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ID select signals comprise sequential numbers that count up and identify the corresponding I/O pin of the plurality of I/O pins.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of signals are input signals, output signals, or bi-directional signals.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one first multiplexer further comprises an internal switch that connects the at least one isolated voltage source to the corresponding I/O pin of the plurality of I/O pins in response to the ID select signals.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one second multiplexer further comprises an internal switch that connects an ID/GND pin to the at least one isolated voltage source or ground in response to the ID select signals.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one isolated voltage source is not referenced to ground and floats at the voltage level of the corresponding I/O pin of the plurality of I/O pins in response to the ID select signals.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

at least one ID signal lookup table that is at least configured to store information about the plurality of signals; and

at least one modulator that interfaces the at least one ID signal lookup table and the at least one isolated voltage source.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one ID signal lookup table is at least configured to receive the ID select signals and transmit information about the plurality of signals.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one modulator is at least configured to control the voltage of the at least one isolated voltage source in response to the output of the at least one ID signal lookup table.

10. A method for identifying signals in analogue electrical systems by utilizing ID select signals comprising:

generating ID select signals that identify a plurality of signals;

selecting one of a plurality of I/O pins that corresponds to one of the plurality of signals in response to the ID select signals

producing an AC signal from the selected signal of the plurality of signals in response to the ID select signals;

selecting the AC signal or ground potential in response to the ID select signals; and

identifying the selected signal of the plurality of signals by the AC signal.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the generating step further comprises generating ID select signals that contain sequential numbers that count up and identify a corresponding I/O pin of the plurality of I/O pins.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the producing step further comprises utilizing an isolated voltage source to produce the AC signal.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the selecting step further comprises selecting the AC signal to identify the selected signal of the plurality of signals and selecting ground potential to probe the selected signal of the plurality of signals.

14. A computer program product for identifying signals in analogue electrical systems by utilizing ID select signals, with the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, wherein the computer program comprises:

computer code for generating ID select signals that identify a plurality of signals;

computer code for selecting one of a plurality of I/O pins that corresponds to one of the plurality of signals in response to the ID select signals

computer code for producing an AC signal from the selected signal of the plurality of signals in response to the ID select signals;

computer code for selecting the AC signal or ground potential in response to the ID select signals; and

computer code for identifying the selected signal of the plurality of signals by the AC signal.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer code for generating ID select signals further comprises generating ID select signals that contain sequential numbers that count up and identify a corresponding I/O pin of the plurality of I/O pins.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer code for producing an AC signal further comprises utilizing an isolated voltage source to produce the AC signal.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer code for selecting the AC signal or ground potential further comprises selecting the AC signal to identify the selected signal of the plurality of signals and selecting ground potential to probe the selected signal of the plurality of signals.