Method and apparatus for evaluating and optimizing a signaling system
First Claim
1. An integrated circuit, comprising:
- circuitry to generate a repeating pattern signal during a test mode; and
circuitry to serially transmit a signal to a receiver, the signal comprising a data signal during a normal mode and the repeating pattern signal during the test mode, where the circuitry is to serially transmit the repeating pattern signal to the receiver during the test mode using alternate values of at least one transmission parameter affecting proper reception of the repeating pattern signal by the receiver; and
where the integrated circuit is during the normal mode to apply an operating value for the at least one parameter to transmit the data signal, the operating value selected in dependence on the evaluation of the repeating pattern signal serially transmitted during the test mode as received by the receiver.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for evaluating and optimizing a signaling system is described. A pattern of test information is generated in a transmit circuit of the system and is transmitted to a receive circuit. A similar pattern of information is generated in the receive circuit and used as a reference. The receive circuit compares the patterns. Any differences between the patterns are observable. In one embodiment, a linear feedback shift register (LFSR) is implemented to produce patterns. An embodiment of the present disclosure may be practiced with various types of signaling systems, including those with single-ended signals and those with differential signals. An embodiment of the present disclosure may be applied to systems communicating a single bit of information on a single conductor at a given time and to systems communicating multiple bits of information on a single conductor simultaneously.
123 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An integrated circuit, comprising:
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circuitry to generate a repeating pattern signal during a test mode; and circuitry to serially transmit a signal to a receiver, the signal comprising a data signal during a normal mode and the repeating pattern signal during the test mode, where the circuitry is to serially transmit the repeating pattern signal to the receiver during the test mode using alternate values of at least one transmission parameter affecting proper reception of the repeating pattern signal by the receiver; and where the integrated circuit is during the normal mode to apply an operating value for the at least one parameter to transmit the data signal, the operating value selected in dependence on the evaluation of the repeating pattern signal serially transmitted during the test mode as received by the receiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of evaluating a value of at least one parameter used by a transmitter in an integrated circuit, the parameter affecting serial transmission of a signal to a receiver, the method comprising:
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generating a repeating pattern signal during a test mode; serially transmitting the signal to the receiver, where the signal comprises a data signal during a normal mode and the repeating pattern signal during the test mode; during a first iteration of serially transmitting the repeating pattern signal during the test mode, using a first value of the at least one parameter; during a second iteration of serially transmitting the repeating pattern signal during the test mode, using a second value of the at least one parameter, the first and second values being alternate values of the at least one parameter, such that in the respective iterations, the repeating pattern signal is serially transmitted using the alternate values of the at least one parameter; selecting an operating value for the at least one parameter to transmit the data signal in dependence on the evaluation of the repeating pattern signal serially transmitted during the test mode as received by the receiver; and applying the operating value within the integrated circuit during the normal mode to serially transmit the data signal to the receiver. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An integrated circuit to connect to a receiver via an electrical conductor coupling the integrated circuit and the receiver, the integrated circuit comprising:
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circuitry to generate a repeating pattern signal during a test mode; and circuitry to serially and differentially transmit a signal to the receiver via the electrical conductor, the signal comprising a data signal during a normal mode and the repeating pattern signal during the test mode, using in a first iteration a first value of at least two alternate values of a transmission parameter to transmit the repeating pattern signal during the test mode, the parameter affecting proper reception of the signal at the receiver, and using in a second iteration a second value of the at least two alternate values of the parameter to transmit the repeating pattern signal during the test mode, such that the repeating pattern signal is serially and differentially transmitted using alternate values of the at least one parameter; and where the integrated circuit is to apply a specific value of the at least one parameter for use in serially and differentially transmitting the data signal during the normal operating mode, responsive to receipt at the receiver of the repeating pattern signal transmitted using the alternate values; where the at least one parameter includes at least one of a timing parameter a voltage parameter or an output drive level influencing ability to distinguish logic levels of the data signal at the receiver. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification