Testing of termination circuits in SCSI bus controllers

• US 6,973,596 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2002
• Issued: 12/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Halphide, Keith R., Lund, Timothy B., Norgaard, Steven P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): MASKULINSKI, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US10/219,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20040034812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 714/43, 714/44, 702/58, 702/59, 702/64, 324/522, 326/30
• US Class Current: 714/43
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/221 to test buses, lines or interfaces, e.g. stuck-at or open line faults
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/243 at the transmitter, using a loop-back

Abstract

Embodiments are provided for testing termination circuits in SCSI bus controllers. In one embodiment, the termination circuits are tested by sending test data between respective SCSI controllers of the termination circuits for varying enabled/disabled statuses of the termination circuits.

Claims

1. A method of testing termination circuits, comprising:

providing a bus having a first end and a second end, a first termination circuit coupled to the first end, and a second termination circuit coupled to the second end;

enabling the first termination circuit by a first bus controller and disabling the second termination circuit by a second bus controller;

sending first test signals to the bus from the first bus controller,

receiving by the second bus controller second test signals from the bus corresponding to the first test signals; and

determining by the second bus controller that the first termination circuit is defective if the second test signals are not the same as the first test signals.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

disabling the first termination circuit by the first bus controller and enabling the second termination circuit by the second bus controller if the second test signals are the same as the first test signals;

sending third test signals to the bus from the first bus controller;

receiving by the second bus controller fourth test signals from the bus corresponding to the third test signals; and

determining by the second bus controller that the second termination circuit is defective if the fourth test signals are not the same as the third test signals.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining that the first and second termination circuits are not defective if the fourth test signals are the same as the third test signals.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second bus controllers (a) comprise the first and second termination circuits, respectively, (b) are coupled to the first and second ends of the bus, respectively, and (c) are configured to enable/disable the first and second termination circuits, respectively.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the bus is a SCSI bus.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second bus controllers are SCSI bus controllers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the bus is a SCSI bus.

8. A digital system for testing termination circuits, comprising:

a bus having a first end and a second end;

a first termination circuit coupled to the first end;

a second termination circuit coupled to the second end;

a first bus controller configured to;

enable the first termination circuit,

send first test signals to the bus, and

a second controller configured to;

disable the second termination circuit,

receive second test signals from the bus corresponding to the first test signals, and

determine that the first termination circuit is defective if the second test signals are not the same as the first test signals.

9. The digital system of claim 8, wherein:

the first bus controller is further configured to;

disable the first termination circuit if the second test signals are the same as the first test signals,

send third test signals to the bus,

the second bus controller is further configured to;

enable the second termination circuit if the second test signals are the same as the first test signals,

receive fourth test signals from the bus corresponding to the third test signals, and

determine that the second termination circuit is defective if the fourth test signals are not the same as the third test signals.

10. The digital system of claim 9, wherein the digital system is configured to determine that the first and second termination circuits are not defective if the fourth test signals are the same as the third test signals.

11. The digital system of claim 9, wherein the first and second bus controllers:

comprise the first and second termination circuits, respectively,

are coupled to the first and second ends of the bus, respectively, and

are configured to enable/disable the first and second termination circuits, respectively.

12. The digital system of claim 11, wherein the first and second bus controllers are SCSI bus controllers.

13. The digital system of claim 11, wherein the bus is a SCSI bus.

14. The digital system of claim 8, wherein the bus is a SCSI bus.

15. A method of testing termination circuits, comprising:

providing a bus having a first end and a second end, a first termination circuit coupled to the first end, and a second termination circuit coupled to the second end;

enabling the first and second termination circuits;

sending first test signals to the bus;

receiving second test signals from the bus corresponding to the first test signals; and

determining that both the first and second termination circuits are defective if the second test signals are not the same as the first test signals.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

enabling the first termination circuit and disabling the second termination circuit if the second test signals are the same as the first test signals;

sending third test signals to the bus;

receiving fourth test signals from the bus corresponding to the third test signals; and

determining that the first termination circuit is defective if the fourth test signals are not the same as the third test signals.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

disabling the first termination circuit and enabling the second termination circuit if the fourth test signals are the same as the third test signals;

sending fifth test signals to the bus;

receiving sixth test signals from the bus corresponding to the fifth test signals; and

determining that the second termination circuit is defective if the sixth test signals are not the same as the fifth test signals.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining that the first and second termination circuits are not defective if the sixth test signals are the same as the fifth test signals.

19. A method of testing termination circuits, comprising:

(a) providing a SCSI bus having a first end and a second end, a first termination circuit coupled to the first end, a second termination circuit coupled to the second end, a first SCSI bus controller coupled to the first end and including the first termination circuit, and a second SCSI bus controller coupled to the second end and including the second termination circuit;

(b) enabling the first and second termination circuits with the first and second SCSI bus controllers, respectively;

(c) sending, with the first SCSI bus controller, first test signals to the bus;

(d) receiving, with the second SCSI bus controller, second test signals from the bus corresponding to the first test signals;

(e) determining that both the first and second termination circuits are defective if the second test signals are not the same as the first test signals;

(f) enabling the first termination circuit with the first SCSI bus controller and disabling the second termination circuit with the second SCSI bus controller if the second test signals are the same as the first test signals;

(g) sending, with the first SCSI bus controller, third test signals to the bus;

(h) receiving, with the second SCSI bus controller, fourth test signals from the bus corresponding to the third test signals;

(i) determining that the first termination circuit is defective if the fourth test signals are not the same as the third test signals;

(j) disabling the first termination circuit with the first SCSI bus controller and enabling the second termination circuit with the second SCSI bus controller if the fourth test signals are the same as the third test signals;

(k) sending, with the first SCSI bus controller, fifth test signals to the bus;

(l) receiving, with the second SCSI bus controller, sixth test signals from the bus corresponding to the fifth test signals;

(m) determining that the second termination circuit is defective if the sixth test signals are not the same as the fifth test signals; and

(n) determining that the first and second termination circuits are not defective if the sixth test signals are the same as the fifth test signals.