METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EVALUATING AND OPTIMIZING A SIGNALING SYSTEM

摘要

A method and apparatus for evaluating and optimizing a signaling system is described. A pattern of test information is generated in a transmit (101) circuit of the system and is transmitted to a receive (103) circuit. A similar pattern of information is generated in the receive (103) circuit and used as a reference. The receive (103) circuit compares the patterns. Any differences (114) between the patterns are observable. In one embodiment, a linear feedback shift (105, 108) register (LFSR) implemented to produce patterns. An embodiment of the invention may be practiced with various types of signaling systems, including those with single-ended signals and those with differential signals. An embodiment of the invention 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.