An apparatus is provided that includes a control unit and a memory including computer program code. The apparatus is capable of applying a first signal having a first value and a second signal having a second value to an electronic component and receiving a first feedback signal. The apparatus is capable of determining a first parameter associated with the first feedback signal. The apparatus is capable of applying a third signal having a third value and the second signal to the electronic component and receiving a second feedback signal. The apparatus is capable of determining a second parameter associated with the second feedback signal. The apparatus is capable of applying a fourth signal having a fourth value and the second signal to the electronic component if the first parameter is different from the second parameter.

A tester including an interface configured to interface with an electronic device and a logic circuit. The logic circuit includes a pattern generator and at least one finite-state machine and is configured to sequentially acquire read data from the electronic device at sequential testing points of a testing range for evaluating an operating parameter of the electronic device or the tester until a set of consecutive passing points having a first passing point and a last passing point is identified, in response to identifying the first passing point, write data within the logic circuit of the tester identifying the first passing point, in response to identifying the last passing point, write data within the logic circuit of the tester identifying the last passing point, and output only data identifying the first passing point and data identifying the last passing point to a software application.

An integrated circuit is provided that comprise a receive unit to be tested for receiving an input signal and storing the input signal at a predetermined point of time. Additionally, it comprises a processor for applying an error correction to the received input signal, for comparing the error corrected signal with an expectation value and for outputting an error message when the filtered input signal does not correspond to the expectation value. A power source supplies the receive unit to be tested with an adjustable voltage and/or and adjustable current. An adjustment unit varies the predetermined point in time and the adjustable voltage respectively the adjustable current.

An error rate measuring apparatus that inputs a PAM4 signal of a known pattern as a test signal to a device under test W, receives a signal from the device under test W compliant with the input of the test signal, and measures whether or not an FEC operation of the device under test W is possible based on a comparison result of the received signal and the test signal includes an operation unit that sets one Codeword length and one FEC Symbol length of the FEC as a setting parameter to the signal received from the device under test W according to a communication standard of the device under test W, and a display unit that parallel-displays MSB data and LSB data of each piece of symbol string data obtained by receiving and converting the signal from the device under test W on a display screen.

Described are methods and circuits for margin testing digital receivers. These methods and circuits prevent margins from collapsing in response to erroneously received data and can thus be used in receivers that employ historical data to reduce intersymbol interference (ISI). Some embodiments detect receive errors for input data streams of unknown patterns and can thus be used for in-system margin testing. Such systems can be adapted to dynamically alter system parameters during device operation to maintain adequate margins despite fluctuations in the system noise environment due to e.g. temperature and supply-voltage changes. Also described are methods of plotting and interpreting filtered and unfiltered error data generated by the disclosed methods and circuits. Some embodiments filter error data to facilitate pattern-specific margin testing.

A circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes a time-to-digital converter (TDC), and an evaluation circuit coupled to the TDC and a phase-locked loop (PLL) external to the circuit.

A measurement system for automated measurement of several contributions to signal degradation is provided. Said measurement system comprises a device under test, a signal analyzer, and a controller. In this context, the controller comprises at least one command sequence for the device under test and/or the signal analyzer. In addition to this, each of the at least one command sequence comprises respective commands to compensate for a specific cause of signal degradation.

Described are methods and circuits for margin testing digital receivers. These methods and circuits prevent margins from collapsing in response to erroneously received data and can thus be used in receivers that employ historical data to reduce intersymbol interference (ISI). Some embodiments detect receive errors for input data streams of unknown patterns and can thus be used for in-system margin testing. Such systems can be adapted to dynamically alter system parameters during device operation to maintain adequate margins despite fluctuations in the system noise environment due to e.g. temperature and supply-voltage changes. Also described are methods of plotting and interpreting filtered and unfiltered error data generated by the disclosed methods and circuits. Some embodiments filter error data to facilitate pattern-specific margin testing.

Described are methods and circuits for margin testing digital receivers. These methods and circuits prevent margins from collapsing in response to erroneously received data and can thus be used in receivers that employ historical data to reduce intersymbol interference (ISI). Some embodiments detect receive errors for input data streams of unknown patterns and can thus be used for in-system margin testing. Such systems can be adapted to dynamically alter system parameters during device operation to maintain adequate margins despite fluctuations in the system noise environment due to e.g. temperature and supply-voltage changes. Also described are methods of plotting and interpreting filtered and unfiltered error data generated by the disclosed methods and circuits. Some embodiments filter error data to facilitate pattern-specific margin testing.

An apparatus is provided that includes a control unit and a memory including computer program code. The apparatus is capable of applying a first signal having a first value and a second signal having a second value to an electronic component and receiving a first feedback signal. The apparatus is capable of determining a first parameter associated with the first feedback signal. The apparatus is capable of applying a third signal having a third value and the second signal to the electronic component and receiving a second feedback signal. The apparatus is capable of determining a second parameter associated with the second feedback signal. The apparatus is capable of applying a fourth signal having a fourth value and the second signal to the electronic component if the first parameter is different from the second parameter.