High speed serial data pin for automatic test equipment

Abstract

A tester that produces digital timing signals having fast data rates including multiple groups of timing generators, multiple 'exclusive-or' gates, and an 'or' gate. Each group of timing generators is connected to an exclusive-or gate, and the output of each exclusive-or gate is coupled to the or gate. The digital timing signals are encoded such that the timing generators in each group may assert timing pulses only during specified cycles within a series of clock cycles. Each combination of timing generators within a group either asserting their respective encoded timing signals, or not asserting any timing signals during the series of clock cycles, generates a unique serial data stream. The serial data streams generated by the groups of timing generators are then combined to produce a new digital timing signal having a data rate that is faster than the data rate of the encoded digital timing signals.