The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 26, 2006
Filed:
Jul. 18, 2003
Thomas J. Smith, Charlotte, VT (US);
Michael A. Sorna, Hopewell Junction, NY (US);
John F. Sweeney, Colchester, VT (US);
Thomas J. Smith, Charlotte, VT (US);
Michael A. Sorna, Hopewell Junction, NY (US);
John F. Sweeney, Colchester, VT (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
An apparatus is provided for measuring an output of a high-speed data transmission circuit. The apparatus includes a programmable reference voltage generator operable to generate a reference voltage that is variable between a plurality of levels. The apparatus also includes a quantizer to quantize an output of the high-speed data transmission circuit relative to the reference voltage level input thereto. Also included is a clock generator operable to generate a clock having a transitioning time (rise-time, fall-time or both) that is less than one quarter of a minimum switching period of the output of the circuit. Finally, the apparatus includes a sampler operable to sample the quantized output with the clock to produce a plurality of samples which measure the output of the circuit.