Systems and methods for testing performance of an electronic device

1. A method for preparing a waveform used for testing a device-under-test (DUT), the method comprising:

providing a string of characters corresponding to a DUT pin;

converting the string of characters into a plurality of vectors, each vector including a plurality of characters and having a predetermined length; and

creating waveform entries, each of the waveform entries corresponding to a vector configuration that is distinct from the other waveform entries, wherein the vector configuration is associated with a specific pattern of characters.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing each waveform entry in a waveform table corresponding to a DUT pin.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

using the waveform entries in the waveform table to generate waveforms identified by the respective waveform entries.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

providing the generated waveforms to the DUT via the DUT pin.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

comparing the generated waveforms with waveforms received from the DUT via the DUT pin.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

determining errors in DUT performance based on a comparison of the generated waveforms with waveforms received from the DUT via the DUT pin.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

storing information about the errors in memory.

8. A system for testing of a device-under-test (DUT), the system comprising:

a first memory device for storing a plurality of vectors, each of the vectors comprising multiple characters and having a predetermined length; and

a processor that is programmed to:

examine the plurality of vectors, and

create waveform entries, each of the waveform entries corresponding to a vector configuration encountered among the vectors examined;

wherein the vector configurations are associated with a specific pattern of characters; and

wherein each vector configuration is distinct from the other vector configurations.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:

a second memory device for storing the waveform entries.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the DUT comprises a plurality of pins for receiving respective input data and providing respective output data.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of memory devices, each of the memory devices being used to store a plurality of multi-character vectors corresponding to a respective pin among the plurality of pins.

12. A system for preparing a waveform for testing a device-under-test (DUT), the system comprising:

means for providing a string of characters corresponding to a DUT pin;

means for converting the string of characters into a plurality of vectors, each vector including a plurality of characters and having a predetermined length; and

means for creating waveform entries, each of the waveform entries corresponding to a vector configuration that is distinct from the other waveform entries, wherein the vector configuration is associated with a specific pattern of characters.

13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising:

means for storing each of the waveform entries in a waveform table corresponding to a DUT pin.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:

means for providing to the DUT pin waveforms identified by respective waveform entries in the waveform table.

15. A method for testing performance of a device-under-test (DUT), the method comprising:

examining a vector, the vector including a plurality of characters corresponding to a DUT pin;

determining if the vector is identified in a list of vectors, each vector of the list of vectors having a pattern of characters that is different from the pattern of characters of the other vectors;

responsive to determining that the examined vector is not identified in the list of vectors, adding an entry in the list of vectors identifying the vector examined;

communicating the list of vectors to a device to test the performance of the DUT.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

storing the list of vectors in a memory device corresponding to a pin of the DUT.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

generating waveforms corresponding to respective vectors identified in the list of vectors.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

providing the generated waveforms to the DUT via the pin.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

comparing the generated waveforms with respective waveforms received from the DUT via the pin.