Data capture in automatic test equipment
View Patent ↗A method for use with automatic test equipment (ATE) having a site that holds a device under test (DUT) includes receiving data from the DUT at a first rate, storing the data in a buffer, moving the data out of the buffer at a second rate, where the second rate is greater than or equal to the first rate, and where the data is moved toward a processing device, and performing a test on the data at the processing device.
1. A method for use with automatic test equipment (ATE) having a site that holds a device under test (DUT), the method comprising:
receiving input data from the DUT at a first rate;
storing the input data in a buffer;
moving the input data out of the buffer as output data at a second rate, the second rate being greater than the first rate, the output data being moved toward a processing device; and
performing a test on the output data at the processing device;
wherein the first rate comprises a first sampling rate for the input data, and the second rate comprises a second sampling rate for the output data; and
determining the second rate in order to prevent overflow of the buffer and loss of the input data; wherein the second rate is greater than the first rate multiplied by a number of samples of the input data and by a number of channels over which input data is transmitted from the DUT, divided by a number of samples of the output data.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ATE comprises a second site that holds a second DUT, and wherein the method further comprises:
receiving second input data from the DUT at a third rate;
storing the second input data in a second buffer that corresponds to the second site;
moving the second input data out of the second buffer as second output data at a fourth rate, the fourth rate being greater than or equal to the third rate, the second output data being moved toward the processing device; and
performing a test on the second output data at the processing device.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the buffer comprises a first-in, first-out (FIFO) buffer.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the FIFO buffer accommodates eight megasamples of data, where a sample comprises sixteen bits of data.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising packetizing the output data before the output data reaches the processing device.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the output data is packetized as the output data is moved out of the buffer.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the test comprises a bit error test.
8. Automatic test equipment (ATE) comprising:
a site that holds a device under test (DUT);
a buffer; and
a controller that executes instructions to:
receive input data from the DUT at a first rate;
store the input data in the buffer;
move the input data out of the buffer as output data at a second rate, the second rate being greater than the first rate, the output data being moved toward a processing device; and
determine the second rate in order to prevent overflow of the buffer and loss of the input data;
wherein the processing device performs a test on the output data; and
wherein the first rate comprises a first sampling rate for the input data, and the second rate comprises a second sampling rate for the output data; and
wherein the second rate is greater than the first rate multiplied by a number of samples of the input data and by a number of channels over which input data is transmitted from the DUT, divided by the number of samples of the output data.
9. The ATE of claim 8 , further comprising:
a second site that holds a second DUT; and
a second buffer;
wherein the controller executes instructions to:
receive second input data from the DUT at a third rate;
store the second input data in the second buffer; and
move the second input data out of the second buffer as second output data at a fourth rate, the fourth rate being greater than or equal to the third rate, the second output data being moved toward the processing device;
wherein the processing device performs a test on the second output data.
10. The ATE of claim 8 , wherein the buffer comprises a first-in, first-out (FIFO) buffer.
11. The ATE of claim 10 , wherein the FIFO buffer accommodates eight megasamples of data, where a sample comprises sixteen bits of data.
12. The ATE of claim 8 , wherein the controller executes instructions to packetize the output data before the output data reaches the processing device.
13. The ATE of claim 12 , wherein the controller packetizes the output data as the output data is moved out of the buffer.
14. The ATE of claim 8 , wherein the test comprises a bit error test.
15. A testing system comprising:
a testing apparatus comprising:
a site that holds a device under test (DUT);
a buffer; and
a controller that executes instructions to:
receive input data from the DUT at a first rate;
store the input data in the buffer;
move the input data out of the buffer as output data at a second rate, the second rate being greater than the first rate; and
determine the second rate in order to prevent overflow of the buffer and loss of the input data; and
a computing device comprising:
memory to store computer code; and
a processing device to execute the computer code to:
receive the output data; and
perform a test on the output data;
wherein the first rate comprises a first sampling rate for the input data, and the second rate comprises a second sampling rate for the output data; and
wherein the second rate is greater than the first rate multiplied by a number of samples of the input data and by a number of channels over which input data is transmitted from the DUT, divided by the number of samples of the output data.
16. The testing system of claim 15 , wherein the buffer comprises a first-in, first-out (FIFO) buffer, and wherein the FIFO buffer accommodates eight megasamples of data, where a sample comprises sixteen bits of data.