IP Library Granted Patent US 8,842,549
Granted Patent B2
US 8,842,549 · App. 13/716,369 · Granted Sep 23, 2014

System and method for parallel testing of multiple data packet signal transceivers

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,842,549
App. No.
13/716,369
Granted
Sep 23, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

System and method for facilitating testing of multiple data packet signal transceivers involving data-packet-signal replication and one or more status signals indicating successful and unsuccessful receptions of confirmation signals. Based upon the one or more status signals, one or more control signals cause the replicated data packet signals to be distributed to the devices under test (DUTs) such that, following successful and unsuccessful receptions of confirmation signals, corresponding replicated data packet signals are caused to fail to conform in part or to conform, respectively, with a predetermined data packet signal standard.

Claims (34)

1. An apparatus including circuitry for facilitating testing of multiple data packet signal transceivers, comprising:

signal routing circuitry responsive to an incoming data packet signal and one or more control signals by providing a plurality of outgoing data packet signals for a plurality of data packet signal transceivers, wherein each one of said plurality of outgoing data packet signals corresponds to said incoming data packet signal and includes one or more sequential data packets with a data packet signal characteristic;

confirmation signal detection circuitry responsive to successful and unsuccessful receptions of respective ones of a plurality of confirmation signals from said plurality of data packet signal transceivers by providing one or more status signals indicative of said successful and unsuccessful confirmation signal receptions, wherein each one of said plurality of confirmation signals is indicative of a successful reception of a valid data packet by a corresponding one of said plurality of data packet signal transceivers; and

control circuitry coupled to said signal routing circuitry and said confirmation signal detection circuitry, and responsive to said one or more status signals by providing said one or more control signals, wherein

following a successful reception of one of said plurality of confirmation signals from a respective one of said plurality of data packet signal transceivers, said signal routing circuitry, in accordance with said one or more control signals, provides a corresponding one of said plurality of outgoing data packet signals with said data packet signal characteristic such that said corresponding one of said plurality of outgoing data packet signals fails to conform in part with a predetermined data packet signal standard, and

following an unsuccessful reception of one of said plurality of confirmation signals from a respective one of said plurality of data packet signal transceivers, said signal routing circuitry, in accordance with said one or more control signals, provides a corresponding one of said plurality of outgoing data packet signals with said data packet signal characteristic such that said corresponding one of said plurality of outgoing data packet signals conforms with said predetermined data packet signal standard.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein following a successful reception of one of said plurality of confirmation signals from a respective one of said plurality of data packet signal transceivers, said signal routing circuitry, in accordance with said one or more control signals, provides a corresponding one of said plurality of outgoing data packet signals with said data packet signal characteristic such that:

a first portion of said corresponding one of said plurality of outgoing data packet signals conforms with said predetermined data packet signal standard; and

a second portion of said corresponding one of said plurality of outgoing data packet signals fails to conform with said predetermined data packet signal standard.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said second portion is subsequent to said first portion.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said data packet signal characteristic comprises at least one of signal power and signal frequency.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said signal routing circuitry comprises signal replication circuitry responsive to said incoming data packet signal by providing a plurality of replica data packet signals.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein said signal replication circuitry comprises signal power dividing circuitry.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein said signal routing circuitry further comprises signal attenuation circuitry coupled to said signal replication circuitry and responsive to said plurality of replica data packet signals and said one or more control signals by attenuating at least a portion of one or more of said plurality of replica data packet signals.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein said signal routing circuitry further comprises signal switching circuitry coupled to said signal replication circuitry and responsive to said plurality of replica data packet signals and said one or more control signals by switching at least a portion of one or more of said plurality of replica data packet signals.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein said signal routing circuitry further comprises signal power control circuitry coupled to said signal replication circuitry and responsive to said plurality of replica data packet signals and said one or more control signals by changing a power level of at least a portion of one or more of said plurality of replica data packet signals.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein said signal routing circuitry further comprises signal mixing circuitry coupled to said signal replication circuitry and responsive to said plurality of replica data packet signals, said one or more control signals and one or more radio frequency (RF) signals by converting a frequency of at least a portion of one or more of said plurality of replica data packet signals.

11. A method of facilitating testing of multiple data packet signal transceivers, comprising:

receiving an incoming data packet signal and one or more control signals and in response thereto providing a plurality of outgoing data packet signals for a plurality of data packet signal transceivers, wherein each one of said plurality of outgoing data packet signals corresponds to said incoming data packet signal and includes one or more sequential data packets with a data packet signal characteristic;

responding to successful and unsuccessful receptions of respective ones of a plurality of confirmation signals from said plurality of data packet signal transceivers by providing one or more status signals indicative of said successful and unsuccessful confirmation signal receptions, wherein each one of said plurality of confirmation signals is indicative of a successful reception of a valid data packet by a corresponding one of said plurality of data packet signal transceivers; and

responding to said one or more status signals by providing said one or more control signals, and

following a successful reception of one of said plurality of confirmation signals from a corresponding one of said plurality of data packet signal transceivers, in accordance with said one or more control signals, providing a corresponding one of said plurality of outgoing data packet signals with said data packet signal characteristic such that said corresponding one of said plurality of outgoing data packet signals fails to conform in part with a predetermined data packet signal standard, and

following an unsuccessful reception of one of said plurality of confirmation signals from a corresponding one of said plurality of data packet signal transceivers, in accordance with said one or more control signals, providing a corresponding one of said plurality of outgoing data packet signals with said data packet signal characteristic such that said corresponding one of said plurality of outgoing data packet signals conforms with said predetermined data packet signal standard.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein following a successful reception of one of said plurality of confirmation signals from a respective one of said plurality of data packet signal transceivers, in accordance with said one or more control signals, providing a corresponding one of said plurality of outgoing data packet signals with said data packet signal characteristic such that:

a first portion of said corresponding one of said plurality of outgoing data packet signals conforms with said predetermined data packet signal standard; and

a second portion of said corresponding one of said plurality of outgoing data packet signals fails to conform with said predetermined data packet signal standard.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said second portion is subsequent to said first portion.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein said data packet signal characteristic comprises at least one of signal power and signal frequency.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein said receiving an incoming data packet signal and one or more control signals and in response thereto providing a plurality of outgoing data packet signals comprises replicating said incoming data packet signal to provide a plurality of replica data packet signals.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said replicating said incoming data packet signal comprises dividing a signal power of said incoming data packet signal to provide said plurality of replica data packet signals.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein said receiving an incoming data packet signal and one or more control signals and in response thereto providing a plurality of outgoing data packet signals further comprises attenuating at least a portion of one or more of said plurality of replica data packet signals.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein said receiving an incoming data packet signal and one or more control signals and in response thereto providing a plurality of outgoing data packet signals further comprises switching at least a portion of one or more of said plurality of replica data packet signals.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein said receiving an incoming data packet signal and one or more control signals and in response thereto providing a plurality of outgoing data packet signals further comprises changing a power level of at least a portion of one or more of said plurality of replica data packet signals

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein said receiving an incoming data packet signal and one or more control signals and in response thereto providing a plurality of outgoing data packet signals further comprises mixing one or more of said plurality of replica data packet signals with one or more radio frequency (RF) signals to convert a frequency of at least a portion of said one or more of said plurality of replica data packet signals.

Assignments (4)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 7, 2020
From: LITEPOINT CORPORATION
To: TRUIST BANK
Reel/Frame 052595/0685 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Jun 28, 2019
From: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: TERADYNE, INC.; EAGLE TEST SYSTEMS, INC.; LITEPOINT CORPORATION; NEXTEST SYSTEMS CORPORATION; GENRAD, LLC; ENERGID TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 049632/0940 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 27, 2015
From: TERADYNE, INC.; LITEPOINT CORPORATION
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
Reel/Frame 035507/0116 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 17, 2012
From: OLGAARD, CHRISTIAN VOLF; WANG, RUIZU; ERDOGAN, ERDEM SERKAN; PHILIP, MATHEW
To: LITEPOINT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 029479/0784 →