Statistical channel analysis with correlated multiple-level input modulation

1. A method comprising:

identifying, by a computing system, a channel in an electronic device is configured to transmit signals encoding data with more than two value levels in response to a correlated test input;

determining, by the computing system, probabilities of value level changes in the transmitted signals based on an encoding for the correlated test input;

generating, by the computing system, an eye diagram by utilizing the probabilities to identify weightings for the value level changes in the transmitted signals and combining portions of a step response of the channel based, at least in part, on the identified weightings for the value level changes in the transmitted signals, wherein the combined portions of the step response of the channel form at least a portion of the eye diagram; and

predicting, by the computing system, a signal integrity of the channel configured to transmit the signals based, at least in part, on the eye diagram.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein predicting the signal integrity of the channel further comprising generating a bit error rate for the channel from the eye diagram.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying, by the computing system, correlation coefficients corresponding to the correlated test input, wherein determining the probabilities of value level changes in the transmitted signals is performed based on the correlation coefficients.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying, by the computing system, transmit jitter capable of being introduced by a transmitter of the correlated test input onto the channel;

measuring, by the computing system, a step response for the channel; and

determining, by the computing system, a vertical distribution of voltages in the step response of the channel based on the transmit jitter, wherein predicting the signal integrity of the channel is based on the vertical distribution of voltages in the step response of the channel and the determined probabilities of value level changes in the transmitted signals.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the transmit jitter includes at least one of random jitter or deterministic jitter.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying, by the computing system, transmit jitter capable of being introduced by a transmitter of the correlated test input onto the channel;

measuring, by the computing system, multiple step responses of the channel that differ based, at least in part, on one or more values previously transmitted on the channel; and

determining, by the computing system, the vertical distributions of voltages in each of the multiple step responses of the channel based on the transmit jitter, wherein predicting the signal integrity of the channel is based on the vertical distribution of voltages in the step response of the channel and the determined probabilities of value level changes in the transmitted signals.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising setting, by the computing system, an offset for a bit interval on the channel, wherein predicting the signal integrity of the channel further comprising utilizing the determined probabilities to aggregate probability density functions for multiple points in the step response of the channel corresponding to the offset.

8. A system comprising:

a memory system configured to store computer-executable instructions; and

a computing system, in response to execution of the computer-executable instructions, is configured to:

identify a channel in an electronic device is configured to transmit signals encoding data with more than two value levels in response to a correlated test input;

determine probabilities of value level changes in the transmitted signals based on an encoding for the correlated test input;

generate an eye diagram by utilizing the probabilities to identify weightings for the value level changes in the transmitted signals and combining portions of a step response of the channel based, at least in part, on the identified weightings for the value level changes in the transmitted signals, wherein the combined portions of the step response of the channel form at least a portion of the eye diagram; and

predict a signal integrity of the channel configured to transmit the signals based, at least in part, on the eye diagram.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the computing system, in response to execution of the computer-executable instructions, is further configured to predict the signal integrity of the channel by generating a bit error rate for the channel from the eye diagram.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the computing system, in response to execution of the computer-executable instructions, is further configured to:

identify correlation coefficients corresponding to the correlated test input; and

determine the probabilities of value level changes in the transmitted signals based on the correlation coefficients.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the computing system, in response to execution of the computer-executable instructions, is further configured to:

identify transmit jitter capable of being introduced by a transmitter of the correlated test input onto the channel;

measure a step response for the channel;

determine a vertical distribution of voltages in the step response of the channel based on the transmit jitter; and

predict the signal integrity of the channel based on the vertical distribution of voltages in the step response of the channel and the determined probabilities of value level changes in the transmitted signals.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the computing system, in response to execution of the computer-executable instructions, is further configured to:

identify transmit jitter capable of being introduced by a transmitter of the correlated test input onto the channel;

measure multiple step responses of the channel that differ based, at least in part, on one or more values previously transmitted on the channel; and

determine the vertical distributions of voltages in each of the multiple step responses of the channel based on the transmit jitter; and

predict the signal integrity of the channel based on the vertical distribution of voltages in the step response of the channel and the determined probabilities of value level changes in the transmitted signals.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the computing system, in response to execution of the computer-executable instructions, is further configured to:

set an offset for a bit interval on the channel; and

utilize the determined probabilities to aggregate probability density functions for multiple points in the step response of the channel corresponding to the offset.

14. An apparatus comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable memory device storing instructions configured to cause one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising:

identifying a channel in an electronic device is configured to transmit signals encoding data with more than two value levels in response to a correlated test input;

determining probabilities of value level changes in the transmitted signals based on an encoding for the correlated test input; and

generating an eye diagram by utilizing the probabilities to identify weightings for the value level changes in the transmitted signals and combining portions of a step response of the channel based, at least in part, on the identified weightings for the value level changes in the transmitted signals, wherein the combined portions of the step response of the channel form at least a portion of the eye diagram; and

predicting a signal integrity of the channel configured to transmit the signals based, at least in part, on the eye diagram.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein predicting the signal integrity of the channel further comprising generating a bit error rate for the channel from the eye diagram.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processing devices to perform operations further comprising identifying correlation coefficients corresponding to the correlated test input, wherein determining the probabilities of value level changes in the transmitted signals is performed based on the correlation coefficients.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processing devices to perform operations further comprising:

identifying transmit jitter capable of being introduced by a transmitter of the correlated test input onto the channel;

measuring a step response for the channel; and

determining a vertical distribution of voltages in the step response of the channel based on the transmit jitter, wherein predicting the signal integrity of the channel is based on the vertical distribution of voltages in the step response of the channel and the determined probabilities of value level changes in the transmitted signals.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the transmit jitter includes at least one of random jitter or deterministic jitter.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processing devices to perform operations further comprising:

identifying transmit jitter capable of being introduced by a transmitter of the correlated test input onto the channel;

measuring multiple step responses of the channel that differ based, at least in part, on one or more values previously transmitted on the channel; and

determining the vertical distributions of voltages in each of the multiple step responses of the channel based on the transmit jitter, wherein predicting the signal integrity of the channel is based on the vertical distribution of voltages in the step response of the channel and the determined probabilities of value level changes in the transmitted signals.

20. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processing devices to perform operations further comprising setting an offset for a bit interval on the channel, wherein predicting the signal integrity of the channel further comprising utilizing the determined probabilities to aggregate probability density functions for multiple points in the step response of the channel corresponding to the offset.