Determining the signal quality of an electrical interconnect

• Main Authors: Ran Adee O, Mellitz Richard
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 27.02.2018
• Subjects: ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; TRANSMISSION

One embodiment provides a network device that includes PHY circuitry comprising transmit circuitry (Tx) and receive circuitry (Rx), wherein the Tx and Rx circuitry are configured to be coupled to a respective channel to communicate with an external device via the channels, wherein the network device configured to communicate with the external device using an Ethernet communications protocol; and test circuitry. The test circuitry is configured to: designate a through channel and at least one crosstalk channel from among the channels; determine, in the time domain, an approximate available signal voltage of a first response signal, wherein the first response signal is in response to a test signal applied to the through channel; determine a first noise profile of the first response signal in response to the test signal applied on the through channel; determine a second noise profile of a second response signal, wherein the second response signal is in response to the test signal applied on a crosstalk channel and measured on the through channel; and determine a signal-to-noise ratio of the through channel based on, at least in part, the approximate available signal voltage and the first and second noise profiles.