Patent ID: 7444558
Filing Date: 2008-10-28
Classification: G01R,G06F

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: initializing a serial point to point link that communicatively couples an integrated circuit (IC) device to another IC device, by transferring a training sequence of symbols over the link; programming a plurality of registers of the IC device to i) set a test symbol data pattern and ii) configure a lane transmitter for the link; programming a start bit in a register of the IC device, to request that the IC device be placed in a measurement mode; and the IC device, in said measurement mode, instructs said another IC device to enter a loopback mode for the link in which symbols received over the link are looped back, transmits a sequence of test symbols over the link and evaluates a looped back version of the sequence for errors, wherein the sequence of test symbols have a data pattern, and are transmitted, as configured in the plurality of registers.