Patent ID: 7519489

Claim:
A method for identifying a jitter component of a digital signal with a repetitive bit sequence of a plurality of bits, comprising: determining a distribution function of a transition within the repetitive bit sequence, by: a) setting a sample point at a first sampling position relative to the first transition, b) assigning a set of digital values to comparison results of the digital signal with a threshold for a plurality of repetitions of the repetitive bit sequence, c) determining a distribution value on the base of the sum of assigned digital values, d) shifting the sample point by a time increment, e) iteratively repeating steps b) to d) until the sample point has reached a second sampling position relative to the transition, and f) determining from the distribution values a distribution function over the sample points, and determining for each distribution function an intersection point, identifying a latest time value and an earliest time value of all rising transitions, and determining a first absolute time difference therefrom, identifying a latest time value and an earliest time value of all falling transitions, and determining a second absolute time difference therefrom, and determining an inter symbol interference value by determining the maximum value out of the first absolute time difference and the second absolute time difference.