Patent ID: 7443913

Claim:
An equalizer for use in a communication device, comprising: a sampler that samples a signal indicative of an input communication signal to determine digital decision output signals having a predetermined data rate; a filter that receives digital decision output signals from said sampler and generates equalization signals therefrom; and a summer coupled to the sampler and the filter, said summer combines together the input communication signal with the equalization signals; wherein a plurality of clocks control timing associated with the sampler, said clocks having frequencies that are less than a data rate of the communication device; wherein the equalizer includes a sensitivity test process in which an at-speed sensitivity of the equalizer can be determined, the process includes disabling an input amplifier, providing a predetermined set of tap coefficients to the filter, determining if the sampler generates a repeating pattern associated with the set of tap coefficients, and repeating the sensitivity test process with other predetermined sets of tap coefficients until the sampler no longer determines the repeating pattern associated the set of tap coefficients provided to the filter.