Patent ID: 8073647

Claim:
A system for calibrating a high speed cable carrying a plurality of high speed data channels and a low speed control bus, the cable including an input connector and an output connector, the system comprising: (a) a boost device including: (i) a plurality of channel circuits, each for equalizing and amplifying a corresponding one of the high speed data channels, each channel circuit including a programmable boost circuit responsive to respective programmable parameters; and (ii) a low speed control bus interface, interfacing the low speed control bus, for setting the programmable parameters; (b) a calibration fixture including a connection at the output connector for receiving the boosted high speed data channels from the boost device and a connection at the input connector for transmitting a test signal to the high speed data channels of the cable; and (c) a calibration control device, connected to the low speed control bus, for calibrating the cable by setting the programmable parameters of the boost device; wherein the calibration fixture comprises a feed-through connection for looping the high speed data channels directly from the output connector to the input connector; wherein each channel circuit comprises: a pattern generator interfacing the low speed control bus interface, for generating the test signal; and a multiplexer for alternatively selecting a signal from the programmable boost circuit in a mission mode or the test signal from the pattern generator in a calibration mode, the mission mode corresponding to an ordinary use of the high speed cable, and the calibration mode being reserved for the calibrating of the cable.