Advanced mixed signal testing by synchronized control and real-time DSP

Mixed signals IC test generally requires the accurate analog measurement and/or the controlled interaction of digital function and analog measurement. The advanced mixed signals tester must provide the capability to control various test resources with synchronized/asynchronized timing in a real-time manner. This architectural concept contributes the accurate and repeatable testing of mixed signals IC with fast test throughput. For example, the integral linearity test of high resolution ADC is demonstrated by the sophisticated code measurement technique 10 times faster than the traditional analog measurement method by u-processor based control. Furthermore, the real-time DSP capability by the localized processors on the test resources under the sequence and timing control enables tester to emulate the complex mixed signals action such as communication devices. This makes the complex mixed signals testing much easier, more accurate and much faster for the following test using the DSP programming test condition, bit error rate test of modem, the 2B1Q Signal Generation with the specified jitter, and the vector error test, and so on