Patent attributes
Techniques test a clock signal by comparing different portions of that clock signal to each other. Such techniques enable the detection of a clock signal having anomalies such as missing pulses or occasional delayed pulses. In one arrangement, a data communications device has a clock signal generator, processing circuitry and a test circuit, both of which are coupled to the clock signal generator. The clock signal generator provides a clock signal. The processing circuitry uses the clock signal to receive data elements on a set of input ports, and to transmit the data elements on a set of output ports. The test circuit includes a node that receives the clock signal, a comparison circuit that provides a comparison signal based on a comparison between the clock signal and a delayed copy of the clock signal, and an output circuit that provides a result signal based on the comparison signal.
