Patent attributes
The various embodiments of the invention provide an apparatus, system and method of testing a serializer and deserializer data communication apparatus (SERDES). The serializer and deserializer data communication apparatus has a plurality of serialize data communication channels adapted to convert parallel data to serial data and a plurality of deserialize data communication channels adapted to convert serial data to parallel data. An exemplary method provides for coupling an output of a serialize data communication channel and an input of a deserialize data communication channel to provide a serial data loop-back connection and coupling an output of a deserialize data communication channel and an input of a serialize data communication channel to provide a parallel data loop-back connection. Input test data is provided to a first serialize or deserialize data communication channel, and is successively serialized and deserialized through each corresponding serialize data communication channel and deserialize data communication channel to provide output test data. The output test data and the input test data are then compared, with SERDES devices having acceptable or unacceptable bit error rates respectively designated as passed or failed.
