Signal Transition Detection Circuit for High-Speed Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transition of output voltage in electric circuits becomes unstable during high-speed testing, making it difficult to determine the exact transition point, and signal delays lead to inaccurate test results.
Innovation Solution
A signal transition detection circuit comprising a counter module, digital to analog converter (DAC), comparator, and digital sampling module, which generates a digital step signal, converts it to an analog input signal, and samples impulses from the transition section to accurately determine the transition point by accumulating a reference number of impulses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the speed of the test procedure is increased, then the productivity is improved, but the stability of the output voltage transition deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary detection circuit between the under-test circuit and the measurement system. This circuit includes a sampling module that captures voltage transitions at multiple time points and an analysis module that determines the transition point by comparing sampled values. This intermediary system enables high-speed testing while maintaining accurate detection of voltage transitions despite the instability caused by high-speed operation.
2Productivity
If the test speed is increased, then the productivity is improved, but the measurement precision of the transition point deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the voltage transition detection process into multiple discrete sampling operations. Instead of attempting to capture the entire transition in a single measurement, the system samples the voltage at multiple time points during the transition and analyzes the sequence of sampled values to determine the transition point. This segmentation approach maintains measurement precision even at high test speeds by breaking down the complex transition measurement into manageable discrete samples.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the detection circuit continuously monitors the output voltage and compares sampled values against reference levels. The analysis module uses the feedback from previous sampling results to adjust subsequent sampling operations and accurately identify the transition point. This feedback loop ensures precise transition point detection despite the high-speed operation that would otherwise cause measurement inaccuracies.
3Device complexity
If signal delay in the test circuit is present, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calibrating the detection circuit to account for inherent signal delays. The system includes reference sampling operations that are performed before the actual transition detection to establish baseline timing characteristics. By performing these preliminary measurements and using them to correct subsequent readings, the system maintains measurement precision without adding complex delay compensation circuitry.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid and accurate detection of the transition point in electric circuits, overcoming unstable oscillations and signal delays caused by high-speed transitions.
Implementation Method 1
The DAC converts the digital step signal into an analog input signal
Implementation Method 2
The comparator receives the output signal and compares the output signal with a default value to generate a normalized output signal
Data Source
AI summary
A signal transition detection circuit is provided. The signal transition detection circuit comprises a counter module, a DAC, a comparator and a digital sampling module. The counter module generates a digital step signal. The DAC converts the digital step signal into an analog input signal and transmits it to an under-test circuit such that the under-test circuit generates an output signal transiting from a first stable level to a second stable level, wherein a transition section is located between the first and the second stable level. The comparator receives and compares the output signal with a default value to generate a normalized output signal. The digital sampling module samples the normalized output signal to retrieve impulses such that when the number of the impulses is accumulated to be larger than a reference value, a corresponding step of the digital step signal is determined to be a transition point.