# US 10,371,741 B2 · Characterization of phase shifter circuitry in integrated circuits (ICs) using standard automated test equipment (ATE)

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- Number: US 10,371,741 B2
- Document ID: US10371741B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/207,341
- Filed: 2016-07-11
- Published: 2018-01-11
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-11
- Assignees: Advantest Corporation
- Applicants: Advantest Corporation
- Inventors: Roger McAleenan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371741B2

## CPC

- G01R 31/2822: {of microwave or radiofrequency circuits (of attenuation, gain, e.g. using network analyzers G01R27/28)}
- G01R 31/2834: {Automated test systems [ATE]; using microprocessors or computers (G01R31/317 takes precedence; ATE for detection of defective computer hardware G06F11/2736)}
- G01S 13/931: of land vehicles
- G01S 2013/0245: {Radar with phased array antenna}
- G01S 2013/0254: {Active array antenna}
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES

## Abstract

A method for characterizing a phase shifter in a device under test (DUT) using automated test equipment (ATE) is disclosed. The method comprises down converting an input signal received from the transmitter DUT to an intermediate frequency and routing the down converted input signal to a signal processor, wherein the signal processor generates I and Q signals using the input signal. The method further comprises setting an initial phase state on the phase shifter in the transmitter DUT and toggling at least one phase state bit to control the phase shifter to cycle through a plurality of phase states, wherein the changing phase states appear on the I and Q signals. Finally, the method comprises processing the I and Q signals to extract individual phase states programmed by the at least one phase state bit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of characterizing a phase shifter in a transmitter device under test (DUT) using automated test equipment (ATE), the method comprising:
down converting an input signal received from the transmitter DUT to an intermediate frequency;
routing the down converted input signal to a signal processor, wherein the signal processor generates I and Q signals using the input signal;
setting an initial phase state on the phase shifter in the transmitter DUT;
toggling at least one phase state bit to control the phase shifter to cycle through a plurality of phase states, wherein changing phase states appear on the I and Q signals; and
characterizing the phase shifter, wherein the characterizing comprises processing the I and Q signals to extract individual phase states programmed by the at least one phase state bit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one phase state bit is input to the phase shifter using external control pins connected to the phase shifter.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one phase state bit is input to the phase shifter using codes downloaded into registers of the transmitter DUT.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
comparing the individual phase states programmed by the at least one phase state bit to an expected output to determine deviations therefrom.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
creating a visual indication of extracted individual phase states using a format selected from a group consisting of: a constellation format and a time domain format.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the input signal is at a millimeter frequency.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the signal processor is part of a digitizer in the ATE, and wherein the toggling is performed by digital pin electronics in the ATE.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the processing comprises analyzing the I and Q signals using digital demodulation processes.

### Claim 9

A method of characterizing a phase shifter in a receiver device under test (DUT) using automated test equipment, the method comprising:
setting an ATE signal generator power level and frequency to transmit an input signal to the receiver DUT;
down converting the input signal received to an intermediate frequency;
routing the down converted input signal to a signal processor, wherein the signal processor generates I and Q signals using the input signal;
setting at least one phase state bit to control the phase shifter to cycle through a plurality of phase states, wherein changing phase states appear on the I and Q signals; and
characterizing the phase shifter, wherein the characterizing comprises processing the I and Q signals to extract individual phase states programmed by the at least one phase state bit.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one phase state bit is input to the phase shifter using external control pins connected to the phase shifter.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising:
comparing the individual phase states programmed by the at least one phase state bit to an expected output to determine deviations therefrom.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising:
creating a visual indication of the extracted individual phase states using a format selected from a group consisting of: a constellation format and a time domain format.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein the input signal is at a millimeter frequency.

### Claim 14

An Automated Test Equipment (ATE) system, the system comprising:
a non-transitory memory comprising instructions stored therein, wherein the instructions are operable to characterize a phase shifter in a transmitter device under test (DUT);
a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to operate in accordance with the instructions to:
down convert an input signal received from the transmitter DUT to an intermediate frequency;
route the down converted input signal to a signal processor, wherein the signal processor generates I and Q signals using the input signal;
set an initial phase state on the phase shifter in the transmitter DUT;
toggle at least one phase state bit to control the phase shifter to cycle through a plurality of phase states, wherein changing phase states appear on the I and Q signals; and
characterize the phase shifter by processing the I and Q signals to extract individual phase states programmed by the at least one phase state bit.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to:
compare the individual phase states programmed by the at least one phase state bit to an expected output to determine deviations therefrom.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to:
create a visual indication of the extracted individual phase states using a format selected from a group consisting of: a constellation format and a time domain format.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one phase state bit is input to the phase shifter using external control pins connected to the phase shifter.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one phase state bit is input to the phase shifter using codes downloaded into registers of the transmitter DUT.

### Claim 19

An Automated Test Equipment (ATE) system, the system comprising:
a non-transitory memory comprising instructions stored therein, wherein the instructions are operable to characterize a phase shifter in a receiver device under test (DUT);
a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to operate in accordance with the instructions to:
set an ATE signal generator power level and frequency to transmit an input signal to the receiver DUT;
down convert an input signal an intermediate frequency;
route the down converted input signal to a signal processor, wherein the signal processor generates I and Q signals using the input signal;
set at least one phase state bit to control the phase shifter to cycle through a plurality of phase states, wherein changing phase states appear on the I and Q signals; and
characterize the phase shifter by processing the I and Q signals to extract individual phase states programmed by the at least one phase state bit.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to:
compare the individual phase states programmed by the at least one phase state bit to an expected output to determine deviations therefrom.