Serial data transceiver including elements which facilitate functional testing requiring access to only the serial data ports, and an associated test method

A system for testing a transceiver, comprising:

• a test unit;
• a serial data input port adapted to receive a serialized input test signal from the test unit;
• a serial data output port adapted to present a serialized output test signal to the test unit;
• a mechanism embodied within the transceiver for converting and routing, in parallel fashion, the serialized input test signal to the serialized output test signal output;
• and
• a comparator within the test unit for comparing the serialized input test signal to the serialized output test signal to determine the accuracy by which the mechanism converts the serial input test signal to the serialized output test signal.

A serial data transceiver formed upon a monolithic semiconductor substrate, comprising:

• a transmit data input port for receiving parallel input data;
• a serial data output port;
• a serial data input port;
• a receive data output port for providing parallel output data;
• a transmitter coupled between the transmit data input port and the serial data output port, wherein the transmitter is configured to receive parallel input data, to convert the parallel input data to a serial data stream, and to transmit the serial data stream at the serial data output port, wherein the transmitter comprises:
• a serializer for converting the parallel input data to the serial data stream;
• and
• a first router coupled between the transmit data input port and the serializer for routing parallel input data to the serializer;
• a receiver coupled between the serial data input port and the receive data output port, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a serial data stream from the serial data input port, to convert the serial data stream to parallel output data, and to provide the parallel output data, wherein the receiver comprises:
• a deserializer for converting the serial data stream to the parallel output data;
• and
• a second router coupled between the deserializer and the receive data output port for routing the parallel output data produced by the deserializer;
• wherein the first router is coupled to the second router, and wherein the first and second routers are coupled to receive a test signal, and wherein when the test signal is deasserted:
• the first router routes parallel input data from the transmit data input port to the serializer;
• and
• the second router routes parallel output data from the deserializer to the receive data output port;
• and wherein when the test signal is asserted:
• the second router routes parallel output data from the deserializer to the first router;
• and
• the first router routes the parallel output data from the second router to the serializer.

A method for testing a serial data transceiver, comprising:

• providing a serial data transceiver, comprising:
• a serial data output port;
• a serial data input port;
• a transmitter coupled to the serial data output port, wherein the transmitter is configured to receive parallel data, to convert the parallel data to a serial data stream, and to transmit the serial data stream at the serial data output port, wherein the transmitter comprises a first router for routing parallel data to the transmitter;
• a receiver coupled to the serial data input port, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a serial data stream, to convert the serial data stream to parallel data, and to provide the parallel data, wherein the receiver comprises a second router for routing the parallel data produced by the receiver;
• wherein the first router is coupled to the second router, and wherein the first and second routers are coupled to receive a test signal, and wherein when the test signal is asserted:
• (i) the second router routes parallel data produced by the receiver to the first router;
• and (ii) the first router routes the parallel data produced by the receiver to the transmitter;
• asserting the test signal;
• providing serial input test data to the serial data input port;
• receiving serial output test data from the serial data output port;
• and
• comparing the serial output test data to the serial input test data.