System and method for determining on-chip bit error rate (BER) in a communication system

A method for evaluating performance of a device, the method comprising:

• establishing a closed communication path internally within a physical layer device (PLD);
• and
• determining within said PLD, a bit error rate for said PLD based on a ratio of:
• a number of bits in test packets generated within said PLD that are transmitted over said closed communication path, and a number of said transmitted bits in said test packets that are received via said closed communication path by said PLD, wherein said PLD is an OSI layer 1 device.

A system for evaluating performance of a device, the system comprising:

• circuitry within a physical layer device (PLD) that establishes a closed communication path internally within said PLD;
• and
• said circuitry within said PLD that determines, a bit error rate for said PLD based on a ratio of:
• a number of bits in test packets generated within said PLD that are transmitted over said closed communication path, and a number of said transmitted bits in said test packets that are received via said closed communication path by said PLD, wherein said PLD is an OSI layer 1 device.

A method for evaluating performance of a device, the method comprising:

• establishing a closed communication path between a physical layer device (PLD) and a remote PLD;
• and
• determining within said PLD, a bit error rate for said PLD based on a ratio of:
• a number of bits in test packets generated within said PLD that are transmitted via said closed communication path through said remote PLD, and a number said transmitted bits in said test packets that are received from said remote PLD via said closed communication path by said PLD, wherein said PLD and said remote PLD are OSI layer 1 devices.

A system for evaluating performance of a device, the system comprising:

• circuitry within a physical layer device (PLD) that establishes a closed communication path with a remote PLD;
• and
• said circuitry within said physical layer device (PLD) determines a bit error rate for said PLD based on a ratio of:
• a number of bits in test packets generated within said PLD that are transmitted via said closed communication path through said remote PLD, and a number said transmitted bits in said test packets that are received from said remote PLD via said closed communication path by said PLD, wherein said PLD and said remote PLD are OSI layer 1 devices.

A method for evaluating performance of a device, the method comprising:

• establishing a closed communication path between a physical layer device (PLD) and a remote PLD;
• and
• determining within said PLD, a bit error rate for said PLD based on a ratio of:
• a number of bits in test packets generated within said PLD that are transmitted via said closed communication path through said remote PLD, and a number said transmitted bits in said test packets that are received from said remote PLD via said closed communication path by said PLD, wherein said PLD and said remote PLD are OSI layer 1 devices.