Method and apparatus for evaluating a circuit

A system for use in evaluating operation of a circuit under test comprising:

• a test module which generates and transmits a transaction for use in testing the circuit and generates at least one external counter value;
• one or more modules which serve to format the transaction for execution by the circuit under test and direct the transaction so that it is executed and when necessary return a result to the test module;
• and
• monitor module which analyzes results of the executed transaction using the at least one external counter value.

A method for evaluating operations of a circuit under test comprising the steps of:

• generating and transmitting one or more transactions for use in testing the circuit under test
• generating at least one external counter value;
• converting the transactions for execution by the circuit under test;
• receiving the results of the executed transaction and converting the results for analysis;
• and
• monitoring the transactions generated for use in testing the circuit under test for comparison with the results of the executed transaction and the at least one external counter value.

A method for evaluating operation of a circuit under test comprising the steps of:

• generating and transmitting one or more working transactions for use in testing the circuit;
• initiating a first counter upon transmitting the working transaction;
• receiving a data return transaction from the circuit under test;
• stopping the first counter upon receipt of the data return transaction;
• running an internal counter within the circuit while executing the transaction;
• generating and transmitting a read transaction to the circuit under test to obtain the value of the internal counter in the circuit under test;
• receiving a read transaction result from the circuit under test, representing the value of the internal counter in the circuit under test;
• and
• comparing the value of the internal counter in the circuit under test with the value of the first counter to provide a measure of the operation of the circuit under test.

A method for evaluating a circuit under test comprising the steps of:

• configuring the circuit to count one or more events;
• generating and transmitting one or more transactions for use in testing the circuit, thereby causing the circuit to count events during upon receipt of the transaction and continue until completion of the transaction;
• and
• reading the count values generated by the circuit under test.