Methods and apparatus for bi-directional signaling

A system comprising:

• a device configured to simultaneously output an external signal and input a resultant signal;
• a receiver circuit configured to receive the external signal;
• a first driver circuit configured to output a first signal;
• a second driver circuit configured to output a second signal;
• and
• a resistive circuit coupling the receiver circuit, first driver circuit and second driver circuit together, the resistive circuit being configured to combine the first signal and the second signal to produce a resultant signal at a first node and a substantially attenuated signal at a second node to which the receiver circuit is coupled, and wherein the attenuated signal has an amplitude within a negligible range with respect to operation of the receiver circuit.

A system comprising:

• a device under test (DUT) that is configured to simultaneously output an external signal and input a resultant signal;
• a test apparatus configured to test the ability to of the DUT to support simultaneous bi-directional communication, the test apparatus comprising:
• a receiver circuit configured to receive the external signal;
• a first driver circuit configured to output a first signal;
• a second driver circuit configured to output a second signal;
• and
• a resistive circuit coupled to the receiver circuit, the first driver circuit, the second driver circuit, and the DUT, the resistive circuit being configured to combine the first signal and the second signal to produce the resultant signal at a first node and a substantially attenuated signal at a second node to which the receiver circuit is coupled, and wherein the attenuated signal has an amplitude within a negligible range with respect to operation of the receiver circuit.

A load board apparatus for use in coupling a device under test (DUT) to an automated test equipment (ATE) device, the ATE device having a first driver circuit, a second driver circuit and a receiver circuit, the load board apparatus comprising:

• an output configurable to connect to the receiver circuit of the ATE;
• a first input configurable to connect to the first driver circuit of the ATE;
• a second input configurable to connect to the second driver circuit of the ATE;
• a connector configurable to connect to the DUT;
• and
• a resistive circuit coupled to the output, the first input, the second input, and the connector, the resistive circuit configured to receive a first input signal from the first input and a second input signal from the second input, the resistive circuit to generate a resultant signal based on the first input signal and the second input signal, and provide the resultant signal to the connector, and wherein in generating the resultant signal the resistive circuit causes only a substantially attenuated signal to be provided to the output configurable to connect to the receiver circuit of the ATE device, wherein the attenuated signal has an amplitude within a negligible range with respect to operation of the receiver circuit.