Integrated circuit calibration system using general purpose processors

Abstract

In one embodiment, an integrated circuit is disclosed. The integrated includes a general purpose processor, an interface circuit, and a calibration adapter circuit. The general purpose processor circuit generates calibration test inputs based on user instruction. The analog interface circuit may include a calibration bus circuit. The calibration bus circuit may receive the calibration test input from the general purpose processor circuit. The calibration adapter circuit is coupled to the calibration bus circuit and the general purpose processor circuit and transmits the calibration test inputs to the calibration bus circuit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of calibrating an analog interface circuit with a non-reconfigurable general purpose processor, comprising:
 receiving a calibration instruction with the general purpose processor;   generating corresponding calibration outputs by calibrating the analog interface circuit based on the received calibration instruction;   receiving the calibration outputs with the general purpose processor; and   comparing the calibration outputs to predetermined outputs.   
     
     
         2 . The method defined in  claim 1  further comprising:
 with the general purpose processor, receiving a different calibration instruction when the calibration outputs are different from the predetermined outputs. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method defined in  claim 2 , wherein the calibration instruction and the different calibration instruction are generated from two different software codes. 
     
     
         4 . The method defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating test inputs based on the calibration instructions; and   transmitting the test inputs to a general bus circuit.   
     
     
         5 . The method defined in  claim 1 , wherein generating corresponding calibration outputs by calibrating the analog interface circuit based on the received calibration instruction comprises transmitting calibration test inputs to the analog interface circuit. 
     
     
         6 . The method defined in  claim 5 , wherein transmitting the calibration test inputs to the analog interface circuit comprises transmitting the calibration test inputs to the analog interface circuit through a plurality of programmable interconnects. 
     
     
         7 . The method defined in  claim 6 , wherein transmitting the calibration test inputs to the analog interface circuit through the plurality of programmable interconnects comprises transmitting the calibration test inputs to the analog interface circuit through the plurality of programmable interconnects to at least one physical medium attachment circuit of a plurality of physical medium attachment circuits. 
     
     
         8 . The method defined in  claim 7 , wherein the calibration test inputs include address signals that identify a particular physical medium attachment circuit of the plurality of physical medium attachment circuits. 
     
     
         9 . The method defined in  claim 7 , wherein transmitting the calibration test inputs to the analog interface circuit comprises transmitting the calibration test inputs to the plurality of programmable interconnects through a general bus. 
     
     
         10 . The method defined in  claim 9 , wherein a memory module is coupled to the general bus. 
     
     
         11 . The method defined in  claim 5 , wherein transmitting the calibration test inputs to the analog interface circuit comprises transmitting the calibration test inputs to the test analog interface circuit through a bus circuit that is used only for calibration purposes. 
     
     
         12 . The method defined in  claim 11 , wherein transmitting the calibration test inputs to the analog interface circuit comprises transmitting the calibration test inputs from the bus circuit to at least one physical medium attachment circuit of a plurality of physical medium attachment circuits through at least one signal pathway of a plurality of signal pathways. 
     
     
         13 . The method defined in  claim 11 , wherein transmitting the calibration test inputs to the analog interface circuit comprises transmitting the calibration test inputs from the general purpose processor to a calibration adapter circuit that converts the calibration test inputs from data having a first number of bits to data having a second number of bits that is different than the first number of bits. 
     
     
         14 . The method defined in  claim 13 , wherein transmitting the calibration test inputs to the analog interface circuit comprises transmitting the converted calibration test inputs from the calibration adapter circuit to the bus circuit. 
     
     
         15 . The method defined in  claim 14 , wherein transmitting the calibration test inputs to the analog interface circuit comprises transmitting the converted calibration test inputs from the calibration adapter circuit to the bus circuit through at least one physical coding sublayer circuit of a plurality of physical coding sublayer circuits. 
     
     
         16 . A method of calibrating an analog interface circuit with a non-reconfigurable general purpose processor, comprising:
 receiving a calibration instruction with the general purpose processor;   transmitting calibration test input signals to the analog interface circuit through a bus circuit that is used only for calibration purposes;   with the general purpose processor, receiving corresponding calibration output signals generated by the analog interface circuit; and   comparing the calibration output signals to predetermined outputs.   
     
     
         17 . The method defined in  claim 16 , further comprising:
 with the general purpose processor, receiving a different calibration instruction when the calibration output signals are different from the predetermined outputs.   
     
     
         18 . The method defined in  claim 17 , wherein the calibration instruction and the different calibration instruction are generated from two different software codes. 
     
     
         19 . A method of calibrating an analog interface circuit with a non-reconfigurable general purpose processor, comprising:
 receiving a calibration instruction with the general purpose processor;   transmitting calibration test input signals to the analog interface circuit;   with the general purpose processor, receiving corresponding calibration output signals generated by the analog interface circuit;   comparing the calibration output signals to predetermined outputs; and   with the general purpose processor, receiving a different calibration instruction when the calibration output signals are different from the predetermined outputs.   
     
     
         20 . The method defined in  claim 19 , wherein the calibration instruction and the different calibration instruction are generated from two different software codes.