Method and system for testing an electric circuit

US8742777B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama for and on behalf of the University of Alabama · US

Inventors

• Bruce Kim · Tuscaloosa, US
• Sukeshwar Kannan · Malta, US
• Ganesh Srinivasan · Woodinville, US
• Friedrich Taenzler · Plano, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 29, 2010
• Grant date: Jun 3, 2014
• Expiry date: Jul 18, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01R31/2822
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Embodiments include a method and system for testing an electric circuit. A carrier signal of a first frequency is modulated with a multi-tone signal to generate a test signal. The test signal is applied to an input of a circuit under test (CUT). A crest factor of an output signal that corresponds to the test signal received at an output of the CUT is measured. A crest factor differential between the measured crest factor and a reference crest factor is determined. If the crest factor differential exceeds a threshold value, the CUT is determined to be defective.