System and methods for measuring performance of an application specific integrated circuit interconnect

Abstract

This application discloses circuits and apparatus configured to measure performance of asynchronous circuits by injecting data in to inputs of asynchronous circuits and consuming data from the outputs without interfering in the functionality of the asynchronous circuits. This application also discloses systems and methods for assessing the performance of asynchronous channels and/or IP blocks by providing an unambiguous performance value which can be used for performance analysis and comparison.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A circuit, comprising:
 a data generator configured to generate a first plurality data signals each in response to receiving any acknowledgment signals from a first end of a communication channel;   a first selection circuit configured to receive the first plurality of data signals and a second plurality of data signals from a first IP block and configured to selectively input the first plurality of data signals or the second plurality of data signals into the first end of the communication channel;   a validity detector configured to generate the first plurality of acknowledgment signals in response to receiving any data signals from a second end of the communication channel;   a second selection circuit configured to receive the first plurality of acknowledgment signals and a second plurality of acknowledgment signals from a second IP block and configured to selectively input the first plurality acknowledgment signals or the second plurality of acknowledgment signals into the second end of the communication channel; and   a measurement circuit configured to receive any acknowledgement signals and determine a value representative of a performance of the communication channel based, in part, on the received acknowledgment signal.