Automatic test equipment utilizing a matrix of digital differential analyzer integrators to generate interrogation signals

Claim 1

Computer-controlled automatic test equipment, comprising a digital computer for controlling the testing and also for analyzing returning signal responses resulting from the testing at least one peripheral input device supplying information to said computer, at least one peripheral output device receiving information from said computer, a plurality of analogue-todigital converters, a routing system for routing analogue signals to a unit under test and also for routing analogue signal responses from the unit under test to said analogue-to-digital converters, a response input channel of said computer receiving for computer analysis the digital signal outputs of said analogue-to-digital converters, a plurality of digital differential analyzer integrators combined into a matrix with variable interconnections for synthesizing a variety of digital test signals, a control output channel of said computer delivering computer output signals to said matrix to determine said matrix interconnections and also to set the initial conditions in said integrators, and a plurality of digital-toanalogue converters receiving said synthesized digital test signals from said matrix and converting them into said analogue test signals which are delivered to said routing system.