US 6,983,403 B2
Detecting bit errors in a communications system
Derek Mayweather, Mountain View, Calif. (US); Steven Gemelos, MenloPark, Calif. (US); Neil Mammen, San Jose, Calif. (US); and Jason Fan, Mountain View, Calif. (US)
Assigned to Luminous Networks, Inc., Cupertino, Calif. (US)
Filed on Mar. 02, 2001, as Appl. No. 9/798,701.
Prior Publication US 2002/0147947 A1, Oct. 10, 2002
Int. Cl. G06F 11/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 714—704 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A technique for determining a bit error rate comprising:
receiving a digital signal;
resetting an error counter and starting a time counter;
detecting errors in said digital signal, wherein said error counter is updated for each error detected;
determining when said errors counter reaches a predetermined threshold;
stopping the time counter when said errors counter reaches said predetermined threshold; and
calculating a bit error rate based upon said predetermined threshold and a value of the time counter.