Design of multichannel signature analyzers

The design of signal analyzers for the automated statistical diagnosis of output errors in multiple-output digital components is considered analytically. The design algorithm developed is applicable to systems with any number of channels and any primitive irreducible generating polynomial. The case of an analyzer for 5 channels using the generating polynomial of the Hewlett-Packard single-channel signal analyzer is presented as an example, and the algorithm-designed multichannel system is shown to provide higher diagnostic reliability than a single-channel analyzer and to require much less hardware than a set of 5 single-channel analyzers.