Agilent automated switching solution for testing multilane digital buses

Agilent Technologies has introduced an automated switching solution for testing each lane of a multilane digital bus interface. The automated switching solution works with Infiniium Series oscilloscopes and is available on compliance applications for multilane buses, including DisplayPort, HDMI, PCI-Express and MIPI D-PHY and M-PHY interfaces.

The solution includes switch matrix software options for Infiniium compliance applications and preconfigured switch matrix hardware models that work with the applications. Supported switch matrix hardware models include Agilent’s U3020AS26 and Agilent partner BitifEye’s BIT-2100 Series.

Accessories are available for SMA- and SMP-connection test interfaces as well as for direct probing using the Agilent InfiniiMax Series probes. In addition, Agilent’s N2809A PrecisionProbe oscilloscope probe and cable correction software can be used to remove the loss and skew introduced when the switch paths are added to the measurement set-up.

Together, these capabilities provide a comprehensive solution for automating multilane testing. The automated switching solution gives engineers the ability to eliminate reconnections and errors, saving time and simplifying testing by automating tests for each lane of a multilane bus.

For accuracy maintenance, engineers can use Agilent’s unique N2809A PrecisionProbe or N5465A InfiniiSim software to compensate switch path loss and skew.

The test application can be extended with a remote programming interface and the N5467A user-defined application for device control, equipment control and test customisation or scripting.

Agilent’s Infiniium 90000A, X- and Q-Series oscilloscopes are suitable for testing multilane high-speed digital interfaces because they offer analog bandwidths up to 63 GHz, with the lowest noise floor, deepest memory and flattest response. Engineers using Infiniium Series oscilloscopes with the automated switching solution can save time, maximise their design margins and gain greater insight into their system performance. In addition, engineers can recover margins by correcting the cable and probe losses using the N2809A PrecisionProbe correction software, available only with Infiniium Series oscilloscopes.