Agilent Measurement Journal - Issue 5 - 2008 - (Page 62)

The VPT1000 hardware is extremely ﬂexible, supporting a wide range of use cases. It can be used with a PC for online logging and visualization, mounted in a car as a standalone data logger (without a PC), or as a protocol decode/trigger device together with the Agilent 6000/7000 Series mixed-signal oscilloscope (MSO) for combined physical layer and protocol analysis. Several key features make the VPT1000 FlexRay protocol analyzer well suited for use with FlexRay networks: • The VPT1000 is equipped with two FlexRay connections and two Controller Area Network (CAN) channels. CAN is a broadcast shared serial bus for microcontrollers used mainly in automotive applications. Both FlexRay and CAN can be displayed on the analyzer, on the same time base and with a resolution of 25 ns — a capability that is critical for integration tests and timing measurements. Also, up to four digital input/output (I/O) signals can be integrated into the measurement. • The VPT1000 supports the correct display of multiplexed signals during a FlexRay cycle and can work in either synchronous or asynchronous modes. Switching between these modes occurs automatically, without any loss of data. This feature allows the analyzer to be used for start-up analysis or for measurements of disturbed networks, enabling fast and effective identiﬁcation of the root cause of communication problems. • The VPT1000 features an additional measurement controller to receive and detect more data in case of error situations. Timing and protocol error situations are clearly captured and can be used as trigger. Signals are decodable and a powerful trigger engine covers different protocol errors. The software supports direct import from Fibex ﬁles (Figure 5). In addition to these features, the VPT1000 comes with a speciﬁc FPGA design to process full bus load based on the latest FlexRay Speciﬁcation 2.1a. It also includes a FlexRay controller (Bosch E-Ray) and an additional controller implementation with extended protocol-error and frame-analysis capabilities. Conclusion Finding errors in a FlexRay network can be a difﬁcult task, especially if those errors are sporadic in nature. A quality metric is vital to testing FlexRay networks and ﬁnding such errors, thereby ensuring consumer conﬁdence as well as proper operation of in-vehicle electronics. Proper measurement tools are critical for accomplishing this goal. A FlexRay protocol analyzer such as the Agilent VPT1000 is well suited to helping create a quality metric for the FlexRay protocol layer. Currently, no such solution exists for the FlexRay physical layer. Obtaining such a tool will be vital to ensuring that the FlexRay protocol lives up to its true potential and enables the next generation of advanced automotive communications applications. For more information, go to www.agilent.com/ﬁnd/vpt1000 The authors would like to thank Tilmann Wendel, former Technical Marketing Manager, Agilent Technologies, for his contributions to this article. 62 Agilent Measurement Journal http://www.agilent.com/find/vpt1000

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Agilent Measurement Journal - Issue 5 - 2008

Agilent Measurement Journal Issue 5 Finding a New Path when Assumptions Break Down Contents Testing MIPI D-PHY Protocols Oscilloscope Firmware Update DNA Replication Joining the LTE/SAE Trial Initiative Testing Proteins Praise for DC Power Analyzer Scripting Features for AMDS Testing Hybrid PCBA Systems Improving the Gene Expression System Workflow Turning a “Good Enough” Test Strategy into One That’s Reliable, Repeatable and Traceable Understanding the Effects of Limited-Bandwidth Channels on Digital Data Signals Introducing the 3GPP LTE Downlink Validating the 26 Validating the Physical and Protocol Layers in DDR Memory Interfaces Understanding Total Jitter Measurements of Low Probabilities Using Behavioral-Model Simulation to Accurately Predict First-Order PLL Performance Creating Synchronous High-Frequency Sampling across Multiple Digitizers Overcoming the Challenges of Testing FlexRay Networks Understanding Operating Life and Repeatability of Electromechanical Switches and their Effect on Total Cost of Ownership Implementing Micro and Nano LC/MS Techniques for High Sensitivity Lipidomics Analysis

Agilent Measurement Journal - Issue 5 - 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.