Agilent Technologies broadens USB test portfolio with protocol analysis solution

Now included in the portfolio is an integrated USB 3.0 protocol analysis solution, that results from a collaboration with Ellisys, and the recently introduced Infiniium 9000 Series mixed signal oscilloscope, that includes fast, integrated 2GSa/s digital channels and an in-scope protocol viewer for USB.

The API of the Ellisys EX280 USB 3.0 protocol analyser hardware has been integrated into the N5990A test automation software platform for physical layer test automation. The development of USB 3.0 SuperSpeed devices requires automated test tools for characterization and compliance/pre-compliance testing at a 10x higher speed class compared to USB 2.0. 

Physical layer compliance testing is becoming compulsory for both the receiver and transmitter side of the devices. Protocol testing capabilities are relevant to system integrators and ease the physical layer testing with protocol-aware error counting, like frame error ratio (FER) counting. The USB-IF requires the receiver to successfully receive scrambled zeros, which is validated by reading the device's built-in error counter during the Rx compliance test.

Agilent offers a complete USB 3.0 test solution for transmitter and receiver test, comprised of:
·          DSA91304A Infiniium oscilloscope
·          U7243A USB 3.0 compliance test software
·          U7242A USB 3.0 test fixture
·          a pattern checker and pattern generator based on the J-BERT N4903A/B high-performance serial BERT
·          N5181A MXG RF analog signal generator
·          81150A pulse function arbitrary noise generator 
·          N5990A test automation software platform from Agilent's partner BitifEye Digital Test Solutions

Agilent also offers an extensive set of USB 2.0 test solutions:

• The Infiniium 9000 Series mixed signal oscilloscopes provide analog bandwidths of up to 4GHz and built-in logic and protocol analysis. In addition to impressive analog specifications the Infiniium 9000 includes fast, integrated 2GSa/s digital channels and an in-scope protocol viewer for USB. 
• The N5416A compliance test software for Infiniium oscilloscopes gives a fast and reliable way to verify USB electrical specification compliance for USB 2.0 hosts, hubs and devices. 
• Agilent offers a range of low, full and high speed test fixtures that meet the requirements of the USB-IF compliance test specification. For low and full speed compliance testing an E2646A SQuIDD (Signal Quality inrush Droop Drop) test fixture is needed. 
• The Agilent J-BERT N4903B high-performance serial BERT ensures the most integrated and accurate receiver tolerance testing. It generates pattern sequences and offers calibrated jitter injection, SSC and ISI. 
• The Agilent USB receiver test software N5990A option 102 complements the N5416A compliance test suite with additional receiver tests including intra-pair skew, jitter tolerance, carrier skew, squelch test and differential sensitivity tests.