The LXI Standard is an exciting
communications protocol
development for the testand-
measurement industry.
Unfortunately, members of the Consortium
have been the primary writers
associated with the information published
regarding the LXI Standard.
Since, having participated in its
development, they also possess an
intimate knowledge of the standard,
they have also been able to quickly
develop products that leverage off this
technology. Thus, it has left a gap in
the published information in regards
to newcomers who need to develop
LXI-compliant instruments.
This article’s intent is to provide
an overview of the primary elements
required for developing LXI-compliant
instruments, optional strategies for
developing these elements, and access
to valuable resources that will assist in
completing that development process.
WHAT IS LXI?
The LXI specification extends the
capabilities of typical Ethernet by
addressing key functional areas that
are necessary to ensure instrument
interoperability, performance, and
usability. The specification is divided
into key functional areas, which
enables product certification based
on specific “Class” requirements.
Class A encompasses all of the
benefits of LXI. It is the class of
choice for systems that require
instrumentation to be tightly integrated
and synchronized. Synchronization
is based on the IEEE-1588
Precision Time Protocol, which adds
the dimension of time to the system
designer’s arsenal.
LXI test-and-measurement modules
are optimized for use in design validation
and manufacturing test systems,
with LAN connectivity enabling modules
to be accessed from anywhere in
the world. Unlike modular card cages
that depend heavily on a host controller,
LXI modules are self-contained.
Each module contains its own
processor, LAN connection, power
supply, and trigger inputs. These
attributes allow for instrument-toinstrument
communication completely
independent of a host controller.
When compared to legacy
test-and-measurement standards,
this revolutionary concept opens the
door to a variety of state-of-the-art
application strategies.
LXI Class A products provide built-in
Web servers, a standard for triggering
and synchronizing between standalone
instruments, and peer-to-peer communication
Introduced in 2005, the LXI standard
has been adopted by more than 50 companies.
To date, more than 500 products
have been certified as compliant
with the LXI standard, with annual sales
of LXI-equipped test-and-measurement
equipment now exceeding $200 million.
The LXI standard creates new capabilities
that optimize test throughput,
overall system performance, and cost
efficiency in a way that lets engineers
build powerful, Web-enabled test systems
in less time.
The LXI Consortium is a non-profit
corporation that comprises test-andmeasurement
companies. The group’s
goals are to develop, support, and
promote the LXI standard. LXI’s flexible
packaging, high-speed I/O, and
standardized use of LAN connectivity
address a broad range of commercial,
industrial, aerospace, and military
applications.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR LXI COMPLIANCE
Prior to developing an LXI-compliant
instrument, there are three distinct factors
to consider:
1. Whether or not to join the Consortium.
2. Which LXI Class, or level of compliance,
will define the instrument being
developed.
3. The components, both hardware and
software, that will be required by the
instrument.
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