Keysight highlights InfiniiVision options at Automotive Testing Expo

Novi, MI. Keysight Technologies demonstrated several products at the Automotive Testing Expo, including oscilloscope options that improve automotive engineers’ efficiency in debugging controller area network with flexible data-rate (CAN FD) and single-edge nibble transmission (SENT) serial buses. The company also highlighted power products, including power supplies, power dissipaters, and battery analyzers; PXI functional test systems; source-measure units; handheld instruments with Bluetooth connectivity; and high-end oscilloscopes that can analyze BroadR-Reach and MOST bus signals. 

Used in conjunction with Keysight’s InfiniiVision 4000 X-Series oscilloscopes, the CAN FD option provides insight into the detection and elimination of bus errors during the design phase. In addition, the SENT option provides trigger and decoding for serial data from automotive sensors on fast and slow channels, including the ability to trigger on various error conditions.

CAN FD is the next-generation, higher performance serial-bus protocol for automotive control and diagnostic applications. It allows engineers to reduce bus loads and increase throughput. With classic CAN 2.0, transmission rates are limited to 1 Mb/s because of the event-driven nature of this serial bus. With CAN FD, transmission rates increase during the data phase of each frame and maximum specified payload sizes are increased from 8 bytes up to 64 bytes. Moving from CAN 2.0 to CAN FD technology offers an easier and more seamless migration path compared with adopting other time-triggered serial bus protocols such as FlexRay.

With the higher data rates of CAN FD, using an oscilloscope to test and debug the signal integrity (physical layer) of these higher-speed signals is critical. Keysight’s new CAN FD triggering and decode capabilities in the InfiniiVision 4000 X-Series oscilloscopes rely on hardware-based decoding to enable the industry’s fastest decode update rates. Faster waveform and decode update rates increase the scope’s probability of capturing random and infrequent errors. Detection and elimination of bus errors during the design phase is crucial for automotive safety.

SENT is a point-to-point serial bus that interfaces sensors to ECUs. Keysight’s new SENT option for InfiniiVision 4000 X-Series oscilloscopes provides decoding for serial data on fast and slow channels and offers extensive triggering selections, including the ability to trigger on various error conditions.

Here are some other specific products on display at the Keysight booth:

• The Keysight TS-8989 PXI functional test system provides automotive manufacturers a cost-effective, integrated PXI-based measurement switch and load system with support for up to 104 test nodes and current loads of up to 40 A. Specific instruments on display included the M9188A DAC and a PXI digitizer.
• Infiniium S-Series high-definition oscilloscopes can perform MOST150 and BroadR-Reach physical layer compliance testing; they offer up to a 8-GHz bandwidth, 50 Mpoints of standard memory, a 15-in. XGA capacitive multi-touch screen, and a 10-bit analog-to-digital converter.
• The Advanced Power System (APS) and the N6705B DC power analyzer, when combined with the N6781A source/measure unit (SMU), simulate ISO 7637-2/ISO 16750-2 waveforms, enabling the test of regenerative electromechanical systems and performing battery drain analysis.
• Keysight handheld test tools on display included a range of wireless-enabled handheld multimeters, clamp and calibrator meters, and handheld insulation resistance testers and the recently introduced U5855A TrueIR thermal imager.

Newark, a distribution partner provides premium service and innovative solutions to meet customers’ electronic test equipment needs since 1971, joined Keysight’s booth.