Enhanced I/O Test Suite Facilitates Test Connections

Oct. 4, 2004

Demand for simple and fast test-system connections in multivendor instrument setups pushed Agilent to come up with E2094N I/O Libraries Suite 14.0, which enables error-free connections in under 15 minutes. Its updated I/O libraries and automated connection tools, like Connection Expert, detect PC-connected instruments, configure the interfaces, and verify connections even in test systems that mix Ethernet/local-area network, GPIB, RS-232, USB, and VXI instruments from any vendor.

"Agilent's new I/O Libraries Suite eliminates hours of effort for engineers faced with the challenge of combining multivendor instruments that use different software and I/O technologies to create new test systems or add on to existing systems," says Mark Pierpoint, vice president of Agilent's Measurement and Analysis Software Group. "They can now connect instruments from multiple vendors to their PCs as easily as they connect a printer to a PC."

The suite's "smart default" feature automatically identifies installation defaults based on the hardware configuration and previously installed software. Engineers then can customize the defaults if desired. I/O utility tools enable expert debugging and system optimization. Tools such as interactive I/O, VISA Assistant, and IO Control let test-system experts control and debug both the bus and the instrument.

Sample "hello world" instrument programs are available in common development languages. Engineers can copy and paste sample code directly into their programs to accelerate test development.

Libraries Suite 14.0 is available free to users who are developing test systems that include at least one Agilent product, such as instrument I/O hardware, VEE, or Toolkit. As a standalone product, it costs $395.

Agilent Technologieswww.agilent.com (800) 829-4444, item #7929

About the Author

Roger Allan

Roger Allan is an electronics journalism veteran, and served as Electronic Design's Executive Editor for 15 of those years. He has covered just about every technology beat from semiconductors, components, packaging and power devices, to communications, test and measurement, automotive electronics, robotics, medical electronics, military electronics, robotics, and industrial electronics. His specialties include MEMS and nanoelectronics technologies. He is a contributor to the McGraw Hill Annual Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. He is also a Life Senior Member of the IEEE and holds a BSEE from New York University's School of Engineering and Science. Roger has worked for major electronics magazines besides Electronic Design, including the IEEE Spectrum, Electronics, EDN, Electronic Products, and the British New Scientist. He also has working experience in the electronics industry as a design engineer in filters, power supplies and control systems.

After his retirement from Electronic Design Magazine, He has been extensively contributing articles for Penton’s Electronic Design, Power Electronics Technology, Energy Efficiency and Technology (EE&T) and Microwaves RF Magazine, covering all of the aforementioned electronics segments as well as energy efficiency, harvesting and related technologies. He has also contributed articles to other electronics technology magazines worldwide.

He is a “jack of all trades and a master in leading-edge technologies” like MEMS, nanolectronics, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, military electronics, biometrics, implantable medical devices, and energy harvesting and related technologies.