PCIe Event Fabric for Scalable Automated Test Platforms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated test equipment systems are often rigid and proprietary, making them difficult to scale and adapt to varying testing needs.
Innovation Solution
A scalable test platform utilizing a PCIe-based event fabric that couples instrument and digital signal processing subsystems, enabling flexible interfacing with devices under test and efficient data processing through direct memory access engines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If automated test equipment systems are designed to be rigid and proprietary, then system stability and reliability are improved, but adaptability and scalability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The test equipment system is divided into modular instrument subsystems that can be independently configured and coupled to different devices under test. Each subsystem operates as an independent unit with standardized interfaces, allowing the system to be segmented and reconfigured for different testing requirements while maintaining stable operation through standardized communication protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs universal interfaces and standardized communication protocols that allow the same instrument subsystems to interface with multiple types of devices under test. The PCIe-based event fabric provides a universal platform where different instrument cards can be coupled to various DUTs, enabling one system to perform multiple testing functions without requiring proprietary custom designs for each application.
2Manufacturing precision
If automated test equipment systems use proprietary designs, then manufacturing precision and control are improved, but ease of manufacture and scalability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system architecture segments functionality into separate instrument subsystems that can be manufactured independently using standardized processes. Each subsystem can be produced, tested, and certified separately before being integrated into the larger system, making manufacturing more precise and scalable while maintaining overall system control through standardized interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses configurable parameters and settings that can be adjusted through software without changing the physical hardware architecture. This allows precise control and customization of testing parameters while maintaining the same manufactured hardware platform, enabling scalability without requiring custom manufacturing for each application variant.
3Device complexity
If data processing is performed through traditional methods, then system complexity is reduced, but data throughput and processing efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces dedicated digital signal processing subsystems as intermediaries between the instrument subsystems and the final data analysis. These DSP subsystems handle the bulk of data processing operations, freeing the main system architecture from complex real-time processing requirements while enabling high data throughput through specialized processing hardware that bridges the gap between simple data collection and complex analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
A scalable test platform includes a PCIe-based event fabric. One or more instrument subsystems are coupled to the PCIe-based event fabric and configured to interface one or more devices under test and generate captured test data. One or more digital signal processing subsystems are coupled to the PCIe-based event fabric and configured to process the captured test data.