T&M: FPGA
not been discussed for a long time, however. Going beyond the principle of embedded test centres, FPGAs are also exceptionally suited for designing flexible, external test hardware. One example of this is the ChipVORX module. The concept behind it is really simple. The modules are brought to the same description level as the board to be tested using mapping and then processed with it as a single unit by the tools. All features and procedures therefore remain identical, even though it is an external additional electronics unit. Using corresponding assembly modules, standard interfaces such as PCIe, SATAe or USB3.0 can also be tested on this basis. For boundary scan purposes, all these modules also support IEEE1149. 1 and IEEE1149. 6 [5]. These modules are controlled via the normal test access port, and multiple modules of the same type or a different type can also be cascaded. A test station can be easily configured and even supports testing of objects which have no on-board FPGA. In addition, such modules can also easily be installed in fixtures and control test points contacted using needles. The ultimate in production testing can actually only be provided by a combination of all the embedded test procedures, such as Boundary Scan, Processor Emulation Test, In-System Programming
Figure 3. Examples of ChipVORX visualisation: BERT-Eye (PCIe x4) and frequency measurement
and FPGA-embedded instruments in an environment that includes external I/O modules and other external standard instruments. Appropriately engineered hardware and software platforms such as SYSTEM CASCON are essential for this. This platform naturally also supports completely manual project development based on its own IP and convenient control at language level. As design-embedded test centres, FPGA-embedded instruments offer huge potential for improving the quality of testing and fault coverage for highly complex electronic systems with greatly reduced physical test access.
47 ELECTRONICSPECIFIER.COM
Powered by FlippingBook