With VScope™, engineers and even system operators can scan received data from within the IC itself in a manner similar to oscilloscopes and bit error rate detectors. Offered in clock and data recovery products from Vitesse, VScope can operate on any channel of live data, enabling unique capabilities for testing and system monitoring.
VScope makes accurate monitoring possible that was formerly out of reach. By scanning a signal after the IC equalization but before conversion to a digital stream, a true picture can be obtained of the input signal and the equalization performance.
This in-line diagnostic not only takes advantage of equalization, but also avoids inherent inaccuracies with measurements taken at the input to the IC. Outside probing can only approximate the actual signal and can introduce capacitive loading and other inaccuracies.
The veracity of the scan data is further enhanced by the fact that the same circuits handle both waveform scanning and data acquisition, ensuring an exact correlation between data and measurement.
VScope diagnostics go beyond standard capabilities and enable revolutionary new applications. The technology not only augments design testing, but also creates opportunities for remote diagnostics and monitoring of ongoing system health.
Using VScope, design testing becomes more cost effective and streamlined. For multi-board systems such as backplanes, engineers can test in a fully assembled system, eliminating special test cards and awkward cabling arrangements. Signal integrity (SI) margins across voltage and temperature can also be tested far more easily, since the only interface required when testing a board in an environmental chamber is the lower frequency control bus to the PCB.
Remote monitoring is another VScope advantage. By transporting the scan data in the packet overhead, this diagnostic information can be accessed in real time from anywhere in the network. Data service providers can make detailed remote measurements of signal integrity from the central office, eliminating on-site service to perform the same test using conventional instruments. Furthermore, by monitoring the health of a given link, signal degradation can be identified and solved before it becomes a problem. The results for service providers are reduced field labor, reduced operational expenses, and rapid, pre-emptive customer service |
