The GX5055 is a 6U, PXI module which provides real-time digital stimulus and capture with 32 pins per card. Up to 16 cards can be configured as one domain, supporting a total of 512 pins. The 32 pins on each card can be configured as an input or output on a per channel basis. The direction of each channel may be changed dynamically on a per vector basis via the sequencer, an external event, or by either method. Maximum vector rate is 50 MHz and each pin can be programmed for drive high, drive low, sense high and sense low levels over a range from -10 volts to +15 volts. Additionally, each pin has adjustable slew rate and can be programmed for pull-up or pull-down loads.
Clock and strobe signals are distributed to the slave cards via the PXI local bus. The external control signals which are accessed via a separate front panel connector on the module allow full synchronization with the unit under test (UUT) and can help minimize test initialization. The GX5055’s algorithmic sequencer lets you create loops and branches to manipulate the sequencing of vectors. This gives the GX5055 the capability to generate test vectors indefinitely at maximum test rates. Internal and external trigger and pause commands are available in several modes. The GX5055 has separate memories to support output data, response data, and test step sequencing commands. The separate memory for response data allows the state of the UUT pins to be read independent of the pin’s state (drive or sense). This is an important feature which is lacking in most other high-speed digital I/O cards and allows support of capabilities such as drive / verify on a per pin basis.
The Marvin Test Solutions DIO family uses common software development tools to develop test vector files. The test vector files contain drive and sense digital patterns which are used to test a Unit Under Test (UUT).
DIOEasy, Marvin Test Solutions’s vector development and analysis software, is offered with all DIO products and allows manual control of the DIO hardware using the built-in DIO Virtual Instrument Panel and does not require any programming experience or knowledge to operate. The associated DIO driver permits control of the DIO family from common software development tools such as Marvin Test Solutions’s ATEasy, Microsoft’s Visual Basic, Microsoft’s Visual C++, Borland C++, Borland Delphi and Microsoft’s .NET framework.
Using DIOEasy or DIO driver functions, the development of vector files can be done without using the actual hardware. Vector file verification does require that the DIO be installed and properly configured.