8-channel, 250-MHz scope features FPGA signal processing and 14-bit resolution
NI’s announcement, that it has delivered the power and flexibility of software-designed instrumentation to new instrument types and automated test applications, introduces a 14-bit, 250 Msample/sec, 250 MHz, 8-channel oscilloscope; a 26.5 GHz high-performance RF vector signal analyzer; a 2-bit, 2 Gsample/sec, 2 GHz intermediate frequency digitiser; and a 12.5 Gb/sec, 8 TX/8 RX lane high-speed serial instrument.
NI software-designed instruments contain a user-programmable FPGA customised with the familiar graphical data flow of the LabVIEW system design software, eliminating the need for specialised languages such as VHDL and Verilog, digital design experts or payments to instrument vendors each time a customisation is needed.
The NI PXIe-5170R and NI PXIe-5171R reconfigurable oscilloscopes are general-purpose instruments that contain a user programmable FPGA for in-line signal processing, protocol decoding and advanced trigger schemes without dead time. The scopes provide four or eight, simultaneously-sampled calibrated analogue input channels with 14-bit resolution, a sample rate of 250 Msample/sec and 100 or 250 MHz analogue bandwidth. All channels can be individually programmed for AC or DC coupling and an input range between 200 mVpp and 5 Vpp. Eight programmable digital IO-lines can be used for trigger or timing signals or to communicate with other hardware or the device under test using serial protocols such as I2C or SPI or proprietary communication schemes. The high-throughput Gen2 x8 PXI-Express interface of the NI PXIe-5170R and NI PXIe-5171R is capable of streaming 3.2 GB/sec across the PXI-Bus to the host, for example to store the data on a RAID-System. The FPGA is a Xilinx Kintex 7 device that you program with Labview, to add custom signal processing or analysis functions: or, you can also program it via HDL tools.
next; scope architecture
The reconfigurable scopes are designed around the user-programmable FPGA, which is in the digital data path behind the ADCs and also directly connected to the Gen2 x8 PCI-Express Interface as well as to the DRAM and all timing and trigger signals of the oscilloscope. This architecture allows processing all acquired samples continuously, for example to demodulate signals in real time or to evaluate complex trigger scenarios such as envelope-triggers.
The digital IO-Port on the front of the Oscilloscope provides eight digital lines that can be controlled from the FPGA . They can be used as Trigger or PFI lines but also to communicate with other instruments or devices under test using serial protocols.
next;in-line demod example
The FPGA can also be programmed with Instrument Design Libraries (IDLs), or using LabVIEW FPGA without using the IDL, for example to fully take control of the Instrument. LabVIEW FPGA ships with a variety of signal processing IP-blocks for FPGA-programming and in addition, many IP-blocks and example programs are available from ni.com/labs for free; for example, filtering signals, fast Fourier transform (FFT), or communication through the digital IO-lines. This illustration shows custom demodulation using IP from the FPGA RF Communications Library; it uses LabVIEW FPGA Code for demodulating and decoding I and Q signals after 4X decimation.
NI has a video “101 things to do with software-designed instruments” and has a begin-here page “How to use a software-designed Instrument”
National Instruments; www.ni.com
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