LeCroy - ExpressCard 2.0 Interposer for PCI Express 2.0 Analysis

The new ExpressCard 2.0 Standard developed by the PCMCIA, and now part of the USB-IF portfolio, is a small form-factor mobile I/O card running at data rates up to 5 GT/s to support primarily PCI Express 2.0 as well as USB 3.0. There are two form factors for ExpressCard, ExpressCard/34 (34 mm wide) and ExpressCard/54 (54 mm wide, in an L-shape). ExpressCard applications can include expanded system interfaces, storage and multi-media devices such as wireless, SATA drives and SSD modules.

The Expresscard is an important enabler for the mobile platform industry. This latest iteration of the standard will provide higher bandwidth for faster Expresscard applications, said Jeff Ravencraft, President and Chairman, USB-IF. Tools like the LeCroy PCI Express protocol analyzer provide early validation of interoperability between platforms and Expresscard products.

The LeCroy ExpressCard Interposer supports probing at speeds up to 5 GT/s. The ExpressCard interposer supports both 34 mm and 54 mm ExpressCard form factors. The interposer also provides a series of test points for measuring various signals. In addition to probing the PCI Express interface, the new interposer card also provides connectivity to LeCroy's USB analyzers for USB 2.0 protocol analysis.

In 2005, LeCroy was the first company to offer an ExpressCard interposer for mobile platform and card applications. This probing solution in combination with LeCroy's powerful protocol analysis enabled many success stories in ExpressCard development, said John Wiedemeier, Product Marketing Manager, LeCroy. Now developers have a solution for ExpressCard 2.0 debug from a supplier with a proven track record in ExpressCard test applications.

PCI Express Protocol Analyzers are tools for identifying, diagnosing and solving the interoperability issues typically encountered when system integrators verify ExpressCards in their notebook and tablet systems, including problems such as inconsistent card initialization, poor I/O performance and power up issues. Developers of ExpressCards can more easily identify protocol errors and performance issues that otherwise slow down development and testing of new or updated products. The intuitive software views and built-in protocol translations aid engineers in rapid problem identification and resolution, reducing time-to-market in development of new ExpressCard products.