Vehicle serial bus analyser performs waveform measurement and protocol analysis

The SB5000 is based on the Yokogawa DL9710L digital oscilloscope platform, featuring 5 GS/s sampling and a 1 GHz real-time bandwidth. The instrument has four analogue channels plus 8- or 32-bit logic inputs, and offers a record length of up to 6.25 Mword per channel.

With the new analyser, users can observe long durations of bus data over multiple cycles, and confirm changes in timing and period. It is possible to confirm if a FlexRay chip, for example, is functioning normally by focusing on the interface, and also to tell if specific frames such as the sync. frame have definitely been sent.

Comprehensive display and analysis facilities linked with dedicated triggers make it possible to observe the relationships between waveforms and analysis results, and to check for glitches and other phenomena in the bus signal. Analysis results and waveforms can be displayed simultaneously, and a search function allows specific events to be located and highlighted.

In addition to physical layer waveform observation and protocol analysis, the SB5000 carries out Flexray eye-diagram analysis and bus driver electrical parameter measurement. It also provides simultaneous analysis of analogue and logic channels, and simultaneous observation of any two buses (in two zoom windows) and dual real-time analysis. This can include two FlexRay channels, two CAN buses operating at different speeds, or combinations of FlexRay and CAN or CAN and LIN.

Support for debugging includes the facility for changing the test scenario, with variable voltage threshold levels and the ability to change the sample point within a bit. A CAN-DBC database file can be imported, allowing symbolic triggering and analysis as well as physical value trend display.

The SB5000 has been designed for ease of use, with facilities such as a dedicated bus set-up menu and a serial bus automatic set-up function.