Agilent
Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) recently introduced the industry's first software
for decoding MIPI Radio Frequency Front-End (RFFE) protocol packets on
oscilloscopes. The new protocol
decoder provides design and validation engineers with a fast,
easy way to validate and debug their RFFE interfaces.
RFFE is a
specification that offers a common method for controlling RF front-end devices,
namely power amplifiers, switches, power management modules, antenna tuners and
sensors. RFFE provides point-to-multipoint connectivity for control of the RF
front-end and is able to scale to dozens of slave devices, which are connected
to a single master device.
Many
radio applications need accurate timing control. To address this challenge,
RFFE uses a relatively high bus-clock frequency of 26 MHz and introduces
accurate triggering mechanisms to allow control of timing-critical functions in
multiple devices.
Agilent's
N8824A MIPI RFFE protocol decoder is designed to run on Infiniium 9000A and
9000 H-Series oscilloscopes as well as the 90000A, 90000 X- and 90000 Q-Series.
It decodes protocol packets for the MIPI RFFE v1.10 specification. R&D
design and validation teams can use the software to address their startup
debugging and to examine the traffic between RF front-end devices. Using the
decoder with an oscilloscope also allows engineers to meet accurate timing
requirements associated with the RFFE packets.
"As
RFFE technology has been more widely adopted, we have received numerous
requests from customers for a tool to decode RFFE packets," said Jay
Alexander, vice president and general manager of Agilent's Oscilloscope
Products Division. "To meet our customers' needs for leading-edge
solutions, we developed the RFFE protocol decoder. Our decoder is extremely
helpful to RFFE designers for ensuring their designs work as intended."
When
engineers use the Agilent N8824A MIPI RFFE protocol decoder on the Infiniium
9000 H-Series oscilloscopes (ideal for this kind of work), they get12-bit
vertical resolution and up to three times less noise than traditional
oscilloscopes produce.
U.S.
Pricing and Availability
The
Agilent N8824A MIPI RFFE protocol decoder is available now for $2,500.
Additional information is available atwww.agilent.com/find/n8824a.
Software screen images are available at www.agilent.com/find/n8824a_images.
Agilent's
complete portfolio of oscilloscopes is
available in a variety of form factors, from 20 MHz to 90 GHz, offering
industry-leading specifications and powerful applications.
Agilent's Digital Test Standards
Program
Agilent
Digital Test Standards Program experts are involved in various international
standards committees, including theJoint
Electronic Devices Engineering Council, PCI-SIG, Video
Electronics Standards Association, Serial ATA
International Organization, Serial Attached SCSI (T10), USB-Implementers
Forum, MIPI Alliance, Ethernet
standards(IEEE 802.3), Optical
Internetworking Forum and many others. Agilent's involvement in
these standards groups enables the company to bring the right solutions to
market when customers need them.
About Agilent Technologies
Agilent
Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is the world's premier measurement company and a
technology leader in chemical analysis, life sciences, diagnostics, electronics
and communications. The company's 20,500 employees serve customers in more than
100 countries. Agilent had revenues of $6.9 billion in fiscal 2012. Information
about Agilent is available at www.agilent.com.
MIPI is a
licensed trademark of MIPI, Inc., in the U.S. and other jurisdictions.