Software helps debug protocol timing violations using logic analyzer

Aug. 19, 2015

Santa Rosa, CA. Keysight Technologies, Inc. today announced a new software package for use with Keysight logic analyzers, the B4661A memory analysis software. The Keysight B4661A memory analysis software offers a functional-level compliance violation testing capability across DDR4 and LPDDR4 speed changes.

The new B4661A memory analysis software has a performance analysis option that provides powerful new trace overview and navigation features. The memory analysis software also offers DDR and LPDDR decoder options. With this software and a Keysight logic analyzer, digital designers can monitor DDR3/4 or LPDDR2/3/4 systems to identify elusive violations in protocol or bus-level timing.

“Our customers who work with computer and embedded memory systems have asked for compliance tools that track compliance violations across speed changes and provide enhanced overviews of system performance,” said Dave Cipriani, vice president and general manager of Keysight’s Oscilloscope and Protocol Division. “With the new memory analysis software, customers can quickly identify design problems, allowing them to get products into the marketplace faster.”

The memory analysis software includes four options:

  • DDR decoder with physical address trigger tool
  • LPDDR decoder
  • DDR and LPDDR compliance violation analysis
  • DDR3/4 and LPDDR2/3/4 performance analysis

The DDR decoder covers DDR/2/3/4 and provides protocol decoding of memory transactions using a Keysight logic analyzer. The protocol-decoding software translates acquired signals into easily-understood colorized bus transactions showing associated data bursts for double-edge data rate captures. The Keysight U4154B logic analyzer is already proven to capture DDR4 at 3.3 Gbps using the FS2510AB DDR4 DIMM interposer from a Keysight channel partner, FuturePlus Systems. The logic analyzer solution is ready to capture higher data rates when DDR4 standards incorporate higher data rates.

Using the LPDDR decoder, engineers can decode valid read and write commands to include row and column addresses and the complete data burst associated with the command. Keysight U4154B logic analyzers are proven to capture LPDDR4 at 3.2-Gb/s data rates.

Using the DDR3/4 and LPDDR2/3/4 performance analysis tool, navigation to problem areas is simplified with a powerful new traffic overview that presents the logic analyzer trace capture at a high level with user-selected filtering.

Keysight is showcasing its new memory analysis software for computer and embedded DDR3/4 and LPDDR2/3/4 memory applications and new data import tool at the Intel Developer Forum (IDF2015, San Francisco, through August 21, and at MemCon, Santa Clara, on October 13.

www.keysight.com/find/B4661A

About the Author

Rick Nelson | Contributing Editor

Rick is currently Contributing Technical Editor. He was Executive Editor for EE in 2011-2018. Previously he served on several publications, including EDN and Vision Systems Design, and has received awards for signed editorials from the American Society of Business Publication Editors. He began as a design engineer at General Electric and Litton Industries and earned a BSEE degree from Penn State.

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