Rohde & Schwarz will be showing its latest test solutions at the embedded world 2022 event from June 21 to 23, 2022 in Nuremberg, Germany. At the event, visitors will be able to experience product highlights like the new generation of the R&S RTP high-performance oscilloscope, and they can learn from the Rohde & Schwarz experts about state-of-the-art test solutions for all kinds of embedded systems.
Rohde & Schwarz addresses numerous applications for the wider embedded industry with its test equipment. At the embedded world conference, the company will demonstrate test solutions for high-speed digital interfaces, signal and power integrity, embedded power systems, and EMC debugging. Visitors can also learn about physical layer testing for common internet of things (IoT) technologies. And selected solutions for the automotive industry are on display as well.
One highlight at the Rohde & Schwarz booth is the new generation of the R&S RTP high-performance oscilloscope, which combines high-class signal integrity measurements with the fastest acquisition for real-time analysis. The new models of the most compact instruments of its class come equipped with a bigger and brighter 13.3” full HD touchscreen and a fully redesigned front panel. At the embedded world, a 16 GHz bandwidth model of the R&S RTP will be on display performing time domain reflection (TDR) and transmission (TDT) analysis, which supports the characterization and debugging of signal paths, including PCB traces, cables, and connectors. The TDR/TDT software includes a wizard that guides the user through setup, calibration, and analysis. Another setup will show compliance and debugging measurements of an HDMI 2.1 cable. Utilizing the R&S ScopeSuite Compliance Test framework, the R&S RTP executes automated tests with image-based guidelines and summarizes results in a test report for various high-speed digital interfaces.
Verifying embedded power systems
A crucial aspect when designing embedded systems is power supply and its implications. Rohde & Schwarz will bring selected solutions to the embedded world that address this application field. When debugging and validating power rails, for instance, it is essential to ensure that power integrity requirements are met. The inherent low noise of the recently introduced R&S RTO6 oscilloscopes enables accurate power integrity measurements at the millivolt level. The fast update rate of the oscilloscope allows to quickly see infrequent ripple as well as periodic and random disturbance (PARD) anomalies. Part of the setup is the R&S RT-ZPR, an excellent oscilloscope probe for characterizing power rails with its high bandwidth, high sensitivity, very low noise, and extra-large offset compensation.
Another recent addition to the Rohde & Schwarz portfolio on display at the embedded world will be the R&S LCX LCR meter, a high-performance general-purpose impedance tester for a wide range of applications. The R&S LCX200 measures inductance (L), capacitance (C), and resistance (R) of components within the supported frequency range from 4 Hz to 10 MHz. In combination with an external sweep tool, users can measure the impedance curve over the frequency of an electrolytic component. Other parameters like test voltage or test current can be used as sweep parameters.
For power consumption testing of any battery-operated device, especially IoT equipment with very low sleep currents, Rohde & Schwarz exhibits the two-quadrant R&S NGU201 source measure unit. Design engineers can use this specialty power supply to simulate real-world battery characteristics.
EMC Debugging
EMC compliance turns into a challenge, for example with increasing switching speed in power electronics, which involves the risk of higher electromagnetic interference (EMI). Detecting design problems early makes correction easier and more cost-effective. As a leader in EMC testing, Rohde & Schwarz offers the full spectrum, from EMI debugging and pre-compliance test solutions to full EMC compliance test systems. At the embedded world, Rohde & Schwarz demonstrates solutions that easily integrate EMI testing into the product development process – from oscilloscopes as powerful tools for EMI debugging to signal and spectrum analyzers for pre-compliance testing.
The R&S RTO6 oscilloscopes with their high dynamic range and input sensitivity of 1 mV/div at full measurement bandwidth make it possible to detect even weak emissions. Its powerful FFT capabilities are ideal for EMI analysis in the frequency domain thanks to their easy operation, high acquisition rate, and manifold functions, such as color-coding of the spectral display according to the frequency of occurrence. The zone trigger in the FFT is ideal for detecting sporadic emission frequencies.
The R&S FPL1000 signal and spectrum analyzer, which combines the functions of a benchtop instrument with the portability of a handheld instrument, also offers EMI pre-compliance measurements when equipped with the option EMI Measurement Application K54. The features include EMI detectors such as peak, quasi-peak, CISPR-average, and RMS-average (CISPR 16-1-1) and 6 dB filter characteristic (CISPR 16-1-1 and MIL-STD-461 / DO-160). Fast, easy-to-read diagnostic measurements provide results with high reproducibility. For automated certification and pre-compliance tests, Rohde & Schwarz is also showing its R&S ELEKTRA EMC test software. The software is available in several versions: with interactive test sequences for developers or as fully automatic EMC test software for device certification.
Physical layer testing for IoT
With the rise of the IoT, different wireless technologies find their way into embedded systems. As the leader in wireless device testing, Rohde & Schwarz will exhibit state-of-the-art test solutions for common connectivity standards. For testing Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE) devices and wearables, Rohde & Schwarz will present a future-oriented Bluetooth® LE over-the-air test solution, for which no control cable is required. The unique signaling solution is based on the R&S CMW test platform and enables quick conformance tests over the air in the shielded chamber R&S CMW-Z10. Additionally, the R&S CMW platform offers all preconformance tests for Bluetooth® Classic and Bluetooth® Low Energy direct test mode (DTM) up to Rel. 5.2.
With the R&S CMP180 radio communication tester Rohde & Schwarz demonstrates a future-proof non-signaling testing solution for wireless devices in research and development, validation, and production. Together with advanced frequency, bandwidth, and RF capabilities, it enables testing of the latest wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7, and many more. And with the R&S CMP200 radio communication tester, Rohde & Schwarz also provides a full range of ultra-wideband (UWB) test solutions for R&D, certification, and production. UWB's accurate ranging capability and low power consumption combined with high security and reliability make it suitable for many automotive applications such as remote access and gesture recognition.
In-vehicle network testing
For an ever-increasing range of in-vehicle networks, the simple unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) network technology of automotive Ethernet provides a flexible solution. The R&S RTP high-performance oscilloscope provides a fast and efficient means to verify, commission, and troubleshoot designs based on an automotive Ethernet communication link of various standards, from today’s 1000BASE-T1 to tomorrow’s MultiGigabit. The instrument not only measures and verifies compliance to the standards but also decodes the messages and reliably triggers them.
For speeds of 1Gbps and higher, electromagnetic interference (EMI) becomes increasingly critical and can potentially threaten the integrity of other communications within the vehicle. As the industry moves towards much faster speeds, for example, 2.5Gbps, 5Gbps, or even 10GBASE-T1, the OPEN Alliance TC9 group is now focusing on shielded cabling to minimize emissions. Rohde & Schwarz is showing a set for compliance tests according to the TC9 specification for 10GBASE-T1 STP coaxial cables using the four-port R&S ZNB vector network analyzer.
Click here to see everything RF's coverage of embedded world 2022.