Synthetic Instrument (SI) ATML Instrument Description Implementation Ron Taylor 17 Jan 2006

Overview BAE Systems Synthetic Instrument (SI). SI instance document creation. Problems with implementation. Questions and recommendations for the ATML Instrument Description Conclusions

BAE Systems Synthetic Instrument Synthetic Instrument Measurement and Stimulus System (SIMSS) –RF stimulus and measurement capabilities. –Measurement capability from DC-26.5GHz –Stimulus capability from DC-20GHz –Consists of several VXI instruments in one VXI chassis and signal conditioning hardware.

BAE Systems Synthetic Instrument Synthetic Instrument Measurement and Stimulus System (SIMSS) (cont.) –Measurement Functions Spectrum Analysis Scalar Network Analysis Power Measurements (both peak & average) Digital Storage Oscilloscope –Stimulus Functions Full I/Q Arbitrary Modulation DC-20GHz

SI Instance Document Creation Created an instance document for the BAE Systems SI. –Utilized the Instrument Description schema version -06, Sept 9, –Used XML Spy 2004 V3. –Encountered problems when describing certain data items in schema. Issues deal with the differences between SI and classical instruments. ATML Requirement: “Describe a synthetic (virtual or composite) instrument” (From the ATML Instrument Description Requirements Document)

Problems with Implementation Issues are a result of different characteristics of SIs vs classical instruments. –HW -- A SI is typically composed of multiple instruments, the schema is targeted to one classical instrument. –SW -- A SI can have multiple SW drivers used in one application, unlike a classical instrument with one driver. High-level signal drivers (i.e. ATLAS drivers) Mid-level instrument class drivers (i.e. IVI Spectrum Analyzer Class driver) Low-level instrument drivers (i.e. IVI FGEN Specific driver)

Problems with Implementation (cont.) Instrument Description data items (shown in Figure 1) –The ? indicates the data item may not directly map to SI data. –The chart also indicates if the data items are required or optional.

ATML ElementRelevant to SIRequired by ATMLComments Part numberYes Instrument descriptionYes Version numberYesNo Model nameYes Model numberYesNo Manufacturer informationYes Interface?Yes Describe all connectors on all instruments or main interface Driver type?No Each instrument in SI has its own driver & high level SI drivers Driver operating system?No Each instrument in SI has its own OS requirements for the driver Control language?No Each instrument in SI has its own control language Buses?No Each instrument in SI has its own control Bus DocumentationYesNo Configuration options?NoConfig. for each instrument in SI? Components?No Could this be used to list the instruments in the SI? Figure 1, ATML Instrument Description Data Items

ATML Element Relevant to SIRequired by ATMLComments SW ToolsYesNo Factory defaults?No Defaults. for each instrument in SI or entire SI? Power on defaults?No Defaults. for each instrument in SI or entire SI? SpecificationsYesNo Calibration requirementsYesNo Operational requirementsTBDNoTBD in ATML Instrument errorsYesNo Are these high-level SI errors and/or instrument errors? ResourcesYesNo SwitchingYesNo Network listYesNo Physical characteristics?No SI is not one entity but components distributed in ATE Legal info.YesNo Figure 1, ATML Instrument Description Data Items (cont.)

Questions and recommendations for the ATML Instrument Description Interface – Does Interface describe the exterior interface of the SI or the interfaces of the instruments that make up the SI? Driver Type, OS, Control Language, Bus – Should allow for the individual instruments in the SI to be identified with their corresponding instrument driver details. –In addition identify high level SI driver. Consider a hierarchal instrument driver element. –Higher level driver components (ie IVI Spectrum Analyzer class driver at a high level). –Low level drivers (ie IVI Specific driver for FGEN instrument).

Questions and recommendations for the ATML Instrument Description (cont.) Factory and Power on Defaults – Do defaults correspond to individual instruments in the SI or the entire SI? Physical Description – Most elements may not be applicable for an SI with distributed hardware. (i.e. size, mass) Consider an element to identify if SI is one physical entity or separate distributed components. Consider an element which provides details of the instruments in the SI. –Instrument control bus type (i.e. VXI, GPIB). –Model number, SW version.

Conclusions A requirement of ATML Instrument Description is to accommodate Synthetic Instruments. It appears the current ATML Instrument Description schema has problem areas when representing some SI data. Consider modifying ATML Instrument Description to better handle the SI. –Recommend considering SI issues in a later release. –Solicit SI Working Group input. An alternative to changing the Instrument Description schema is to have SI described by the ATML Test Station schema and not ATML Instrument Description schema.