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VScope™ Applications

Direct Signal Integrity Analysis
VScope™ makes accurate monitoring possible that was formerly out of reach. By scanning a signal after the IC equalization but before conversion to a digital stream, a true picture can be obtained of the input signal and the equalization performance.

This in-line diagnostic not only takes advantage of equalization, but also avoids inherent inaccuracies with measurements taken at the input to the IC. Outside probing can only approximate the actual signal and can introduce capacitive loading and other inaccuracies.

The veracity of the scan data is further enhanced by the fact that the same circuits handle both waveform scanning and data acquisition, ensuring an exact correlation between data and measurement.

Applications
The possibiility of gathering analog waveform data directly from ICs raises interesting opportunities for the system designer, system user, and network operator. For system designer(s), economies of scale allow multiple engineers to run experiments without the need for each to have their own oscilloscope device. For system users, they can now extract and analyze live waveform data at multiple points in a system simultaneously and in automated fashion. Network operators may now extract waveforming characteristics from remote field locations without the need to send a technician to the actual site.

VScope™ embedded waveform viewing can enable several paradigm shifts in the design, evaluation, manufacturing, and operation of high performance communications equipment. System developers can obtain direct measurements of the operating margin of their designs. This built-in telemetry can also be leveraged to improve the efficiency and coverage of manufacturing test programs. And finally, the equipment operators can use this capability to gather remote data at a level of detail that would have previously required a truckroll, subsequently improving service and cutting operational expenses.