Keysight Technologies, Inc. announced a automotive serializer/deserializer (SerDes) receiver (Rx) compliance test solution to verify mobile industry processor interface (MIPI) A-PHY devices based on the Compliance Test Specification (CTS) requirements. This solution was developed in collaboration with BitifEye Digital Test Solutions GMBH and Wilder Technologies, with the support of Valens Semiconductor Ltd.

Silicon vendors are planning to implement MIPI A-PHY®, a long-reach physical layer interface for automotive and other surround-sensor applications, including cameras and in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) displays. Manufacturers are continually enhancing vehicles with autonomous functions and there is significant awareness that those functions should improve safety conditions. As a result, the data gathered from sensors and cameras must be transmitted accurately, with precision and speed, from any silicon vendor.

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Keysight's Rx compliance test solution recreates a compliant transmitter that generates a controlled distorted signal (worst case) and analyzes the impact of the distortions on the receiver's capability to correctly sample transmitted data. It enables auto makers and their suppliers, as well as automotive engineers and system integrators, to stress the receiver and validate its performance in the noisy and inherently harsh environment of a car.

"At Keysight, we recognize that it is critical to address the growing market demands for high-speed digital interfaces for next-generation in-vehicle networks," said Thomas Goetzl, vice president and general manager of Keysight's Automotive and Energy Solutions business unit. "This new solution from Keysight represents yet another way we are supporting the evolution and standardization of technologies for our automotive customers."

Keysight's Rx compliance test solution ensures the quality of the digital transmission by measuring the receiver's ability to recover data from an impaired input signal, with the following key features: 

  • A comprehensive test framework to identify the margin at which a device under test (DUT) is working.  
  • A custom fixture that couples the noise to an active link to stress the receiver.
  • Accurate and repeatable results with Keysight arbitrary waveform generator (AWG) to generate a variety of random and complex noise profiles.
  • Access to predefined noise profiles.
  • All relevant hardware, software, and accessories in a single model number, saving time and money.
  • Automatic report generation in a comprehensive HTML or PDF format including margin analysis.

BitifEye Digital Test Solutions GMBH offers test software which complement Keysight´s product portfolio to highly integrated and automated application-specific test systems. Keysight partnered with BitifEye to deliver the first solution that can test the receivers of automotive SerDes MIPI A-PHY data links.

"We are excited to engage with Keysight to deliver a new way for the industry to validate receiver devices utilizing MIPI A-PHY," said Julien Henaut, Chief Operating Officer, BitifEye Digital Test Solutions GMBH. "Our customers will benefit from testing solutions that enable device makers of new automotive in-vehicle networks, either standardized or accepted, to become global standards for automotive high-speed data transmission."