Modern Test & Measure: November 2014

November 2014

Keysight Eyes Innovation

Interview with Dave Cipriani VP of Oscilloscope Division, Keysight Technologies

Oscilloscopes That Excel

HawQ Test System Soars

Mitigating Risk of Counterfeits

Oscilloscopes by the Numbers

How Many Channels is Enough?

CONTENTS

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READY TO LAUNCH

For the launch of the Tiva C Series Connected LaunchPad, TI has partnered with Exosite, mentioned briefly above, to provide easy access to the LaunchPad from the Internet. The LaunchPad takes about 10 minutes to set up and you can immediately interact with it across the Internet and do things like turn an LED on and off remotely from the website and see the reported temperature as well. It can also display approximate geographic location based on the assigned IP address and display a map of all other connected LaunchPad owners if they are active and plugged-in to Exosite. “In addition, it supports a basic game by enabling someone to interface to the Connected LaunchPad through a serial port from a terminal while someone else is playing with them through their browser. It is basically showing how you can interact remotely with this product and a user even if you are across the globe,” Folkens explained.

START DEVELOPING

The Tiva C Series Connected LaunchPad is shipping now and the price is right; at $19.99 USD, it is less than half the price of other Ethernet-ready kits. The LaunchPad comes complete with quick start and user guides, and ample online support to ensure developers of all backgrounds are well equipped to begin creating cloud-based applications. “We have assembled an online support team to monitor the Engineering-to-Engineering (or E2E) Community,” Folkens said. “Along with this, you also got a free Code Composer Studio Integrated Development Environment, which allows developers to use the full capability. We also support other tool chains like Keil, IAR and Mentor Embedded.

Affordable, versatile, and easy to use, the Tiva Series Connected LaunchPad is well suited for a broad audience and promises to facilitate the expansion of ingenious IoT applications in the cloud. As Folkens concluded, “The target audiences actually are the hobbyists, students and professional engineers. A better way of looking at it is that we are targeting people with innovative ideas and trying to help them get those ideas launched into the cloud.”

http://bit.ly/jd6Wcw

CONTENTS

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TECH REPORTEssential 1-Port PDN Probe Applications Abound

INDUSTRY INTERVIEWOscilloscopes That ExcelInterview with Keysight’s Dave Cipriani

PRODUCT WATCHHawQ Test System SoarsQualmark System Helps Detect Counterfeits

Rigol’s Innovative Mix-Signal OscilloscopeFor the Low-Speed, Serial Signaling Market

TECH SERIESOscilloscopes By The NumbersHow Many Channels is Enough?

Essential 1-Port PDN PROBE

APPLICATIONS ABOUND

Don’t confuse the 1-port PDN probe with a

10 to 1 ratio, passive oscilloscope probe. They

have little in common with a 1-port PDN probe

other than the improvement of the signal-to-noise

ratio achieved by the lack of probe attenuation. The

1-port PDN probe is special in many respects and more

complicated than meets the eye. This article serves

as an introduction to the 1-port PDN probe but also

provides examples of how it can be applied to get

high-quality measurements quickly and easily.

By Charles Hymowitz Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Picotest

Figure 1. The Picotest P2101A 1-port PDN probe head is shown while performing an SHORT OPEN LOAD calibration on a demonstration board.

The 1-port PDN probe is special in many respects and more

complicated than meets the eye.

Rigol’s MSO2302A mixed-signal oscilloscope is a best-in-class instrument with all the user-friendly features found on the company’s other scopes. However, what sets this oscilloscope apart from the others is its design. This scope is tailored for the growing market of low-speed, serial signaling. Earning its name, “mixed signal,” the scope allows analog and digital signals to be directly compared. The MSO2000A series is a valuable, yet affordable addition to an embedded-system toolbox.

Designed for the low-speed, serial signaling market

Innovative Mixed-Signal Oscilloscope

Rigol’s

HawQTest System Soars

Qualmark is an industry-leading manufacturer

of accelerated stress and reliability testing

equipment. The company has recently

developed the HawQ, a new, cost-effective,

portable solution for highly accelerated

stress testing needs, including highly

accelerated life testing, stress screening,

and stress auditing. Qualmark system can help detect and mitigate risk of counterfeits

The bulk of oscilloscope applications are well served by instruments with four analog input channels. Most basic debugging and design-related work involves probing of only one signal at a given time and occasionally more than one, especially when differential signals are concerned. Thus, many users may never see a need for an oscilloscope with more than four channels. Having said that, there are some applications that by their very nature surpass four channels. Moreover, some of these applications concern circuits and devices that are produced in extremely high volumes. A case in point is switch-mode power supplies, such as those typically found in notebook PCs, tablets, or embedded systems.

Consider the basic embedded switch-mode power supply. A simplified implementation might require only a single-phase current controller such as ON Semiconductor’s NCP81141, a device with a serial VID (SVID) interface for

desktop and notebook CPU applications. SVID, by the way, is the communications protocol Intel concocted for its VR12/VR12.5 specification for PWM control. In a fixed-load scenario, a switch-mode power supply may be purpose-built for the specific application and thus be highly efficient, on the order of >90% (figure 1). A device like the NCP81141 would be employed to regulate the current delivered to the supply while maintaining a constant voltage.

However, in computing and other embedded applications, the load is anything but fixed. Instead, it’s widely variable (figure 2). Power control devices have a tough time optimizing the supply’s efficiency with large load variations. The “sweet spot” for maximum efficiency is now a moving target. When the load changes and efficiency varies, the result is increased heating and stress on the power supply’s components. Moreover, battery performance is compromised in portable systems.

The answer to this is a multiphase controller such as ON Semiconductor’s NCP81140, which dynamically switches multiple phases in or out depending on load changes (figure 3). The response from such a device to changing loads is very fast, whether it is adding phases to shore up current to increasing loads, or shedding them when a single phase is able to keep up with the power requirements. In this fashion, high efficiency is maintained across the load spectrum with a huge corresponding reduction in heat stress on the supply’s components. Moreover, the circuit is scalable in terms of the number of phases and the output per phase.

The debugging of a multiphase switch- mode power-supply design would be difficult to undertake with the typical four-channel oscilloscope. The circuitry is considerably more complex than that of a single-phase power supply (figure 4). In this case, debugging would call for six probes: four for monitoring the output currents of the four phases and two more to monitor the overall voltage and current.

Oscilloscopes by the NumbersHow Many Channels is Enough?By David MaliniakTechnical Marketing Communication SpecialistTeledyne LeCroy

It gets even more complex when the power supply is for a server. Such power supplies call for six phases, so you’d be looking at eight channels. There are many other embedded applications for multiphase switch-mode power supplies as well. One example of an oscilloscope well suited for an application of this nature is Teledyne LeCroy’s HDO8000 series, which sports eight analog input channels as well as 16 digital channels as an option.

Figure 3. A multi-phase switch-mode controller dynamically switches in more phases are required to service a variable load.

Figure 4. Proper debugging of this four-phase power supply circuit requires six oscilloscope channels.

Figure 2. When power-supply loads vary, so does efficiency, a scenario common in computing tasks.

Figure 1. A switch-mode power supply driving a fixed load can be designed and optimized specifically for that load.

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CONTENTS

Modern Test & Measure

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APPLICATIONS ABOUND















5

TECH REPORT

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APPLICATIONS ABOUND















66


BROWSER-CLASS PROBESeveral companies manufacture and distribute high-frequency TDR probes. These probes are typically designed for very high-frequency measurement, typically 10GHz or more. These probes are designed to be used in sophisticated probe stations with microscope-supported tip placement.

1-port PDN probes, such as the Picotest P2100A shown in figure 1, are designed to be handheld browser probes. The handheld browser probe shown is a lower frequency probe, supporting DC to 1.5GHz. There are a few notable characteristics that assure high-quality, precise measurements.

PRECISELY 50ΩThe first characteristic is that the probe characteristic impedance must be precisely 50Ω. Poor connections between the probe cable and the probe connector or a mismatch between the probe cable and the probe head can result in small parasitic capacitance at the probe tip. This leads to poor frequency response and can add considerable (and erroneous) ringing to the measurement. Since the probe pins are inductive, it is important that the probe not be capacitive in order to assure that while the measurement is bandwidth limited due to the tip inductance, it will not ring.

So what determines the probe bandwidth? The dominant term is the pin inductance, which for

this probe is approximately 5nH, resulting in a bandwidth of:

The measurement is confirmed in figure 2 using a Copper Mountain Technologies S5048 VNA to directly measure the bandwidth.

The probe can be calibrated to a frequency somewhat greater than this when used with a VNA, but not when used with a scope. The probe must be terminated into 50Ω, though the termination can be AC in order to protect the instrument from the operating voltage of the device under test (DUT) and also to prevent changing the DC operating point of the DUT due to the 50Ω termination. Any appropriate DC block with the desired frequency range can be used. Picotest PDN probes include a 500Hz to 6GHz DC blocks that work with any 50Ω instrument or probe.

SMALL & SLIM The probe head must be both small and slim so that it fits in confined spots, such as modern, high-density circuit boards. A browser probe may be held for long periods of time, so it needs to be comfortable and easy to grip. Some probes, like this one are rubberized to provide nonskid comfort. Of course the probe can be used with any probe stand or probe station when hands-

free operation is needed. The probe is shown mounted in a SKID probe station in figure 3.

VARIABLE PITCH & FIXED LENGTHWhile spring-loaded tips and flying ground leads are convenient they cannot be calibrated out of the measurement due to their very nature. For example a spring-loaded pin will present an inductance that is dependent on the protrusion of the spring-loaded pin. In a similar fashion, a flying-ground lead can change inductance based on the position of the wire. For these reasons, it is important to provide a fixed pin-length solution to achieve maximum bandwidth.

Figure 2. A direct measurement of the probe bandwidth using a Copper Mountain Technologies S5048 4.8GHz VNA confirms the bandwidth of the probe at 1.42GHz. Note the lack of peaking or ringing since the probe has a precise 50Ω connector to probe head, eliminating capacitance.

The probe is shown in figure 1 with an offset ground pin. This pin allows rotation in order to provide variable pitch while maintaining a uniform inductance so that the probe fits on any size device while also maintaining reasonable calibration.

BIDIRECTIONAL PROBEProbes are generally thought of as

a tool to get a signal from a DUT to an instrument to be recorded.

A PDN probe is a bidirectional probe allowing signals to be delivered to the DUT as well as sending signals from the DUT to the measurement instrument. This is often

desirable when troubleshooting or optimizing a design. By

sending noise signals to the DUT the response can be evaluated,

highlighting soft spots in the design.

Probes are generally thought of as a tool to get

a signal from a DUT to an instrument

to be recorded.

Figure 1, close-up. The probe is shown with an offset ground pin.

7

TECH REPORT

7

BROWSER-CLASS PROBESeveral companies manufacture and distribute high-frequency TDR probes. These probes are typically designed for very high-frequency measurement, typically 10GHz or more. These probes are designed to be used in sophisticated probe stations with microscope-supported tip placement.

1-port PDN probes, such as the Picotest P2100A shown in figure 1, are designed to be handheld browser probes. The handheld browser probe shown is a lower frequency probe, supporting DC to 1.5GHz. There are a few notable characteristics that assure high-quality, precise measurements.

PRECISELY 50ΩThe first characteristic is that the probe characteristic impedance must be precisely 50Ω. Poor connections between the probe cable and the probe connector or a mismatch between the probe cable and the probe head can result in small parasitic capacitance at the probe tip. This leads to poor frequency response and can add considerable (and erroneous) ringing to the measurement. Since the probe pins are inductive, it is important that the probe not be capacitive in order to assure that while the measurement is bandwidth limited due to the tip inductance, it will not ring.

So what determines the probe bandwidth? The dominant term is the pin inductance, which for

this probe is approximately 5nH, resulting in a bandwidth of:

The measurement is confirmed in figure 2 using a Copper Mountain Technologies S5048 VNA to directly measure the bandwidth.

The probe can be calibrated to a frequency somewhat greater than this when used with a VNA, but not when used with a scope. The probe must be terminated into 50Ω, though the termination can be AC in order to protect the instrument from the operating voltage of the device under test (DUT) and also to prevent changing the DC operating point of the DUT due to the 50Ω termination. Any appropriate DC block with the desired frequency range can be used. Picotest PDN probes include a 500Hz to 6GHz DC blocks that work with any 50Ω instrument or probe.

SMALL & SLIM The probe head must be both small and slim so that it fits in confined spots, such as modern, high-density circuit boards. A browser probe may be held for long periods of time, so it needs to be comfortable and easy to grip. Some probes, like this one are rubberized to provide nonskid comfort. Of course the probe can be used with any probe stand or probe station when hands-

free operation is needed. The probe is shown mounted in a SKID probe station in figure 3.

VARIABLE PITCH & FIXED LENGTHWhile spring-loaded tips and flying ground leads are convenient they cannot be calibrated out of the measurement due to their very nature. For example a spring-loaded pin will present an inductance that is dependent on the protrusion of the spring-loaded pin. In a similar fashion, a flying-ground lead can change inductance based on the position of the wire. For these reasons, it is important to provide a fixed pin-length solution to achieve maximum bandwidth.

Figure 2. A direct measurement of the probe bandwidth using a Copper Mountain Technologies S5048 4.8GHz VNA confirms the bandwidth of the probe at 1.42GHz. Note the lack of peaking or ringing since the probe has a precise 50Ω connector to probe head, eliminating capacitance.

The probe is shown in figure 1 with an offset ground pin. This pin allows rotation in order to provide variable pitch while maintaining a uniform inductance so that the probe fits on any size device while also maintaining reasonable calibration.

BIDIRECTIONAL PROBEProbes are generally thought of as

a tool to get a signal from a DUT to an instrument to be recorded.

A PDN probe is a bidirectional probe allowing signals to be delivered to the DUT as well as sending signals from the DUT to the measurement instrument. This is often

desirable when troubleshooting or optimizing a design. By

sending noise signals to the DUT the response can be evaluated,

highlighting soft spots in the design.

Probes are generally thought of as a tool to get

a signal from a DUT to an instrument

to be recorded.

Figure 1, close-up. The probe is shown with an offset ground pin.

88


A HOST OF APPLICATIONS • The 1-port probe can simplify a host

of necessary measurements including many in-circuit measurements:

• Ripple and noise, including high frequency PDN noise up to 1GHz+

• 1-port reflection impedance including active devices

• Component impedance measurements, RLC testing

• Noninvasive stability assessment

• Circuit sensitivity testing, injecting noise into a DUT

EXAMPLE MEASUREMENTS A few examples of measurements using a 1-port PDN probe are shown in figure 4. The measurements include a very small signal transient response, showing of the excellent signal to noise ratio of the 1:1 PDN probe. Another example shows how wideband noise is connected to the DUT via a 1-port probe to evaluate clock-jitter sensitivity. An impedance, performed with a 1-port probe shows the resonant impedance resulting from the use of a load capacitor. This impedance peak will be a noise source in the DUT. Finally, a series of three impedance measurements shows the sensitivity to very low load currents, ranging from 0mA to 5mA. The noninvasive stability margin is also used to determine the phase margin of the control loop from this impedance measurement. In this example the phase margin is 44.8 degrees.

Figure 3. The board is mounted into a SKID probe station, and a 3D probe holder on the station firmly grips the probe. The nonskid surface of the probe head helps to keep the probe position from drifting.

A flying-ground lead can change inductance based

on the position of the wire.

Figure 4. Example measurements using 1-port probe. Starting with top left is a step-load transient response with a 400uV/div sensitivity. Note the cleanliness of the measurement. In the top right the probe is used to transmit random noise to the DUT to show clock-jitter sensitivities. The 7MHz sidebands indicate poor jitter rejection at 7MHz. The lower left shows the sensitivity of a precision voltage reference to a load capacitor. The bottom right shows the impedance and noninvasive stability of a low-power voltage regulator at 0mA, 1mA, and 5mA.

REFERENCES

http://www.edn.com/design/test-and-measurement/4433242/1/Match-impedances-when-making-measurements

http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/impedance-measurement-rescues/4435846/Impedance-measurements-stabilize-op-amp-buffers

Noninvasive Stability Margin video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUIGXvXxTDM&feature=youtu.be

Clock Jitter with PDN Probe video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6U_WwJGlR0

Troubleshooting Distributed Power Systems video, http://www.how2power.com/videos/

9

TECH REPORT

9

A HOST OF APPLICATIONS • The 1-port probe can simplify a host

of necessary measurements including many in-circuit measurements:

• Ripple and noise, including high frequency PDN noise up to 1GHz+

• 1-port reflection impedance including active devices

• Component impedance measurements, RLC testing

• Noninvasive stability assessment

• Circuit sensitivity testing, injecting noise into a DUT

EXAMPLE MEASUREMENTS A few examples of measurements using a 1-port PDN probe are shown in figure 4. The measurements include a very small signal transient response, showing of the excellent signal to noise ratio of the 1:1 PDN probe. Another example shows how wideband noise is connected to the DUT via a 1-port probe to evaluate clock-jitter sensitivity. An impedance, performed with a 1-port probe shows the resonant impedance resulting from the use of a load capacitor. This impedance peak will be a noise source in the DUT. Finally, a series of three impedance measurements shows the sensitivity to very low load currents, ranging from 0mA to 5mA. The noninvasive stability margin is also used to determine the phase margin of the control loop from this impedance measurement. In this example the phase margin is 44.8 degrees.

Figure 3. The board is mounted into a SKID probe station, and a 3D probe holder on the station firmly grips the probe. The nonskid surface of the probe head helps to keep the probe position from drifting.

A flying-ground lead can change inductance based

on the position of the wire.

Figure 4. Example measurements using 1-port probe. Starting with top left is a step-load transient response with a 400uV/div sensitivity. Note the cleanliness of the measurement. In the top right the probe is used to transmit random noise to the DUT to show clock-jitter sensitivities. The 7MHz sidebands indicate poor jitter rejection at 7MHz. The lower left shows the sensitivity of a precision voltage reference to a load capacitor. The bottom right shows the impedance and noninvasive stability of a low-power voltage regulator at 0mA, 1mA, and 5mA.

REFERENCES

http://www.edn.com/design/test-and-measurement/4433242/1/Match-impedances-when-making-measurements

http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/impedance-measurement-rescues/4435846/Impedance-measurements-stabilize-op-amp-buffers

Noninvasive Stability Margin video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUIGXvXxTDM&feature=youtu.be

Clock Jitter with PDN Probe video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6U_WwJGlR0

Troubleshooting Distributed Power Systems video, http://www.how2power.com/videos/

15 Jonathan Drive, Unit 4, Brockton, MA 02301-5566Tel: (508) 580-1660; Fax: (508) 583-8989

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2/4-Wire Output5 Low Noise

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A DC Source used in many applications(Reference, Simulator, Stable Supply, Secondary Standard,. . .)

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Complete Remote Programming

Protocol for Krohn-Hite Model

522 and Analogic Model 8200.

Your Circuit Starts Here.Sign up to design, share, and collaborate

on your next project—big or small.

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on your next project—big or small.

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http://www.rigolna.com

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TECH SERIES

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PRODUCT WATCH

15










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Specs

Watch Video2

14

Hardware

To watch a video overview and demonstration of the Qualmark HawQ, click the image below.

Qualmark’s HawQ is an affordable entry-level option that can help create robust products and expose counterfeit parts. It is capable of delivering vibrations anywhere from 4 to over 40 gRMS in six degrees of freedom, while simultaneously applying thermal stresses. The HawQ can deliver thermal ramp rates of up to 40°C per minute.

The HawQ is also highly portable. It is mounted on casters and requires only the addition of power, compressed air, and LN2,which can be provided either through a temporary connection or using a Dewar. Because it simultaneously provides vibration as well as thermal testing, the HawQ is currently the only portable device of its kind on the market. Finally, with a simple touch screen interface or the option of remote operation, the HawQ is a supremely easy tool to use.

Device under test

Cold air inlets

Device interface port

3

Vibration table

5

Testing fixture

17

PRODUCT WATCH

17

Specs

Watch Video2

14

Hardware

To watch a video overview and demonstration of the Qualmark HawQ, click the image below.

Qualmark’s HawQ is an affordable entry-level option that can help create robust products and expose counterfeit parts. It is capable of delivering vibrations anywhere from 4 to over 40 gRMS in six degrees of freedom, while simultaneously applying thermal stresses. The HawQ can deliver thermal ramp rates of up to 40°C per minute.

The HawQ is also highly portable. It is mounted on casters and requires only the addition of power, compressed air, and LN2,which can be provided either through a temporary connection or using a Dewar. Because it simultaneously provides vibration as well as thermal testing, the HawQ is currently the only portable device of its kind on the market. Finally, with a simple touch screen interface or the option of remote operation, the HawQ is a supremely easy tool to use.

Device under test

Cold air inlets

Device interface port

3

Vibration table

5

Testing fixture

1818





Rigol’s

19

PRODUCT WATCH

19




Rigol’s

2020


Specs

Watch Video

Hardware

To watch a video overview and demonstration of Rigol’s mixed-signal oscilloscope, click the image below.

Starting at twelve hundred dollars, Rigol’s MSO2000A series mixed-signal oscilloscope features up to 300MHz bandwidth with 2 gigasamples per second and a memory depth of 14 megapoints with an option up to 56 megapoints. The large, 8-inch high-resolution screen typical of Rigol scopes allows for easy review of data. The scope has two-channel input, an Ethernet connection for networking, and USB ports to interface with computers. In addition, this scope can save waveforms to USB storage devices or transfer data directly to a printer.

2 Analog channels

USB connectivity

8” WVGA display

3

16 Digital channels

Auto signal decode of multiple protocols

-50,000 Waveforms per second capture rate

2 4

16

5

21

PRODUCT WATCH

21

Specs

Watch Video

Hardware

To watch a video overview and demonstration of Rigol’s mixed-signal oscilloscope, click the image below.

Starting at twelve hundred dollars, Rigol’s MSO2000A series mixed-signal oscilloscope features up to 300MHz bandwidth with 2 gigasamples per second and a memory depth of 14 megapoints with an option up to 56 megapoints. The large, 8-inch high-resolution screen typical of Rigol scopes allows for easy review of data. The scope has two-channel input, an Ethernet connection for networking, and USB ports to interface with computers. In addition, this scope can save waveforms to USB storage devices or transfer data directly to a printer.

2 Analog channels

USB connectivity

8” WVGA display

3

16 Digital channels

Auto signal decode of multiple protocols

-50,000 Waveforms per second capture rate

2 4

16

5

22


Interview with Dave Cipriani VP & GM for Oscilloscope & Protocol Division Keysight Technologies

Keysight is an industry-leading, electronic measurement technology company helping transform

measurement through innovation in wireless, modular, and software solutions. Keysight provides electronic measurement instruments, systems, and related software as well as software design tools and services used in design, development, manufacture, installation, deployment, and operation of electronic equipment. From ultrafast, real-time oscilloscopes with high measurement accuracy to capacitive touch-screen oscilloscopes, Keysight provides a solution for virtually every application. Focused on innovation, the company strives to develop oscilloscopes with breakthrough capabilities that help solve difficult measurement challenges.

EEWeb spoke with Dave Cipriani, vice president and general manager for Oscilloscope and Protocol Division at Keysight, about changes prompted by separating from Agilent, research and development of the capacitive touch-enabled oscilloscope, and how the company anticipates market demands. Cipriani also discussed how Keysight continues to inspire technology innovation within the company.

Keysight Eyes InnovationOscilloscopes That Excel

INDUSTRY INTERVIEW

23

Interview with Dave Cipriani VP & GM for Oscilloscope & Protocol Division Keysight Technologies

Keysight is an industry-leading, electronic measurement technology company helping transform

measurement through innovation in wireless, modular, and software solutions. Keysight provides electronic measurement instruments, systems, and related software as well as software design tools and services used in design, development, manufacture, installation, deployment, and operation of electronic equipment. From ultrafast, real-time oscilloscopes with high measurement accuracy to capacitive touch-screen oscilloscopes, Keysight provides a solution for virtually every application. Focused on innovation, the company strives to develop oscilloscopes with breakthrough capabilities that help solve difficult measurement challenges.

EEWeb spoke with Dave Cipriani, vice president and general manager for Oscilloscope and Protocol Division at Keysight, about changes prompted by separating from Agilent, research and development of the capacitive touch-enabled oscilloscope, and how the company anticipates market demands. Cipriani also discussed how Keysight continues to inspire technology innovation within the company.

Keysight Eyes InnovationOscilloscopes That Excel

24


Keysight has been part of Agilent Technologies, but now that Keysight is its own company, what changes will occur?

Keysight Technologies will have a singular focus on the electronic test and measurement industry, which means that now more than ever we will be able to deliver innovative, first-to-market solutions that enable customer insight.

However, what is not going to change is our rich company history. The company dates back to 1939 with Dave Packard and Bill Hewlett, and we have developed a strong company culture since then. We are now going to amplify those parts of our culture that have served us well—the primary one being our customer focus. Another area we have made our mark in is delivering the best measurement science—whether thru software or hardware—which, when combined with our people, has allowed us to deliver the best products and solutions in the market.

There has been a noticeable rise in Keysight scopes being used for testing. How did you break that barrier?

We have some external data which shows that Keysight’s oscilloscope growth rate is more than double the industry average from 2002 to 2013. I believe this is primarily because of our focus on the customers. We are continually working to understand their needs and react quickly with innovative products.

This includes all of our offerings such as high-performance scopes, sampling scopes, logic and protocol business, probes and accessories, and also high-volume scopes. In 2002, when Agilent re-entered the high-performance scopes market, we didn’t have the best banner specs. However, our constant focus on customers helped us to understand the importance of making signal integrity measurements for them. As a result, we offered the bandwidth, low-noise floor, flat frequency response that together provided the highest-quality measurements.

Another example is in our sampling-scope business. In the mid-decade, we came out with a one-button jitter analyzer. We took our software, which provided great measurement science in jitter decomposition and made it really easy for customers to use—there was just one button that they had to push. Listening intently to customer, then delivering the tools to address those needs, with the highest quality measurement results, has been a formula for success.

More recently we developed ASIC technology for our general purpose scopes that integrated not only oscilloscope functionality, such as very fast update rates, but also digital timing analysis and waveform generation. This allowed us to deliver market leading value which is important to customers in this segment.

You have consistently delivered innovative products like the one-touch jitter measurement. How will Keysight continue to innovate after becoming separate from Agilent?

It is important that we constantly invest in hardware and software technology. Keysight has technology centers around the globe that are focused on different areas of expertise. For example, at our Santa Rosa facility, we have a proprietary indium phosphide fab. That team is constantly working on next-generation processes that are tailored to test and measurement products. In Colorado Springs, there is an ASIC design center that designs the data processors behind the analog-to-digital converters , which come from Keysight Labs in Santa Clara. All of this technology ultimately ends up in our scopes. By having parallel investments in technology and products we can deliver a steady stream of innovative products.

Were capacitive, touch-enabled oscilloscopes something that customers were asking for, or is that just something you thought could make a scope more user friendly?

Our customers were not asking for this feature, and there was some initial, internal skepticism. But our research showed capacitive, touch-enabled oscilloscopes improve the user experience. We started this project several years ago with the University of Michigan by researching the applicability of capacitive-touch displays and multi-touch gesturing on test and

measurement equipment. We first tested whether users could physically use that technology for controlling an instrument. The University of Michigan has some great facilities for measuring biomechanical effects. We tested the risk points from using an oscilloscope over an extended period of time.

We then did a follow-up round of research with the University of Michigan, my development team here in Colorado, and some of Keysight’s technology centers. We looked at how to develop algorithms for oscilloscopes that are both responsive and make sense. For example, if you use a pinch gesture to resize the vertical settings on an oscilloscope, you don’t want the setting to come out 1.053 volts per division. You want the setting to be within reason.

Finally, we used these findings to develop our first capacitive touch-screen product, the 4000 X-Series, in 2012. It is now going throughout our product line, and we had a couple of introductions this year—the Infiniium S-Series and the InfiniiVision 6000 X. The 6000 X-Series not only has the capacitive touch display, but it also offers voice control. It’s probably the only oscilloscope that can speak 14 languages right now.

As far as oscilloscope innovation goes, what do you see in the next couple of years?

For high-performance scopes and logic analyzers, it’s about providing measurement solutions for industry-

Through customer

interactions, the engineers

learn how customers use the products,

and help customers come to a successful

resolution of problems.

The 6000 X series not only has capacitive touch displays, but also voice control, and it’s probably

the only oscilloscope

that can speak 14 languages.

INDUSTRY INTERVIEW

25

Keysight has been part of Agilent Technologies, but now that Keysight is its own company, what changes will occur?

Keysight Technologies will have a singular focus on the electronic test and measurement industry, which means that now more than ever we will be able to deliver innovative, first-to-market solutions that enable customer insight.

However, what is not going to change is our rich company history. The company dates back to 1939 with Dave Packard and Bill Hewlett, and we have developed a strong company culture since then. We are now going to amplify those parts of our culture that have served us well—the primary one being our customer focus. Another area we have made our mark in is delivering the best measurement science—whether thru software or hardware—which, when combined with our people, has allowed us to deliver the best products and solutions in the market.

There has been a noticeable rise in Keysight scopes being used for testing. How did you break that barrier?

We have some external data which shows that Keysight’s oscilloscope growth rate is more than double the industry average from 2002 to 2013. I believe this is primarily because of our focus on the customers. We are continually working to understand their needs and react quickly with innovative products.

This includes all of our offerings such as high-performance scopes, sampling scopes, logic and protocol business, probes and accessories, and also high-volume scopes. In 2002, when Agilent re-entered the high-performance scopes market, we didn’t have the best banner specs. However, our constant focus on customers helped us to understand the importance of making signal integrity measurements for them. As a result, we offered the bandwidth, low-noise floor, flat frequency response that together provided the highest-quality measurements.

Another example is in our sampling-scope business. In the mid-decade, we came out with a one-button jitter analyzer. We took our software, which provided great measurement science in jitter decomposition and made it really easy for customers to use—there was just one button that they had to push. Listening intently to customer, then delivering the tools to address those needs, with the highest quality measurement results, has been a formula for success.

More recently we developed ASIC technology for our general purpose scopes that integrated not only oscilloscope functionality, such as very fast update rates, but also digital timing analysis and waveform generation. This allowed us to deliver market leading value which is important to customers in this segment.

You have consistently delivered innovative products like the one-touch jitter measurement. How will Keysight continue to innovate after becoming separate from Agilent?

It is important that we constantly invest in hardware and software technology. Keysight has technology centers around the globe that are focused on different areas of expertise. For example, at our Santa Rosa facility, we have a proprietary indium phosphide fab. That team is constantly working on next-generation processes that are tailored to test and measurement products. In Colorado Springs, there is an ASIC design center that designs the data processors behind the analog-to-digital converters , which come from Keysight Labs in Santa Clara. All of this technology ultimately ends up in our scopes. By having parallel investments in technology and products we can deliver a steady stream of innovative products.

Were capacitive, touch-enabled oscilloscopes something that customers were asking for, or is that just something you thought could make a scope more user friendly?

Our customers were not asking for this feature, and there was some initial, internal skepticism. But our research showed capacitive, touch-enabled oscilloscopes improve the user experience. We started this project several years ago with the University of Michigan by researching the applicability of capacitive-touch displays and multi-touch gesturing on test and

measurement equipment. We first tested whether users could physically use that technology for controlling an instrument. The University of Michigan has some great facilities for measuring biomechanical effects. We tested the risk points from using an oscilloscope over an extended period of time.

We then did a follow-up round of research with the University of Michigan, my development team here in Colorado, and some of Keysight’s technology centers. We looked at how to develop algorithms for oscilloscopes that are both responsive and make sense. For example, if you use a pinch gesture to resize the vertical settings on an oscilloscope, you don’t want the setting to come out 1.053 volts per division. You want the setting to be within reason.

Finally, we used these findings to develop our first capacitive touch-screen product, the 4000 X-Series, in 2012. It is now going throughout our product line, and we had a couple of introductions this year—the Infiniium S-Series and the InfiniiVision 6000 X. The 6000 X-Series not only has the capacitive touch display, but it also offers voice control. It’s probably the only oscilloscope that can speak 14 languages right now.

As far as oscilloscope innovation goes, what do you see in the next couple of years?

For high-performance scopes and logic analyzers, it’s about providing measurement solutions for industry-

Through customer

interactions, the engineers

learn how customers use the products,

and help customers come to a successful

resolution of problems.

The 6000 X series not only has capacitive touch displays, but also voice control, and it’s probably

the only oscilloscope

that can speak 14 languages.

26


leading technologies. For example in the communications market we are starting to see multileveling signaling and optical MIMO applications. These examples require new methods of measurement. In the computer or semi-conductor segment DDR memory applications are driving performance needs in our logic analyzers.

The second big change we are seeing is greater emphasis and need for software-based solutions. Having a high-quality and accurate measurement always starts with quality hardware, but more customers want the product to help them debug a specific technology. We have provided physical-layer compliance tests for several years: one button can register passing or failing the compliance test for a USB standard, for example. That has evolved to also telling customers why they have failed, if that occurred. Now it’s growing into an even broader solution in which customers want to use the oscilloscope compliance apps earlier in the development cycle in their simulation tools—and we are starting to provide that.

In the mid-range and value segments, I see the continuing need to improve the user experience, not just in interacting with the instrument but by providing turnkey solutions, because in those segments there is enough performance, and customers are looking for us to add value in other ways.

Many customers will need modular solutions or traditional desktop debugging tools. Our goal is to provide the customers the form factors they

want and need, so Keysight will provide modular and traditional box systems.

What are some of the benefits of having business segment teams and how is planning done for the segments?

In various segments, customers have different needs. We address that by first looking at applications and technologies that are going to change the market, such as fifth-generation (5G) communications. Our Keysight planning organization looks at these new technology areas, works to understand the customer needs, and then looks across our various organizations, to broadly define a solution. This information feeds into our business segment teams who have a deep understanding of the products, technology, and other applications in their segment. They will integrate all of this information to ultimately develop the best technology and products for customers in their segment.

How do you keep the Keysight team continuously motivated and inspired to keep innovating?

We encourage and support our research and development (RD) engineers’ engagement with customers. In fact, when I was the RD manager, we had specific goals for RD-customer interactions, and we measured to make sure we were on track with those goals. The operative words here are “customer interactions.” Through interactions, the engineers learn how customers use the products, and they help customers come to a successful resolution of problems.

We also have all-hands meetings, where we bring in a customer and ask them to explain how they use our product within their company. The customer tells what they like and don’t like about the product and any unmet needs. We try to enlist customers who also use competitive products so we can receive balanced feedback.

Plus we recognize and reward innovation within the organization. For example our research and development team has a quarterly innovation award in which engineers are nominated by their peers for innovations they have made recently. Keysight also has a company-wide innovation award where we recognize

the most impactful advancements across the entire organization.

Keysight has a mentoring program. How has this program helped new team members?

This is one of the greatest strengths of our culture. At Keysight, experienced engineers enjoy working with new engineers. When we bring in interns, their main feedback is how much they appreciate the senior engineers taking time to work with them and teach them. Giving a young engineer time and attention helps us attract talent and helps them to grow. It is an incredibly valuable experience for everyone.

We’ve provided

physical-layer compliance

tests for several years:

one button can register passing or failing the

compliance test for the

USB standard.

Dave Cipriani, shown

between innovation-

award recipients

Cheryl Brown and

Chad Slaugh, believes

recognition by peers

to be the highest form

of acknowledgment.

INDUSTRY INTERVIEW

27

leading technologies. For example in the communications market we are starting to see multileveling signaling and optical MIMO applications. These examples require new methods of measurement. In the computer or semi-conductor segment DDR memory applications are driving performance needs in our logic analyzers.

The second big change we are seeing is greater emphasis and need for software-based solutions. Having a high-quality and accurate measurement always starts with quality hardware, but more customers want the product to help them debug a specific technology. We have provided physical-layer compliance tests for several years: one button can register passing or failing the compliance test for a USB standard, for example. That has evolved to also telling customers why they have failed, if that occurred. Now it’s growing into an even broader solution in which customers want to use the oscilloscope compliance apps earlier in the development cycle in their simulation tools—and we are starting to provide that.

In the mid-range and value segments, I see the continuing need to improve the user experience, not just in interacting with the instrument but by providing turnkey solutions, because in those segments there is enough performance, and customers are looking for us to add value in other ways.

Many customers will need modular solutions or traditional desktop debugging tools. Our goal is to provide the customers the form factors they

want and need, so Keysight will provide modular and traditional box systems.

What are some of the benefits of having business segment teams and how is planning done for the segments?

In various segments, customers have different needs. We address that by first looking at applications and technologies that are going to change the market, such as fifth-generation (5G) communications. Our Keysight planning organization looks at these new technology areas, works to understand the customer needs, and then looks across our various organizations, to broadly define a solution. This information feeds into our business segment teams who have a deep understanding of the products, technology, and other applications in their segment. They will integrate all of this information to ultimately develop the best technology and products for customers in their segment.

How do you keep the Keysight team continuously motivated and inspired to keep innovating?

We encourage and support our research and development (RD) engineers’ engagement with customers. In fact, when I was the RD manager, we had specific goals for RD-customer interactions, and we measured to make sure we were on track with those goals. The operative words here are “customer interactions.” Through interactions, the engineers learn how customers use the products, and they help customers come to a successful resolution of problems.

We also have all-hands meetings, where we bring in a customer and ask them to explain how they use our product within their company. The customer tells what they like and don’t like about the product and any unmet needs. We try to enlist customers who also use competitive products so we can receive balanced feedback.

Plus we recognize and reward innovation within the organization. For example our research and development team has a quarterly innovation award in which engineers are nominated by their peers for innovations they have made recently. Keysight also has a company-wide innovation award where we recognize

the most impactful advancements across the entire organization.

Keysight has a mentoring program. How has this program helped new team members?

This is one of the greatest strengths of our culture. At Keysight, experienced engineers enjoy working with new engineers. When we bring in interns, their main feedback is how much they appreciate the senior engineers taking time to work with them and teach them. Giving a young engineer time and attention helps us attract talent and helps them to grow. It is an incredibly valuable experience for everyone.

We’ve provided

physical-layer compliance

tests for several years:

one button can register passing or failing the

compliance test for the

USB standard.

Dave Cipriani, shown

between innovation-

award recipients

Cheryl Brown and

Chad Slaugh, believes

recognition by peers

to be the highest form

of acknowledgment.

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Modern Test & Measure: November 2014