PICO Technology, represented locally by Comtest, has released a new BroadR-Reach decoder/analyzer package that it says simplifies automotive ethernet integration testing and debugging. The package includes a novel non-intrusive Software Directional Coupler to separate up- and downstream traffic on full-duplex communication lines.
BroadR-Reach allows multiple in-vehicle systems to simultaneously access information over single unshielded twisted-pair cables. The technology delivers relatively high-speed data, 100 Mbps, with low connectivity costs and cabling weight.
The BroadR-Reach physical layer (BR-PHY) uses three-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM3) signaling, limited to 33⅓ MHz bandwidth, and a data scrambling technique to equalize power spectral density within the allocated band. It operates as a full-duplex connection with simultaneous Master-Slave/Slave-Master transmissions, so is more challenging to test than previous-generation networks such as CAN, CAN-FD and FlexRay.
The PicoScope Software Directional Coupler utilises two non-intrusive differential voltage probing points a known distance apart, together with the known velocity of propagation in standard RG58 or Cat5 cable, to separate the transmitted data waveforms in each direction.
Once the waveforms have been separated to show up- and downstream traffic, the PicoScope BroadR-Reach decoder can be used to display the contents of each data packet, aligned with the transmitted waveform. If required, two software directional couplers can be set up and decoded to show both the Master > Slave and Slave > Master communications at once.
The decoded data can also be displayed in tabular listing format for ease of viewing. Filtering and search tools are provided to help engineers focus on specific packet and field contents of interest.
Trevor Smith, Business Development Manager at Pico Technology, said BroadR-Reach technology had been widely adopted for the next generation of automotive networks.
“The PicoScope decoder/analyzer enables engineers to solve the critical signal analysis and network verification challenges that they face when bringing those designs to market. It is included as standard with PicoScope 6.14.10 application software, and builds on our heritage of support for automotive protocols that includes CAN, CAN-FD, FlexRay, LIN and SENT.”
Commenting on deployment of the solution, Smith said, “We offered beta versions of the decoder/analyzer to some key automotive customers during the summer, and received very positive responses and useful feedback. It helped us to validate the Software Directional Coupler algorithm and functionality of the decoder. Now the wider community of engineers working on automotive networks will benefit from that effort.”
