Board checks out boundary scan for analogue

Analogue designers and test engineers can explore and exploit the capabilities of IEEE1149.4, the standard for analogue testing via boundary scan.

JTAG Technologies today announced the first-of-its-kind product for mixed-signal boundary-scan testing.

With this groundbreaking product, analogue designers and test engineers will be able to explore and exploit the capabilities of IEEE1149.4, the standard for analogue testing via boundary scan.

JTAG-1149.4 Explorer is an easy-to-use evaluation system consisting of a sample mixed-signal application board, boundary-scan controller, and a graphical software measurement environment.

The sample application board contains 1149.1- and 1149.4-compliant ICs as well as analogue instrumentation including a current generator, analogue to digital convertor, digital to analogue convertor, and an AC-signal source.

Using the software tool's GUI, developers select components or specific analogue nodes and conduct embedded analogue measurements via the IEEE1149.4 test buses.

The system enables the user to perform resistance, capacitance, voltage, AC-signal and characteristic impedance measurements without the need for additional hardware.

The graphical user interface provides pull-down menus for selection of specific components or nodes on the evaluation board for the measurements.

In another application of the system, engineers can make analogue measurements on their own target board by using the resources (stimuli and measuring capabilities) of the JTAG-1149.4 Explorer.

"The new evaluation system will enable potential users of 1149.4 to evaluate the technology and determine whether it will be beneficial for their applications", said Ken Filliter, System Test Access Product Line Director at National Semiconductor.

"We know from ample experience with evaluation boards how important it is to provide a complete package of user-friendly tools and that's why we partnered with JTAG Technologies for this product".

The only requirement to use the 1149.4 JTAG Explorer is a Windows-based PC with a parallel printer port.

Existing users of JTAG Technologies products can also use any of the JT 37xx boundary-scan controllers to drive the mixed-signal applications to the target board.

The mixed-signal evaluation system is available immediately at a price of approximately $2500 from JTAG Technologies.

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