MIPI DevCon Taipei 2019: PHY Testing Challenges and Opportunities: The Need For a Smart Testing Approach
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This document discusses the challenges and opportunities in PHY testing, advocating for a smart testing approach to address issues with common test methodologies, such as loopback and side-band. The proposed solution includes a PHY test mode that simplifies link startup and error reporting while reducing manual intervention. Additionally, it outlines the capabilities and expertise of Bitifeye Digital Test Solutions in high-speed interconnect testing.
MIPI DevCon Taipei 2019: PHY Testing Challenges and Opportunities: The Need For a Smart Testing Approach
- 1. Victor Sanchez-Rico BitifEye Digital Test Solutions GmbH PHY Testing Challenges and Opportunities: The Need For a Smart Testing Approach
- 2. © 2019 MIPI Alliance, Inc. 3 PHY Testing – Ideal Scenario Victor Sanchez-Rico - BitifEye Digital Test Solutions GmbH Low Cost Testing Fast Testing Speeds Comparable Results Choice of Test Systems InterOp Test Houses
- 3. © 2019 MIPI Alliance, Inc. 4 Common RX Test Approaches: Loopback • Pattern Generator in BERT sends continuous test pattern to DUT • DUT processes the test data and sends it back to the BERT Analyzer • Pattern compared, Bit Error Rate calculated Victor Sanchez-Rico - BitifEye Digital Test Solutions GmbH BERT Test Pattern Generator Test Pattern Analyzer DUT RX TX =?
- 4. © 2019 MIPI Alliance, Inc. 5 Common RX Test Approaches: Loopback • Challenges: – DUT comes out of test mode whenever the test pattern generator is restarted • Manual intervention of test operator is required (time consuming) or • Automation scripts and side-band connection are required (customization) – Can’t test real world data (Burst) – Some tests can’t be done easily, e.g. Squelch detection in MIPI M- PHY® Victor Sanchez-Rico - BitifEye Digital Test Solutions GmbH
- 5. © 2019 MIPI Alliance, Inc. 6 Common RX Test Approaches: Loopback Victor Sanchez-Rico - BitifEye Digital Test Solutions GmbH Low Testing Costs Fast Testing Speeds Comparable Results Choice of Test Systems InterOp Test Houses
- 6. © 2019 MIPI Alliance, Inc. 7 Common RX Test Approaches: Side-band • Proprietary access to built in Error Counters • Pattern Generator in Test Equipment sends test pattern to DUT • DUT processes the test data and counts errors • Additional connection to the DUT to grab counters through customer-specific equipment Victor Sanchez-Rico - BitifEye Digital Test Solutions GmbH BERT Test Pattern Generator DUTRX Side-band deviceComputer
- 7. © 2019 MIPI Alliance, Inc. 8 Common RX Test Approaches: Side-band Victor Sanchez-Rico - BitifEye Digital Test Solutions GmbH Low Testing Costs Fast Testing Speeds Comparable Results Choice of Test Systems InterOp Test Houses
- 8. © 2019 MIPI Alliance, Inc. 9 Common RX Test Approaches: Visual Test Victor Sanchez-Rico - BitifEye Digital Test Solutions GmbH Low Testing Costs Fast Testing Speeds Comparable Results Choice of Test Systems InterOp Test Houses
- 9. © 2019 MIPI Alliance, Inc. 10 Solution: PHY Test Mode • Functionality that allows to configure the DUT for test exclusively with in-band control commands • Simplified link startup for simplicity • Bit and error counters also retrieved with Test Equipment via in-band commands • Preferably implemented in the PHY Layer • Optional: master device can configure test mode for slave(s), and run some tests w/o need for test equipment. Victor Sanchez-Rico - BitifEye Digital Test Solutions GmbH
- 10. © 2019 MIPI Alliance, Inc. 11 Solution: PHY Test Mode Victor Sanchez-Rico - BitifEye Digital Test Solutions GmbH Low Cost Testing Fast Testing Speeds Comparable Results Choice of Test Systems InterOp Test Houses
- 11. © 2019 MIPI Alliance, Inc. 12 PHY Test Mode Example: MIPI M-PHY® MIPI UniPro® RX Test • Use Case – DUT Data0 RX is connected to switch that can alternate between test pattern generator and protocol generator – DUT Data1-3 RX connected directly to test pattern generator – DUT Data 0 TX connected to protocol analyzer – DUT RST_n also controlled to alternate test modes Victor Sanchez-Rico - BitifEye Digital Test Solutions GmbH • Test Flow – Automation connects protocol generator to DUT – Hardware Reset sent to RST_n of DUT – Protocol generator sends link configuration pattern to DUT – Automation connects test pattern generator to DUT – Test pattern generator sends test pattern to DUT, interleaving Frame and Error counter requests – DUT responds, protocol analyzer captures response and test automation decodes it – Test goes on until DUT reports errors or target BER is achieved DUT RX0 RX1 RX2 RX3 TX3 TX1 TX2 Protocol Analayzer (PWM) Protocol Generator (PWM) Test Pattern Generator (High Speed) TX0
- 12. © 2019 MIPI Alliance, Inc. 13 PHY Test Mode Example: MIPI M-PHY®" MIPI UniPro® TX Test Victor Sanchez-Rico - BitifEye Digital Test Solutions GmbH • Use Case – DUT Data0 RX is connected protocol generator – DUT TX Lane under test is connected to oscilloscope – DUT RST_n also controlled to alternate test modes • Test Flow – Protocol generator sends Hardware Reset to DUT – Protocol generator sends link configuration pattern to DUT – Automation controls oscilloscope TX Test software to run selected tests Protocol Generator (PWM) DUT RX0 TX0 RX1 RX2 RX3 TX3 TX1 TX2 DSO
- 13. © 2019 MIPI Alliance, Inc. 14 Outlook and suggestion: A-PHY • Unlike MIPI M-PHY®, both bus directions are transmitted simultaneously on the same wire – Only one direction for High Speed data, but control data is full duplex, on the same wire – No fixture is available that can be used to combine and split the data Victor Sanchez-Rico - BitifEye Digital Test Solutions GmbH RX DUT RX TX Signal Analyzer / Oscilloscope Signal Generator
- 14. © 2019 MIPI Alliance, Inc. 15 Outlook and suggestion: A-PHY • A-PHY uses a very long channel. Embedding it (software simulation) seems like the sensible choice but it can have a very big impact on test pattern generation time Victor Sanchez-Rico - BitifEye Digital Test Solutions GmbH
- 15. © 2019 MIPI Alliance, Inc. 16 About BitifEye • Located in Boeblingen, Germany • Solutions Partner of Keysight Technologies, system integrator – integration of high-performance test instruments: bit-error ratio testers, oscilloscopes, network analyzers… – complementary products - software, accessories, instruments - and services • Experts in wireline digital high-speed interconnect test, e.g. HDMI, USB, MIPI – focus on physical layer (PHY) tests - compliance tests and product characterization – inventor of PHY test automation for gigabit receivers/sinks, market leader since 2005 – provider of complementary hardware, software and services Victor Sanchez-Rico - BitifEye Digital Test Solutions GmbH
- 16. © 2019 MIPI Alliance, Inc. Broadly used by small / midsize companies. Experts on- site Unique instrument pool Product characterization, margin test, debugging PHY Pre-compliance tests, e.g. MIPI, HDMI, USB, SATA, Official MIPI® Test Lab Ø Participant (with Keysight) in various InterOps, Plug fests, Certification workshops (e.g. UFS) throughout the years Ø Partner of various test labs all around the world (e.g. Allion, Eurofins, Simplay Labs, GRL, IST ...) About BitifEye Victor Sanchez-Rico - BitifEye Digital Test Solutions GmbH