PXI-based I2C Protocol Validation Suite & Service

Go beyond basic I2C compliance. Generate advanced reports in minutes*!

*Following 3-4 hours of remote training from Soliton

I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) is a synchronous, 2-wire serial communication protocol. I2C Protocol is well suited for data transfer between ICs at relatively low speed. Its simple 2-wire interface simplifies IC design with fewer pins and smaller package thus reducing the board space and cost.

Eight of the top global semiconductor companies trust us for their I2C testing needs and that number continues to grow. Here's how our offering can expand your coverage and improve your workflow:

  • Comprehensive I2C interface characterization from experts:

    • Stay ahead of the competition by ensuring that your chip does not fail even in the corner cases, and can recover from a glitch or communication error
    • Win customers with the thoroughness of your compliance testing
    • Explore the ‘Features’ section to see how Soliton’s test goes above and beyond just a full sweep within the given spec

  • Save your designers valuable debugging time through our comprehensive reports. Our I2C Validation Reports include:

    • Compliance summary
    • Digital scope shots
    • Debug and sweep information to help you reproduce errors
    • Step-by-step results that document the program flow

  • Here are two ways that you can benefit from our I2C validation offerings:

Option 1: Soliton generates your I2C Test reports

  • Ship us 3 DUT boards
  • Receive a thorough and elegant electronic validation report in 3 working days!
  • * Shipping address: Soliton Technologies Pvt Ltd, #305, Tidel Park, Aerodrome Post, Coimbatore, India – 641014

Advantages:
  • We have years of experience with the tool and the PXI hardware, and can get you the best results from both
  • We understand the I2C interface and can advise you in interpreting and addressing any issues revealed in the report
  • Use our service in a time crunch and gain bandwidth to work on other pressing tasks

Option 2: You generate reports with our tool

  • Purchase our I2C Validation Suite for a one-time fee
  • Generate your reports in minutes, once you are trained and set up
  • * Operates on the linked NI PXI equipment. If you already have the NI PXIe-6556 which is now an obsoleted module and do not mind using obsoleted hardware, you can replace the PXIe-6570 in the linked part list with the PXIe-6556. The I2C Validation Suite will work both with the PXIe-6570 and with the PXIe-6556


Advantages:
  • NI’s PXI is a general purpose, modular framework and can be easily scaled for other tests besides I2C protocol validation using LabVIEW or other programming languages
  • If you already have the NI hardware, or intend to characterize multiple chips, this option may better fit your needs
  • Do not worry about customization capabilities. Our I2C test scripts are customizable on the TestStand and LabVIEW layers through a simple and powerful Script Editor tool

FAQs

  • Do I always need to test for full I2C compliance?
    No, this is not always the case. If your customer has a very narrow use case, or your chip’s I2C IP is exactly the same as a previously tested chip, then it is possible that you do not need the extensive validation that our service/suite provides.

  • Can't I build a home-grown solution instead?
    While this is certainly an option, we expect that it will take a highly experienced automation engineer between 3-6 months to create a first version of a similar tool. To create a robust and flexible tool takes experience, and we have been improving this tool over the last 3 years since release. We believe it is worth the cost to skip the learning curve and avail our comprehensive report or validation suite.

  • What else can I do with NI's PXI chassis/modules?
    The 6570 or 6556 module is a general purpose programmable pattern generator and acquisition device with deep memory. It can be programmed using LabVIEW or other programming languages to emulate any synchronous digital protocol with 5ns resolution and 39ps line skewing resolution. NI’s PXI chassis supports high bandwidth and synchronization-friendly control and readback from a huge variety of digital, analog, and special-purpose modules in a compact form factor.

Hardware Supported by Soliton's I2C Protocol Validation Suite (The hardware emulates an I2C master):
NI PXI Digital Pattern Instrument – PXIe 6570
NI PXI High Speed Digital IO (HSDIO) – PXIe 6556

Features of PXI-based I2C Validation Suite

  1. Supports different bus speed modes
    • Standard Mode (100KHz)
    • Fast Mode (400KHz)
    • Fast Mode Plus (1MHz)
    • High Speed Mode (1.7MHz, 3.4MHz)
  2. Simple Read – Write Communication APIs supporting all possible I2C data transfer formats
    • Write Register (1 byte)
    • Read Register (1 byte)
    • Write Block (n bytes)
    • Read Block (n bytes)
    I2C Validation suite allows users to Read and Write Communication APIs supporting all possible I2C data transfer formats
    I2C Validation suite allows users to Read and Write Communication APIs supporting all possible I2C data transfer formats
  3. Allows users to configure and sweep each I2C bus timing parameter from the Min to the Max range

    fSCL – SCL clock frequency
    tLOW – LOW period of the SCL clock
    tHIGH – HIGH period of the SCL clock
    tHD;DAT – Data Hold time
    tSU;DAT – Data Setup time
    tHD;STA – Hold time for (Repeated) START condition
    tSU;STA – Setup time for Repeated START condition
    tSU;STO – Setup time for STOP condition
    t_BUF – Bus Free time between STOP and START condition

    I2C Protocol Validation
  4. Validates tSP parameter by inducing glitches/spikes in SCL and SDA lines

    tSP – pulse width of spikes that must be suppressed by the input filter

    Soliton's I2C validation suite allows users to configure and sweep each I2C bus timing parameter from the Min to the Max range
  5. Provides ability to induce faults in I2C Read/Write Communication
    • Send additional clock bit.
    • Skip clock bit.
    • Skip START/STOP/RP-START/BYTE/ACK.
    • Send NACK.
    • Send ACK for last Read Byte.
    • Send invalid Register Address, invalid Data Byte
    PXI based I2C parametric validation suite validates tSP parameter by inducing glitches/spikes in I2C SCL and SDA lines
  6. Sweeps & Measures Rise Time and Fall Time on SCL & SDA lines

    tRCL – SCL Rise Time
    tFCL – SCL Fall Time
    tRCL1 – SCL Rise Time after REPEATED START & after ACK bit
    tRDA – SDA Rise Time
    tFDA – SDA Fall Time

    Soliton's I2C Validation suite provides ability to induce faults in I2C Read/Write Communication
  7. Measures response timing at 5ns resolution

    tVD;DAT – Data valid time
    tVD;ACK – Data valid acknowledge time

  8. Allows programmable bus voltage levels

    VIL – LOW-level input voltage
    VIH – HIGH-level input voltage

Test Plan Editor – LabVIEW based I2C Protocol Validation Tester allows users to create Test Scripts using a Script Editor tool by drag & drop of the Test steps in a sequence, and to configure the test parameters. The I2C Tester tool comes with all the Test Scripts that are needed for testing I2C compliance. If the device contains any special wakeup process or if the test has to extended beyond the I2C spec, the user can script the tests and execute the test.

Test Plan Editor – Test Plan Editor allows users to create Test Scripts by drag & drop of the Test steps in a sequence, and to configure the test parameters.

I2C Waveform Viewer – During the test execution, user will be able to view the I2C digital waveforms that represents the I2C transactions between the master and the slave.

I2C Waveform Viewer – During the test execution, user will be able to view the I2C digital waveforms that represents the I2C transactions between the master and the slave.

I2C Compliance report – The tool creates a compliance report for each test parameter at the end of script execution.

I2C Compliance report for each test I2C parameter at the end of script execution

I2C Debugger – I2C Debug screen allows one to interactively peek and poke device registers.

 

TYPICAL USER BASE FOR I2C VALIDATION SUITE

    • Semiconductor Chip Manufacturers making I2C Slave Devices
    • Companies making QSFP+ Pluggable Optical Transceivers used in optical fiber technology. These companies need to adhere to and test against the SFF-8679 specification which includes specs for the 2-wire I2C Interface. Hashtags: QSFP Protocol Validation ,SFP Protocol Validation, QSFP Testing, SFP Testing, SFF Compliance, SFF-8679 compliance.
    • Companies making display devices that need to comply with and test against the I2C Bus specifications listed in DDC, DDC2B, DDC2Ab, DDC2B+, DDC2Bi, E-DDC standards. Hashtags: DDC compliance, DDC2B compliance, DDC2Ab compliance, DDC2B+ compliance, E-DDC compliance, EDID compliance, EDID physical layer validation
    • SMPS Unit Manufacturers who need to test against PMBus, an evolution of the I2C Specification.
    • 2-wire interface on ATCA compliant controllers and devices

OTHER PROTOCOL VALIDATION SERVICES OFFERED BY SOLITON