PXI Newsletter

Newsletter: New PXI MultiComputing™ Specification Enables Multi-Controller Systems with High Performance Communication			11/16/2009
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From the Technical Committee Chair of the PXISA, Mark Wetzel:

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Welcome to the November 2009 edition of the PXI Newsletter. Our intent is to educate and inform you about how the PXI standard is being used in automated test systems for a wide variety of industries.

The PXISA’s Technical Committee is responsible for maintaining the PXI standard and ensuring interoperability between products from different vendors. Over the last year, the group has been hard at work creating the new PXI MultiComputing (PXImc) specification. This specification that was just released enables high performance, multi-controller systems that use the high-throughput, low-latency PCI Express bus. These systems can include the cabling of multiple PXI systems with their own controllers plus connections to laptops, high performance computers and stand-alone instruments. Finally, PXImc enables the inclusion of multiple processor modules into a single chassis.

Congratulations to all the member companies that helped in the development of this specification. The continued innovation in the PXI standard will bring the platform to exciting new applications and industries.

Our main article in this issue gives a brief overview of the new PXI MultiComputing (PXImc) Specification and its key benefits. The application article from Dr. Granieri at Phase Matrix, Inc. describes an implementation of synthetic instrumentation in PXI.

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Application Article

Family of PXI Downconverter Modules Brings 26.5 GHz RF/MW Measurement Technology to the PXI Platform
by Michael N. Granieri, Ph.D.

Background:
The PXI platform is known for providing world-class, economical, small form-factor solutions in support of analog, digital, and RF measurement applications up to 6.6 GHz. However, the platform has not been a contender for mainstream RF/MW measurement applications in the X- to K-band until now. Spurred on by the need for small formfactor/ multipurpose/high-speed test equipment, a new PXI RF/MW capability was developed by Phase Matrix, Inc.
(http://www.phasematrix.com) and was introduced at this year’s Autotestcon conference.

The genesis of this innovative “dual-use” (i.e., commercial and military) PXI product was a Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Program sponsored by the Navy (NAVAIR PMA 260 D). Since the advent of commercialgrade instrumentation during the post WWII era, the automatic test systems (ATSs) industry, both military and commercial, has grown into a multibillion dollar market, resulting
in a large array of instrument types in factory and field.

Thanks to all our readers.
Bob Helsel, Editor
www.pxisa.org

Main Article

New PXI MultiComputing™ Spec. Enables Multi-Controller Systems with High Performance Communication
Utilizes High Bandwidth, Low Latency PCI Express Communications Bus and Maintains Backwards Compatibility

The PXI Systems Alliance (www.pxisa.org) today announced the release of the PXI MultiComputing (PXImc) Specification which supports a high performance, communication architecture for multi-controller PXI and automated test systems. The new hardware and software specifications, PXI-7 and PXI-8 respectively, continue the innovation of the PXI standard while ensuring backwards compatibility with the more than 1,500 PXI products available today.

Based on PCI Express and its cabled derivative, PXImc provides vendor interoperable communication between multiple controllers or systems via a high throughput and low latency communications link. In addition to connecting multiple chassis or controllers within a PXI based system, the standard also supports communication between laptops, high performance computers, and standalone instruments. Unlike some communication protocols, PXImc preserves the high bandwidth and low latency performance associated with the PXI architecture.