November 11th, 2008
‘Skilful’ JTAG Hardware Delivers Best of Both Worlds
Eindhoven, - November 2008 -- IEEE std. 1149 compliant boundary-scan products, has introduced the new compact JT 2149/MPV Digital I/O Scan (DIOS) module, which allows digital I/O test access to PCBs requiring external I/O stimulus and response monitoring.
The multi-programmable voltage (MPV) DIOS has been designed to slot into JTAG Technologies' regular QuadPodTM transceiver system as used by the renowned DataBlaster series of boundary-scan/JTAG controller hardware. When connected to a circuit board via edge connector or fixture/jig test pins the module enhances regular interconnect tests by exercising the board's connections in synchronisation with native boundary-scan components. What's more, the DIOS module features JTAG's all new ‘SCIL' (Scan Configurable Interface Logic) technology to allow custom functions such as pattern generators, counters and bus simulators to be factory-formatted for more advanced functional and pattern oriented testing.
Peter van den Eijnden, JTAG Technologies' president, comments: "The JT 2149/MPV DIOS Test Module provides a ‘best-of-both-worlds' solution when it comes to implementing boundary-scan and functional tests. For example, a target circuit board (UUT) may contain elements, such as board-edge connectors and non-boundary-scan logic clusters, which cannot be accessed directly by the native boundary-scan devices. In such cases, the overall testability of the board is compromised, allowing some manufacturing faults to go undetected. The new DIOS modules overcome this problem by extending the reach of boundary-scan to include the testing of circuit board edge connectors. Non-boundary-scan logic clusters can also be more easily tested using ‘static' patterns or at functional speed when utilising the new SCIL option.
Whilst the module occupies one of the TAP (Test Access Port) locations in the QuadPodTM the system still offers four independent TAPs to the target UUT by offering a stream-through option. Hot swapping of targets is supported by the automatic ‘power down between tests' feature of QuadPodTM
100% backward compatibility with other JTAG I/O scan systems is ensured by simulation of the former DIOS-type scan devices. What's more both output and input thresholds can be programmed to 1.5, 1.8, 2.5 or 3.3V making them ideally suited to testing of modern low-voltage logic families. The I/O channels are grouped into blocks of 16 channels. To reduce scan chain length and improve test efficiency any number of 16-channel groups can be bypassed.
Selected channels can be interfaced with custom cabling to the board under test (low volume apps) or interfaced with bed-of-nails fixtures for higher volume production. The I/O channels are individually programmable as input, output, bi-directional or tri-state signals.
The modules are available immediately .
About JTAG Technologies
JTAG Technologies is a market leader and technology innovator of boundary-scan software and hardware products and services, focusing on the development of boundary-scan technology. It was the first to bring to the market such important advances as automated test generation, automated flash and PLD programming via boundary-scan, and visualized boundary-scan analysis. Its customers include world leaders in electronics design and manufacturing such as Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Flextronics, Honeywell, Medtronic, Motorola, Nokia, Philips, Raytheon, Rockwell-Collins, Samsung, and Sony. Its innovative boundary-scan products provide test development, test execution, coverage analysis and in-system programming applications. With an installed base of over 5,500 systems worldwide, JTAG Technologies serves the communications, medical electronics, avionics, defense, automotive, and consumer industries with offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia. JTAG Technologies headquarters are located in Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
JTAG and JTAG Technologies are registered trademarks of JTAG Technologies, Inc. All other brand names or product names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holder(s).
