The Basics of Serial Data Compliance and Validation Measurements

In the computing and communications industries, a degree of standardization at the system, subsystem, and component levels is the foundation that technology builds upon. Examples of standardization range from LVDS signaling to the PCI Express serial bus designed to replace current PCI technology. Standards pervade semiconductor architectures, network protocols, and software components. And for every standard, there must be some means of certification, some way to prove that new products are in compliance with the standard.

Serial data architectures, and the standards that support them, are the next frontier in digital design. Industry committees announce new serial standards or refinements at almost every major industry event. Inevitably, the emerging standards call for certification procedures involving electronic test and measurement equipment: oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, signal sources, and more. There is an urgent need for expert, efficient solutions that can speed the process—still unfamiliar to many designers—of serial compliance and validation measurement.

This primer deals with the challenges of serial device compliance testing, validation, and troubleshooting. The discussion in the ensuing pages covers basic principles, measurement requirements, and tools for troubleshooting, all in the context of the latest serial transmission technologies. The primer is designed to help you understand the common aspects of serial data transmission; to explain the analog and digital measurement requirements that apply to these emerging serial techniques, and to provide an overview of the test and measurement solutions that support both compliance tests and troubleshooting work.