Arasan Chip Systems, Inc. (“Arasan”) is a leading provider of Total IP Solutions, BitifEye Digital Test Solutions GmbH (“BitifEye”) is the developer of unique software and accessories for automated test and debugging of multiple high speed serial bus protocols, and Granite River Labs Inc. (“GRL”) is an engineering services company focused on helping customers adopt multi-gigabit interface technologies. All three organizations collaborated to implement and prove a methodology to address the challenge of testing and characterization of the electrical behavior of a MIPI D-PHY receiver.
D-PHY is intended to be integrated as the PHY layer IP for MIPI CSI-2 and DSI digital link layer controllers for mobile camera and display applications. The interface between the controller and D-PHY has a signal count that is too high to provide at-speed observability on the pins of chips, like those designed for camera and display panel modules. This poses a challenge for test and characterization of embedded D-PHY’s.
A comprehensive solution has been proven through a joint collaboration of the three companies. BitifEye’s ValiFrame Test Automation Software generates D-PHY frames which are physically driven from an Agilent Technologies ParBERT system combined with a BitifEye switch, and received in the Arasan D-PHY test chip interfaced to the company’s DSI Device IP mapped on an FPGA. Arasan configured its DSI Device IP to trap the recovered frames, and compare to the original frame values for pass/fail determination. Proper integration of the hardware and software components of the test and characterization environment was architected and implemented by GRL, with a view to make this a repeatable implementation and services model for the three companies’ common customers worldwide.
“These are practical solutions to practical problems our current and future customers face when they reach the silicon characterization stage,” says Ajay Jain, Director of Product Marketing for Arasan. “We have partnered with a larger ecosystem to serve our customers beyond just providing IP solutions.”
“MIPI PHY design and electrical characterization present challenges on multiple levels,” said Quintin Anderson, Chief Operating Officer at GRL. “We are pleased to be working with Arasan and BitifEye to help the MIPI ecosystem meet these challenges.
“BitifEye is glad to work with partners and customers in order to adapt and tailor standard test solutions to the specific needs,” added Alexander Schmitt, BitifEye’s CEO. “A high level of test automation was achieved by this collaboration.”
Specifics for this solution are available to Arasan customers, with implementation and testing services provided by GRL, using frame generation and debug hardware and software components from BitifEye and Agilent Technologies. This would allow customers to confirm electrical conformance to MIPI specifications for their D-PHY receivers in CSI-2 receiver and DSI applications.
About Arasan
Arasan Chip Systems is a leading provider of Total IP Solutions for mobile storage and connectivity applications. Arasan’s high-quality, silicon-proven, Total IP Solutions include digital IP cores, analog PHY interfaces, verification IP, hardware verification kits, protocol analyzers, software stacks and drivers, and optional customization services for MIPI, USB, SD, SDIO, MMC/eMMC, CF, UFS, xD and many other popular standards. Arasan’s Total IP products serve system architects and chip design teams in mobile, gaming and desktop computing systems that require silicon-proven, validated IP, delivered with the ability to integrate and verify both digital, analog and software components in the shortest possible time with the lowest risk.
Unlike many other IP providers, Arasan’s Total IP Solution encompasses all aspects of IP development and integration, including analog and digital cores, hardware development kits, protocol analyzers, validation IP and software stacks and drivers and optional architecture consulting and customization services. Based in San Jose, CA, USA, Arasan Chip Systems has a 16 year track record of IP and IP standards development leadership.
About BitifEye
BitifEye Digital Test Solutions is a leading supplier of test automation software and test accessories. BitifEye is a Solutions Partner with Agilent Technologies, the world’s premier test and measurement company. The BitifEye and Agilent off-the-shelf products can be combined to powerful, application-specific test systems for high-speed digital interface buses. The modular and open architecture allows customers and partners e.g. to implement customizations or to integrate the test systems into higher-level test infrastructure such as top-level test sequencers.
BitifEye is based in Boeblingen, Germany, and was founded in 2005. The company has a history of successful cooperation with development partners and alpha customers on test solutions for a broad range of digital interconnects for computer, video and mobile applications such as PCI Express, HDMI, MHL or MIPI.
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Original release can be read here.
