Rambus Timing Measurement Software

Features & Benefits

• Measure Rambus-specific Timing Parameters of: Setup Time, Hold Time, Timing Quality, Timing Error, Channel Error, Flight Time, Rise Time and Fall Time
• User-selectable Quiescent Time and Clock Frequency
• Measurements on Read and Write Cycles
• Automatically Determines Read or Write Cycle
• Measurements on Odd and Even Data Fields
• Measurement Results Can be Returned as Statistics, Profile or Histograms
• Installs Inside the TDS694C Oscilloscope Requiring no External GPIB, RS-232 or PC
• Provided on Floppy Disk for Easy Customer Installation
• Uses Familiar, User-friendly TDS User Interface
• Offers Full Measurement Automation and Control Through GPIB

Applications

• Characterize the Timing Performance of your Rambus Technology Designs

User-installed, Oscilloscope Resident Rambus Timing Analysis Package

Rambus Inc. has developed a scalable bandwidth, chip-to-chip memory technology, which delivers up to 1.6 G Transfers/sec. This high-speed, pipeline architecture technology has very stringent timing requirements. Semiconductor vendors and PC board integrators require very specialized measurements to viably characterize their Rambus components and PC boards.

The Tektronix TDSRBS1 Timing Analysis software provides a comprehensive set of Rambus-specific timing parameter measurements. These measurements are specifically designed to meet the measurement needs of today's Rambus technology integrators. One of the most difficult tasks in characterizing Rambus signals is deciphering between the Read and Write cycles. The TDSRBS1 application addresses that by analyzing the data, automatically determining the correct cycle, and performing the appropriate measurement. With the double-pumped data architecture of Rambus components, another challenge is characterizing both clock edges of data. TDSRBS1 allows analysis of the Odd and Even data fields.

TDSRBS1 Rambus Timing Analysis Software is a software package from Tektronix that delivers industry standard Rambus technology timing analysis capabilities. It comes on floppy disks, is easily installed in a TDS oscilloscope and doesn't require any external processing or connections. After installation, the application is accessible from the oscilloscope front panel. Coupling TDSRBS1 with the TDSJIT1 Jitter Analysis and TDSPSM1 Processor Specification software packages, you have the most comprehensive timing analysis measurements available.

Minimal Recommended Configuration

The extremely fast rise times, high frequency clock, read/write deciphering and single-shot requirements of Rambus Data and Clock signals on all four channels requires the following configuration for using TDSRBS1. Instrumentation other than the minimal recommended configuration below will result in measurement results that are not accurate.

• 1 TDS694C 3 GHz, 10 GS/s oscilloscope w/Option HD
• 2 P6248 1.7 GHz differential probes
• 2 P6249 4 GHz active probes
• 4 PPM203B articulated arms