VXI
Encyclopedia
The VXI bus architecture
is an open standard platform for automated test based upon VMEbus
. VXI stands for VME eXtensions for Instrumentation, defining additional bus lines for timing and triggering as well as mechanical requirements and standard protocols for configuration, message-based communication, multi-chassis extension, and other features. In 2004, the 2eVME extension was added to the VXI bus specification, giving it a maximum data rate of 160 MB/s.
The basic building block of a VXI system is the mainframe or chassis. This contains up to 13 slots into which various modules (instruments) can be added. The mainframe also contains all the power supply requirements for the rack and the instruments it contains. Instruments in the form of VXI Modules then fit the slots in the rack. VXI bus modules are typically 6U in height (see Eurocard) and C-size (unlike VME bus modules which are more commonly B-size). It is therefore possible to configure a system to meet a particular requirement by selecting the required instruments.
The VXIbus grew from the VME bus specification, it was established in 1987 by Hewlett Packard (now Agilent Technologies
), Racal Instruments (now EADS North America Test and Services), Colorado Data Systems, Wavetek
and Tektronix
. VXI is promoted by the VXIbus Consortium, whose sponsor members are currently (in alphabetical order) Agilent Technologies
, Bustec, EADS North America Test and Services (formerly Racal Instruments), National Instruments
, Teradyne
, and VTI Instruments
(formerly known as VXI Technology)
.
ZTEC Instruments is a participating Executive Member. VXI's core market is in Military and Avionics Automatic Test Systems.
The VXIplug&play Alliance specified additional hardware and software interoperability standards, notably the Virtual Instrument Software Architecture
or VISA, although the alliance was eventually merged with the IVI Foundation. Application software that supports VXIplug&play instrument drivers for controlling instruments include LabVIEW
and MATLAB
. There is a VXIbus Consortium of industry leaders, which can be found at http://www.vxibus.org/
Computer architecture
In computer science and engineering, computer architecture is the practical art of selecting and interconnecting hardware components to create computers that meet functional, performance and cost goals and the formal modelling of those systems....
is an open standard platform for automated test based upon VMEbus
VMEbus
VMEbus is a computer bus standard, originally developed for the Motorola 68000 line of CPUs, but later widely used for many applications and standardized by the IEC as ANSI/IEEE 1014-1987. It is physically based on Eurocard sizes, mechanicals and connectors , but uses its own signalling system,...
. VXI stands for VME eXtensions for Instrumentation, defining additional bus lines for timing and triggering as well as mechanical requirements and standard protocols for configuration, message-based communication, multi-chassis extension, and other features. In 2004, the 2eVME extension was added to the VXI bus specification, giving it a maximum data rate of 160 MB/s.
The basic building block of a VXI system is the mainframe or chassis. This contains up to 13 slots into which various modules (instruments) can be added. The mainframe also contains all the power supply requirements for the rack and the instruments it contains. Instruments in the form of VXI Modules then fit the slots in the rack. VXI bus modules are typically 6U in height (see Eurocard) and C-size (unlike VME bus modules which are more commonly B-size). It is therefore possible to configure a system to meet a particular requirement by selecting the required instruments.
The VXIbus grew from the VME bus specification, it was established in 1987 by Hewlett Packard (now Agilent Technologies
Agilent Technologies
Agilent Technologies , or Agilent, is a company that designs and manufactures electronic and bio-analytical measurement instruments and equipment for measurement and evaluation...
), Racal Instruments (now EADS North America Test and Services), Colorado Data Systems, Wavetek
Wavetek
Wavetek was an electronic test equipment manufacturer that made function and signal generators.Before Terrence Gooding, president and CEO of Wavetek, made Wavetek private in 1991, the company had 800 employees, 260 of whom worked in San Diego. The company had plants in the US states California,...
and Tektronix
Tektronix
Tektronix, Inc. is an American company best known for its test and measurement equipment such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and video and mobile test protocol equipment. In November 2007, Tektronix became a subsidiary of Danaher Corporation....
. VXI is promoted by the VXIbus Consortium, whose sponsor members are currently (in alphabetical order) Agilent Technologies
Agilent Technologies
Agilent Technologies , or Agilent, is a company that designs and manufactures electronic and bio-analytical measurement instruments and equipment for measurement and evaluation...
, Bustec, EADS North America Test and Services (formerly Racal Instruments), National Instruments
National Instruments
National Instruments Corporation, or NI , is an American company with over 5,000 employees and direct operations in 41 countries. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, it is a producer of automated test equipment and virtual instrumentation software...
, Teradyne
Teradyne
Teradyne , a US company, is a supplier of automatic test equipment . The company's divisions Semiconductor Test and Systems Test Group, are organized by the products they develop and deliver.-History:...
, and VTI Instruments
VTI Instruments
VTI Instruments sells precision instrumentation for electronic signal distribution, data acquisition and monitoring. The company’s products are used to automate the functional testing of complex electronic systems as well as to monitor and record data that characterizes the physical integrity of...
(formerly known as VXI Technology)
.
ZTEC Instruments is a participating Executive Member. VXI's core market is in Military and Avionics Automatic Test Systems.
The VXIplug&play Alliance specified additional hardware and software interoperability standards, notably the Virtual Instrument Software Architecture
Virtual Instrument Software Architecture
Virtual Instrument Software Architecture, commonly known as VISA, is a widely used I/O API in the test and measurement industry for communicating with instruments from a PC...
or VISA, although the alliance was eventually merged with the IVI Foundation. Application software that supports VXIplug&play instrument drivers for controlling instruments include LabVIEW
LabVIEW
LabVIEW is a system design platform and development environment for a visual programming language from National Instruments. LabVIEW provides engineers and scientists with the tools needed to create and deploy measurement and control systems.The graphical language is named "G"...
and MATLAB
MATLAB
MATLAB is a numerical computing environment and fourth-generation programming language. Developed by MathWorks, MATLAB allows matrix manipulations, plotting of functions and data, implementation of algorithms, creation of user interfaces, and interfacing with programs written in other languages,...
. There is a VXIbus Consortium of industry leaders, which can be found at http://www.vxibus.org/