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Overview of Keysight Software and Programming Tools

Keysight SD1 SFP Software

Overview of Keysight SD1 SFP Software

Keysight M3201A/M3202A PXIe AWGs, M3100A/M3102A PXIe Digitizers, and M3300A/M3302A PXIe AWG/Digitizer Combos can be operated as classical bench-top instruments using Keysight SD1 SFP software; no programming is required.

When SD1 SFP is opened, it identifies all Keysight PXIe hardware modules that are connected to the embedded controller or desktop computer, and opens a corresponding soft front panel for each piece of hardware.

	SD1 SFP

Keysight Programming Tools

The following programming tools are available to control Keysight M3100A/M3102A PXIe Digitizers, M3201A/M3202A PXIe AWGs, and M3300A/M3302A PXIe AWG & Digitizer Combinations:

• Keysight SD1 Programming Libraries
• Keysight M3601A Hard Virtual Instrument (HVI) Design Environment Software
• Keysight M3602A FPGA Design Environment Software

Keysight SD1 Programming Libraries

Keysight supplies a comprehensive set of highly optimized software instructions that can control off-the-shelf functionalities of Keysight hardware. These software instructions are compiled into the Keysight SD1 Programming Libraries. Programs can be written with these libraries and run on an embedded controller or desktop computer.

The use of customizable software to create user-defined control, test and measurement systems is commonly referred as Virtual Instrumentation. In Keysight documentation, the concept of a Virtual Instrument (or VI) describes user software that uses programming libraries and is executed by a computer.

Keysight provides native programming libraries for a comprehensive set of programming languages, such as C, C++, Visual Studio (VC++, C#, VB), MATLAB, National Instruments LabVIEW, Python, etc., ensuring full software compatibility and seamless multivendor integration. Keysight also provides dynamic libraries, for example: DLLs, that can be used in virtually any programming language.

Keysight native programming libraries ensure full compatibility, providing effortless and seamless software integration user interaction, etc. The I/O modules run in parallel, completely synchronized, and exchange data and decisions in real-time. The result is a set of modules that behave like a single integrated real-time instrument.

For more information, refer to the following sections:

Keysight M3601A Hard Virtual Instrument (HVI) Design Environment Software

HVI Programming

Keysight’s HVI technology provides the capability to create time-deterministic execution sequences that are executed by the Keysight M3201A/M3202A PXIe AWGs and M3100A/M3102A PXIe digitizers with Option HV1. HVIs are programmed with Keysight M3601A, an HVI design environment with a user-friendly flowchart-style interface.

HVI Functions

Keysight’s HVI Technology uses the same programming instructions that are available in the Keysight SD1 Programming Libraries, with the difference that in an HVI, those instructions are executed by the hardware modules in hard real-time, not by the embeded controller or desktop computer.

Virtual Instrumentation is the use of customizable software and modular hardware to create user-defined measurement systems, called Virtual Instruments (VIs). Thus, a Virtual Instrument is based on a software which is executed by a computer, and therefore its real-time performance (speed, latency, etc.) is limited by the computer and by its operating system. In many cases, this real-time performance might not be enough for the application, even with a real-time operating system. In addition, many modern applications require tight triggering and precise intermodule synchronization, making the development of final systems very complex and time consuming. For all these applications, Keysight has developed an exclusive technology called Hard Virtual Instrumentation. In a hard virtual instrument (HVI), the user application is executed by the hardware modules independently of the computer, which stays free for other VI tasks, like visualization.

HVIs are programmed with Keysight M3601A Hard Virtual Instrument (HVI) Design Environment Software, with a user-friendly flowchart-style interface, compatible with Keysight M3201A/M3202A PXIe AWGs and M3100A/M3102A PXIe digitizers.

	M3601A
	Keysight M3601A is based on flowchart programming, providing an easy-to-use environment to develop hard real-time applications.

Keysight M3601A Hard Virtual Instrument (HVI) Design Environment Software provides:

• Ultra-fast hard real time execution, processing, and decision making: Execution is hardware-timed and can be as fast as 1 nanosecond, matching very high-performance FPGA-based systems and outperforming any real-time operating system.
• User-friendly flowchart-style programming interface: Keysight M3601A provides an intuitive flowchart-style programming environment that makes HVI programming extremely fast and easy. Using M3601A and its set of built-in instructions (the same instructions available for VIs), the user can program the hardware modules without any knowledge in FPGA technology, VHDL, etc.
• Off-the-shelf intermodule synchronization and data exchange: Each HVI is defined by a group of hardware modules which work perfectly synchronized, without the need of any external trigger or additional external hardware.
  In addition, Keysight modules exchange data and decisions for ultra-fast control algorithms.

• Complete robustness: Execution is performed by hardware, without operating system, and independently of the user PC.
• Seamless integration with Keysight FPGA technology: HVIs can interact with user-defined FPGA functions, making the real-time processing capabilities of HVIs unlimited.
• Seamless integration with Keysight SD1 Programming Libraries: In a complex control or test system, there are still some non- time-critical tasks that can only be performed by a VI, like for example: user interaction, visualization, or processing and decision tasks which are too complex to be implemented by hardware. Therefore, in a real application, the combination of VIs and HVIs is required. This task can be performed seamlessly with Keysight programming tools, for example, the user can have many HVIs and can control them from a VI using instructions like start, stop, pause, etc.

In an HVI, all Keysight modules run in parallel and completely synchronized, executing one flowchart per module. This results in simpler systems without the need of triggers.

Keysight M3602A FPGA Design Environment Software

Keysight FPGA programming technology is managed with Keysight M3602A FPGA Design Environment Software, an intuitive graphical FPGA programming environment.

Some applications require the use of custom on-board real-time processing which might not be covered by the comprehensive off-the-shelf functionalities of standard hardware products. For these applications, Keysight supplies Option FP1 (Enabled FPGA Programming), that provide the capability to program the on-board FPGA.

All Keysight M3201A/M3202A PXIe AWGs and M3100A/M3102A PXIe digitizers can add Option FP1, which provide the same built-in functionalities of their standard counterparts, giving the users more time to focus on their specific functionalities. For example, using Option FP1 on a Keysight M3100A/M3102A PXIe digitizer, the user has all the off-the-shelf functionalities of the hardware (data capture, triggering, etc.), but custom real-time FPGA processing can be added in the data path, between the acquisition and the transmission of data to the computer.

	M3602A

An FPGA programming environment provides the following features:

Keysight M3602A is a complete FPGA programming environment that allows the user to customize Keysight M3201A/M3202A PXIe AWGs and M3100A/M3102A PXIe digitizers with Option FP1. Keysight M3602A provides the necessary tools to design, compile, and program the FPGA of the module.

User-friendly graphical FPGA programming environment:

• Complete platform, from design to FPGA programming: Keysight M3602A provides the necessary tools to design, compile, and program the FPGA of the module.

5x faster project development

Graphical environment without performance penalty

• FPGA know-how requirement minimized: The graphical environment provides a tool which does not require an extensive know-how in FPGA technology, improving the learning curve.

Streamlined design process:

• Ready-to-use Keysight Block Library: M3602A provides a continuously-growing library of blocks which reduces the need for custom FPGA-code development.
• Include VHDL, Verilog, or Xilinx VIVADO/ISE projects: Experienced FPGA users can squeeze the power of the onboard FPGA.

Include MATLAB/Simulink

Projects: MATLAB/Simulinkin conjunction with Xilinx

System Generator for DSP provides a powerful tool to implement digital signal processing. The user can go from the design/simulation power of MATLAB/Simulink to M3602A code in just a few clicks.

• Include Xilinx CORE Generator IP cores: Xilinx CORE Generator can be launched by M3602A to create IP cores that can be seamlessly included in the design.

Add and remove built-in resources to free up space: The user can remove unused built-in resources to free up more FPGA space.

One-click compiling and programming:

• 3x faster ultra-secure cloud FPGA compiling: An ultra-fast cloud compiling system provides up to 3 times faster compiling. An ultra-secure TLS encrypted communication protects the IP of the user.
• 100x faster hot programming via PCI Express without rebooting: Hardware can be reprogrammed without external cables and without rebooting the system.

Design Process: Customization vs. Complete Design

Keysight FPGA technology allows the user to customize Keysight M3201A/M3202A PXIe AWGs and M3100A/M3102A PXIe digitizers with Option FP1; these products are delivered with all the off-the-shelf functionalities of the standard products, and therefore the development time is dramatically reduced. The user can focus exclusively on expanding the functionality of the standard instrument, instead of developing a complete new one.

In Keysight M3602A, FPGA code is represented as boxes (called blocks) with IO ports. An empty project contains the ”Default Product Blocks” (off-the-shelf functionalities), and the ”Design IO Blocks” that provide the outer interface of the design. The user can add/remove blocks from the Keysight Block Library, External Blocks, or Xilinx IP cores.

FPGA Programming Overview

Keysight M3602A provides up to x3 faster FPGA compiling and hot programming without having to reboot the system.

M3602A Diagram Blocks

M3602A ControlCH Block

This block provides all the control parameters set by the user software using the
Keysight SD1 Programming Libraries.

Parameters

M3602A AWG Block

This block is the Dual Arbitrary Waveform Generator.

Parameters

M3602A FuncGen Block

This block is a function generator with angle modulation capabilities.

Parameters

M3602A ModGain Block

This block has the following functionalities:

• It selects the output waveform between Sine, Triangular, Sawtooth, Square, Partner Channel, or AWG
• It modulates the amplitude and the offset of the signal

Parameters

M3602A DOut Block

This block sends the data directly to the hardware analog output.

Parameters