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Real-Time Processing Capabilities for PCIe Digitizers

16 May 2014 – Agilent Technologies introduced its next-generation real-time peak detection as one of the additional functionalities for its PCIe high-speed digitizers, starting with the U5303A 12 bit digitizer. Several data processing algorithms can be hosted at the same time in the FPGA, allowing easy and fast switching from one to the other using the high-speed digitizer driver.

“Use of the U5340A FPGA development kit, a powerful FPGA design set of tools, has allowed us to concentrate on the specific, real-time signal processing requirements identified by our customers as key parameters without worrying about making the ‘plumbing’ work,” said Eduardo Garcia, Agilent FPGA firmware design engineer for digitizers. “This has enabled delivery of the peak detection on-board data processing option. It features unique capabilities such as baseline stability, and the self-trigger mode, which allows achieving unequaled synchronous noise reduction.”

These functionalities address very specific needs of OEM customers or research institutes in applications such as high-speed medical imaging, LIDAR laser ranging, environmental monitoring, analytical, and non-destructive testing. Several data processing algorithms can be hosted at the same time in the FPGA, allowing easy and fast switching from one to the other using the high-speed digitizer driver. Furthermore, the data reduction and storage at the digitizer level reduces the data transfer volume by orders of magnitude, and the downstream analysis speed is highly increased.

“The release of the new PCIe platform together with the FPGA development kit last year sets a solid foundation,” said Yves Maumary, project manager for the PCIe digitizers, Agilent. “On it we can build advanced functionalities such as the real-time peak detection while preserving intrinsic raw digitizer performance, such as the ultra-fast re-arm time of less than 500 ns between acquisitions. We are now even faster at responding to customer requirements.”

“Our U5303A high-speed digitizer recently won the EDN 2014 Best in Test award in the category data acquisition,” he added. “I view this as an industry confirmation of delivering real market value.”

The peak detect (PKD option) firmware will shortly be orderable on the U5303A two-channel, 12-bit, high-speed PCIe high-speed digitizer.

www.agilent.com/