Technical data

Before You Begin
Before You Begin - Concepts
This section provides background information that you need before you start with
remote programming. It contains the following subjects:
• “Communication Overview” on page 8
• “Connecting to the Serial BERT” on page 9
Communication Overview
Communication with the Serial BERT is based on a host-client protocol. The server
is the Serial BERT itself, the host is the remote client. The host requests the server
to carry out specific actions; the Serial BERT carries out the actions and returns
the results (if a query was sent).
Remote Host jBERT
LAN|GPIB|USB
IVI-COM|SCPI
Pattern Generator
Error Detector
AUX
IN
ERROR
ADD
TRIGGER
OUT
CLK
IN
CLK
OUT OUT
DATA
OUT OUT
DELAY
CTRL IN
ERR OUT TRIG OUT CLK IN
GATE INAUX OUT IN
DATA
IN
Pattern Generator
Data
Error Detector
Data Clock Clock
Amplitude Offset
Data Out
Delay
Amplitude Off set
Decision
Threshold
Data In
Delay
Agilent
Auto
Align
Pattern
Setup
PG/ED
Setup
Jitter
Analysis
Results
OUT
SUB CLK
OUTOUT
P1 P1 P2 P2
N4903A #J20
Figure 1 Serial BERT Remote Communication
The Serial BERT uses either a SCPI interface or an IVI-COM interface for
communicating with the outside world. See “A Typical Serial BERT Program -
Concepts” on page 13 for information on getting started with remote
programming for the Serial BERT.
Depending on the options, your Serial BERT may come with a set of features for
advanced measurements (such as the DUT Output measurement). These advanced
measurements can only be accessed over the LAN interface. See the Measurement
Software Programming Guide for more information on programming the
measurements. In the online Help you find a description of the available options.
1 Programming Basics
8 Agilent J-BERT N4903B High-Performance Serial BERT