2006 Press Releases-09

Tokyo, Japan - March 2, 2006


Yokogawa Announces Release of DL7400 Series FlexRay Signal Analyzers,
First to Perform both FlexRay Protocol Analysis and Waveform Observation

Yokogawa Electric Corporation announces that it has developed the DL7400 Series FlexRay Signal Analyzers and will release these products to the market on March 3. The FlexRay Signal Analyzer allows users to simultaneously perform both protocol analyses and waveform observations for FlexRay*, an in-vehicle control network that is expected to come into wide use. This analyzer is the first measuring instrument in this industry to integrate both functions.

With products such as the FlexRay Signal Analyzer, Yokogawa aims to offer enhanced measuring instrument solutions to the automobile-related markets and thereby give a boost to its communication and measurement business.

* FlexRay
One of the protocols for automobile control networks (in-vehicle LAN). A FlexRay network can transmit and receive data ten times (10 megabits/sec) faster than a conventional Controller Area Network (CAN). In addition, it features high levels of reliability in data transmission. The FlexRay Consortium was formed in 2000 by automakers and semiconductor manufacturers to standardize FlexRay. Yokogawa has also been a member of this consortium since 2004.

Development Background
To make vehicles safer and obtain better gas mileage, engines, brakes, and other automotive components are now controlled electronically. As a result an increasing number of electronic control units (ECU) are being connected to in-vehicle LANs and the amount of data traffic is increasing rapidly. For this reason, automakers and automotive electronics manufacturers plan to adopt FlexRay, which is highly reliable and capable of high-speed communications, as the next-generation automotive control network.

As the development of FlexRay-compliant products gathers momentum, FlexRay users will have to perform protocol analyses and waveform evaluations on transmitted and received signals more frequently. As measuring instruments have not been available that could perform both functions, users have had to perform them separately and have been obliged to spend enormous amounts of time correlating analysis data with evaluation data. There is therefore a growing user demand for a measuring instrument capable of handling both protocol analyses and waveform evaluations. Such an instrument would also more efficiently evaluate the performance and verify the operation of onboard semiconductor devices and ECUs.

Product Features
1. Analysis of communication protocols and observation of electric signal waveforms with just one analyzer
A FlexRay protocol analyzer and a digital oscilloscope have been integrated into one unit for the first time. Consequently, it is now possible to correlate protocol data analysis results with signal waveforms and show them on the same screen. This feature will dramatically increase the efficiency of performance evaluation and operational verification for the development of FlexRay-compliant products.

2. Powerful trigger function (signal capture conditions)
The DL7400 series comes with a function that allows a trigger to be set at a point on a FlexRay signal alone or in combination with other signal types, as well as when a communication failure occurs. With this feature, it is possible to reliably capture the desired signals. As a result, users can dramatically reduce the amount of time spent on troubleshooting and cause analysis.

3. CAN trigger and protocol analysis functions (optional)
The DL7400 series has an optional feature that can perform protocol analyses and signal waveform display for data transmitted and received under the CAN standard, which is widely used with in-vehicle LANs. This feature eliminates the need for users to procure both FlexRay- and CAN-compliant measuring instruments, enabling them to cut equipment installation costs significantly.

Major Target Markets
Manufacturers of automobiles, automotive electronics, automobile-related semiconductor devices, etc.

Applications
Performance evaluation, operational verification, and troubleshooting relating to the development of automobiles, automotive electronics, and automobile-related semiconductor devices

For more information: Click here