Rohde & Schwarz promotes the development of the LXI standard

The world’s first LXI-validated spectrum analyzers

München, Mar 30, 2006 - At the latest Plug Fest of the LXI Consortium in February 2006, the tests performed on the R&S FSL and R&S FSQ spectrum analyzers were successful. Owing to their identical design, all instruments of the R&S FSx family meet the class C specifications defined in the LXI standard. But Rohde & Schwarz not only provides suitable instruments. As a member of the Board of Directors of the LXI Consortium, the company also promotes the development of the standard. The Munich electronics specialist will host the next Plug Fest at the end of April, which will be held for the first time outside the USA.

LAN eXtensions for Instrumentation (LXI) combines LAN technology with tried-and-tested standards such as TCP/IP, UDP, web browser and interchangeable virtual instrumentation (IVI) drivers. Rohde & Schwarz has been using LAN interfaces in its measuring instruments for a long time. The expert in radiocommunications and T&M supports the open LXI standard because it simplifies the integration of modular test systems. LXI-compatible instruments are especially suitable for use in the aerospace, defense and telecommunications sectors.

The LXI class C specification defines a uniform, interoperable LAN implementation. Since the LAN standard is downward compatible with previous versions, it protects existing investments. Furthermore, systems distributed via LAN can be implemented with a virtually unlimited number of users.

Equipped with an integrated web server, LXI instruments can be easily configured via a uniform web browser interface. They are programmed by means of standardized IVI drivers whose interoperability allows uniform driving of the instruments. Measurement instruments can thus be integrated in test systems more easily and are easily exchangeable.

The Precision Timing Protocol of the IEEE1588 standard ensures that LXI-validated instruments in accordance with class B also offer highly precise time synchronization between the individual distributed modules. In addition to class B and C functions, LXI instruments of class A come with an eight-channel hardware trigger interface, which allows instruments to be connected either in a bus or star configuration.

Rohde & Schwarz has been a strategic member of the LXI Consortium since November 2004 and is represented on the Consortium's Board of Directors together with seven other companies. Rohde & Schwarz will fully support LXI also in the future.

For more information on LXI, visit www.lxistandard.org.

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