MIL-STD 1553 Eye-diagram

Mask Testing

Application Note

Probing the Differential MIL-STD 1553 Bus

MIL-STD 1553 eye-diagram mask testing is based on
capturing and overlaying all “1” and “0” bits of the
differential bus. The differential bus must be probed using
a differential active probe. Agilent recommends using the
N2791A 25-MHz differential active probe shown in Figure 1.
The attenuation setting on the probe should be set to 10:1
(not 100:1). The output of the probe should be terminated
into the scope’s default 1-MΩ input termination.

Introduction
Eye-diagram mask testing is used in a broad range of
today’s serial bus applications. An eye-diagram is basically
an overlay of all bits captured by the scope to show when
bits are valid and not valid. This provides a composite
picture of the overall quality of a system’s physical layer
characteristics, which includes amplitude variations possibly
due to transmission line affects, reflections, system noise,
over-shoot, ringing, signal edge timing, and jitter.

Eye-diagram mask testing can be performed on differential

MIL-STD 1553 signals using an Agilent 3000 X-Series
oscilloscope licensed with the DSOX3AERO triggering and
decode option (MIL-STD 1553 & ARINC 429), along with
the DSOX3MASK mask test option. Various MIL-STD 1553
mask files can be downloaded from Agilent’s website at
no charge. Save the appropriate MIL-STD 1553 mask files
to your personal USB memory stick and then insert the
memory stick into the scope’s front-panel USB port. The
following MIL-STD 1553 mask files are available:

• System xfmr-coupled Input Mask – 3000X.msk

• BC xfmr-coupled Input Mask – 3000X.msk
• RT xfmr-coupled Input Mask – 3000X.msk
Figure 1: Agilent’s N2791A 25-MHz differential active probe.
• System direct-coupled Input Mask – 3000X.msk
• BC direct-coupled Input Mask – 3000X.msk
• RT direct-coupled Input Mask – 3000X.msk
Executing an Eye-diagram Mask Test scaling is initially set to 1.0 V/div, if the signals received at
the input test points exhibit marginal peak-to-peak voltage
To perform a MIL-STD 1553 eye-diagram mask test, do the swings, you can rescale the V/div setting for increased
following: vertical resolution.
1. Press the [Default Setup] front panel key.
Figure 2 shows an example of eye-diagram mask test after
2. Turn on the channel that the differential probe is
recalling the “System xmfr-coupled Input Mask – 3000X.msk”
connected to; turn off all other channels.
file. The scope repetitively captures and overlays all 17
3. Press the [Save/Recall] front panel key; then Manchester-encoded bits of every Data Word received and
press the Recall softkey. transmitted at the input test points of a specific Remote
Terminal (RT) or Bus Controller (BC).
4. Press the Recall: XXXX softkey; then select
Mask as the type of file to recall.
The diamond-shaped polygon mask limits are based on the
5. Press the Location (or Press to go, or Load from) zero-crossing-distortion input specification of ± 150 ns (300
softkey; then navigate to the appropriate MIL- ns between mask regions), and the minimum voltage swing
STD 1553 mask file. input specification of 860 mVpp for transformer-coupled
6. Press the Press to Recall softkey (or press systems or 1.2 Vpp for direct-coupled systems (MIL-STD
the entry knob) to begin an eye-diagram mask 1553b Specification, paragraph 4.5.2.1.2.1 and paragraph
test sequence. 4.5.2.2.2.1).

When the mask file is recalled, in addition to recalling

the pass/fail limit mask, the scope will automatically be
configured in the follow state:
• Input termination: 1-MΩ
• Probe attenuation: 10:1
• Vertical scaling: 1.00 V/div
• Horizontal scaling: 125 ns/div
• Upper threshold level: +333 mV
• Lower threshold level: -333 mV
• Triggering: All Data Words, or All Command Words
Figure 2: MIL-STD 1553 eye-diagram mask test on all Data Words.
with transmit bit set, or All Status Words (depends on
specific mask file recalled)
• Noise reject: Off
Since the MIL-STD 1553 serial bus is based on Manchester
• BW limit (20 MHz): Off bi-phase encoded data transmission, there are actually
two “eyes” and two separate masks for each bit as shown
To exit an ARINC 429 mask test, either turn off mask testing in Figure 2. With this type of data encoding, signal edge
or press Clear Mask in the scope’s [Analyze] menu. transitions should occur near the mid-point of each bit field
for bit times 4 through 20. We should never see a signal
System Input Mask Test remain high or remain low extending across this pair of
half-bit masks. Since the 3-bit synchronization field does not
When you recall a “System Input Mask Test”, the scope adhere to Manchester encoding, these particular bits of each
will establish triggering on all Data Words, including both word are not tested.
transmitted and received. However, the scope’s vertical
scaling will be set to primarily test just received/input Data
Words (lower amplitude words). Command and Status Words
are excluded from the test. Although the default vertical

2
RT Input Mask Test BC Input Mask Test

An “RT Input Mask Test” will perform an eye-diagram mask A “BC Input Mask Test” will perform an eye-diagram
test on all Command Words received at a Remote Terminal mask test on all Status Words received at a Bus Controller
(differential probing point) with the transmit bit (bit #9) set (differential probing point) with all status bits set to “0”. An
high. An example of this test is shown in Figure 3. example of this test is shown in Figure 4.

Figure 3: MIL-STD 1553 eye-diagram mask test on Command

Words received at a specific remote terminal. Figure 4: MIL-STD 1553 eye-diagram mask test on Status Words
received at the Bus Controller.
To test only Command Words with a specific RTA, you can
press the [Trigger] front panel key and then change the
RTA from all “don’t cares” to the desired RTA. If you want To test only Status Words received from a specific Remote
to test both transmit and receive Command Words, then Terminal, you can press the [Trigger] front panel key and
you can change bit #9 to “don’t care” (X), but then you will then enter a specific RTA. Again, if you customize the
also need to enter all or part of a specific sub-address in triggering condition, remember to Clear Persistence in
bit times #10 through #14. Otherwise the scope will also the [Display] menu, and Reset Statistics in the mask test
trigger on and capture Status Words. [Analyze] menu.

After customizing the triggering condition, you should Reset To exit the MIL-STD 1553 eye-diagram mask sequence test,
Statistics in the mask test [Analyze] menu, and also Clear either turn off mask testing, or press Clear Mask in the
Persistence in the [Display] menu. To exit the MIL-STD [Analyze] menu.
1553 eye-diagram mask sequence test, either turn off mask
testing, or press Clear Mask in the [Analyze] menu. System Requirements

In the eye-diagram mask test shown in Figure 3, note the In addition to requiring the Agilent N2791A differential
shifted bit with a slow rising edge that crosses through the active probe (or equivalent) to probe the differential bus,
first diamond-shaped mask region. Uncovering this type of performing MIL-STD 1553 eye-diagram mask tests requires
timing problem would be very difficult to detect without this that your Agilent 3000 X-Series oscilloscope be licensed
eye-diagram mask test. with the DSOX3AERO serial trigger and decode option
(MIL-STD 1553 & ARINC 429), as well as the DSOX3MASK
mask test option. In addition, your Agilent 3000 X-Series
scope must be running on firmware version 2.0 or later.

3
Related Literature
Publication title Publication type Publication number
Agilent InfiniiVision 3000 X-Series Oscilloscopes Data sheet 5990-6619EN
Serial Bus Applications for InfiniiVision 3000 X-Series Oscilloscopes Data sheet 5990-6677EN
Mask/Waveform Limit Testing for Agilent InfiniiVision Series Data sheet 5990-3269EN
Oscilloscopes
Agilent N2791A 25-MHz Differential Active Probe Data sheet 5990-3780EN
Oscilloscopes in Aerospace/Defense – Debugging MIL-STD 1553 serial Application note 5990-9167EN
buses
Evaluating Oscilloscope Mask Testing for Six Sigma Quality Standards Application note 5990-3200EN

To download these documents, insert the publication number in the URL:

http://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/xxxx-xxxxEN.pdf

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© Agilent Technologies, Inc. 2011

Published in USA, October 16, 2011
5990-9324EN