Increasing demand for high-capacity data transmission within devices
I3C and 100BASE-T1 communication methods attract attention
Prodigy Offers New Protocol Verification Analyzer


With the development of AI technology, the adoption of intelligent systems that collect and analyze data on their own and work on tasks is increasing in various fields. In order for intelligent systems to make correct decisions, they need a lot of data to serve as the basis for decisions. Since the environment surrounding the system is ambiguous and uncertain, the role of sensors that measure various physical properties is increasing.

Sensors are evolving to collect as much data as possible accurately. For example, modern image sensors collect high-resolution visual data at the 4K level in real time. The amount of data generated by other sensors is also increasing day by day. In order to quickly and safely transmit large-capacity sensor data, an interface that supports it is required.

The MIPI Alliance announced the I3C standard in 2016 to overcome the limitations of existing I2C and SPI communication methods. The I3C communication method is considered to be suitable for mobile and IoT devices with limited board space.

The demand for high-capacity, high-speed data transmission is also increasing in automobiles that are transforming from moving machines into electronic products. The existing CAN/LIN communication method is struggling to transmit the amount of data required by today's advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems at high speed. To address this, the IEEE 802.3 working group established the '100BASE-T1' Ethernet PHY standard for automotive in 2015.

The importance of I3C and 100BASE-T1 communication methods is expected to increase in the future IoT, mobile, and connected car fields. Now, developers in these fields must be familiar with design and analysis methodologies for new communication methods.

Tamsystec, which develops automation software for high-speed serial interface test and inspection systems, is the domestic partner of Prodigy, a protocol analysis solution specialist, and supplies UFS, eMMC/SD, I2C/I3C, and MIPI protocol analyzers.

We asked Jong-Ho Lee, Development Team Leader at Tamsystec, about the importance of the I3C and 100BASE-T1 standards and how to utilize Prodigy's 'PGY-I3C-EX-PD I3C Protocol Analyzer' and 'PGY-100BASE-T1-PA Automotive Ethernet Protocol Analyzer'.



Q. What are the limitations of I2C and SPI communication methods in the latest mobile and IoT devices?

A. The I2C method only allows signal transmission up to 3Mbps, which limits signal transmission for the latest sensors. It also requires separate interrupt signal connections from the clock and data signals. SPI can transmit data at high speeds of up to 60 Mbps, but because it is a 4-wire communication method, it requires more pins and pattern connections than I2C. Therefore, as the number of sensors increases, there are limitations in applying it to mobile products with a small area.



Q. How did the I3C method overcome the limitations of the I2C and SPI methods?

A. I3C can transmit high-speed signals up to 33Mbps. It can be configured as a two-wire clock and data, and supports hot join and dynamic address allocation. Since it supports in-band interrupt (IBI), there is no need to connect a separate signal to generate an interrupt. It is compatible with I2C devices that are already widely used, and I2C devices and I3C devices can operate together on the I3C bus.



Q. What are the things that must be understood when verifying an I3C-based design?

A. It is necessary to verify the newly added features of I3C mentioned above, such as dynamic address allocation and in-band interrupt operation. When I2C and I3C devices are connected to the bus at the same time, normal operation of each device is also a major test point.



Q. What are the strengths of the Prodigy PGY-I3C-EX-PD I3C protocol analyzer?

A. The PGY-I3C-EX-PD analyzer not only monitors the protocol of the I3C bus, but also generates I2C and I3C traffic with error injection by configuring a system of one master and three slaves. It supports hot join and IBI, enabling performance verification and error correction of I3C-based products.

Selective measurement and debugging of specific traffic is also possible using multilayer triggers. The measured data is streamed in real time to the host PC storage device, allowing the system operation status to be checked over a long period of time without any traffic volume or time restrictions.



Q. What types of errors can the PGY-I3C-EX-PD analyzer insert?

A. Basically, errors of type S0~S5 according to the I3C standard can occur. In addition, CRC errors, preamble errors, ACK/NACK errors, etc. are possible.



Q. What is the multilayer protocol trigger function?

A. Analyzer users can set specific data from layers 2 to 7 of the OSI-7 layer as trigger conditions. Multilayer protocol trigger is a function that allows for effective triggering and analysis of specific events of specific devices.



Q. 100BASE-T1 is an Ethernet standard developed for automobiles. What advantages does it have compared to existing standards such as 100BASE-TX?

A. 100BASE-TX is based on a 4-wire communication method, so it does not meet the strict EMI emission standards for vehicles. On the other hand, 100BASE-T1 is based on a 2-wire communication method, so the cable weight can be reduced. Therefore, not only can additional space be secured inside the vehicle, but fuel efficiency can also be improved. In addition, 100BASE-T1's 4B3B encoding and PAM3 modulation method can increase spectral efficiency, which can reduce EMI emissions. Based on these characteristics, it satisfies the requirements of vehicle networks.



Q. What are the strengths of the Prodigy PGY-100BASE-T1-PA Ethernet Protocol Analyzer?

A. The greatest strength is the passive TAP method. This is the method first applied by Prodigy, and it enables signal measurement without delay without interfering with the operation of the 100BASE-T1 bus. The measurement data is streamed in real time to the host PC, so it can be used for long-term measurements such as environmental tests. It also enables precise measurement of specific events with the multilayer protocol trigger. It also provides functions such as MDIO/MDC measurement and FCS error reporting.



Q. Please explain what support measures Tamsystec provides to companies or developers who want to utilize the two analyzers.

A. I3C and 100BASE-T1 are communication standards that have only recently begun to receive attention. Therefore, the test methods and procedures may be unfamiliar, and easier and more effective test equipment is needed. As the Korean distributor of Prodigy, Tamsystec strives to provide the best solutions and technical support to satisfy customers’ requirements.