From Traditional to Wireless: A timing Synchronization and Triggering Algorithm to construct the distributed automatic testing system

• Published in: 2024 IEEE AUTOTESTCON pp. 1 - 6
• Main Authors: Zhu, Guibing, Tan, Wenqi, Liao, Congyu, Chen, Aijun, Huang, Wuhuang, Lan, Jingchuan
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 26.08.2024
• Subjects: Clocks; Computer architecture; Distributed ATE; GPS/BDS; Multitasking; Protocols; Radio frequency; Schedules; Servers; Software architecture; Synchronization; Timing Synchronization; Wireless communication; Wireless-triggering method
• ISSN: 1558-4550
• DOI: 10.1109/AUTOTESTCON47465.2024.10697499

The increasing complexity of test tasks underscores the practical importance of constructing distributed auto-test systems (ATS/ATE) capable of combined tests, data processing, and data analysis. However, in various test scenarios, conventional ATE/ATS struggle to overcome the limitations of wired data transmission. Crucially, wireless transmission must provide external reference clocks and trigger sources on par with conventional wired test terminals. Ensuring the time synchronization accuracy of these reference clocks and trigger sources is a primary concern. To address these challenges, we propose building an automatic test cloud platform with multiple distributed ATE/ATS systems capable of conducting joint test tasks across various scenarios. In our platform, we design the architecture spanning from diverse test terminals to a cloud server and develop software architecture for an intermediate server that allows users to schedule test resources and create tasks flexibly on the upper layer. Specifically, to better align with the communication characteristics of ATE, we enable bidirectional communication compatible with multiple wireless protocols. We define the concept of synchronized reference clocks and trigger sources for multiple test terminals based on wireless transmission. Leveraging commercial sub-GHz RF antennas, our system wirelessly distributes trigger signals to multiple testing terminals simultaneously. Utilizing the Clock-Synchronization and Calibration Algorithm (CSCA), our solution enables distributed terminals to promptly respond to test instructions, and execute system-level tasks accurately. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate that using the proposed timing error correction algorithm, the timing synchronization error is less than 100ns. Moreover, the wireless trigger error transmitted by terminals reaches the millisecond level. Through multi-scenario experiments in real environments, we showcase the potential of the established test cloud platform to integrate wireless technologies into the conventional automatic test field.