Developing Custom Sequences for Indirect Register Operations

Develop custom sequences to perform read and write operations on indirect registers. The device register map template CSV file includes a new parameter IsIndirect in column 18 to define whether a register is indirect. The Semiconductor Device Control Add-On Professional edition for InstrumentStudio provides project templates in Visual Studio for you to develop custom indirect register sequences.

Sharing NI Semiconductor Device Control Sessions with Attach Session Function

Use the attach session function to share an existing device control session across different measurements or processes.

Exposing Initialized Session Options

Use the Get gRPC Session Options API in LabVIEW, Python, or .NET to obtain the gRPC session options of the initialized session. With session options, you can interact with the PXIe-657x through the gRPC device server and enable capabilities including frequency measurement and custom pattern burst.

Sharing NI Semiconductor Device Control Sessions

You can reuse an existing device control session across different measurements or processes.

Communicating with NI Digital Instruments through gRPC Device Server

If you do not have Measurement Plug-Ins, you can communicate with NI digital instruments by calling the gRPC Device Server API.

Loading DIO Pins from Pin Maps

You can load the DIO pins only from the pin maps configured in each of the interface settings. You can choose the access permission setting and the IO type of the pins required for DIO operation. In previous versions of the Semiconductor Device Control Add-On, you can load DIO pins only from the DIO map in .solireg files.

Sharing NI Digital Sessions with gRPC Device Server

In Semiconductor Device Control Add-On, you can share NI digital sessions with the gRPC device server to create Measurement Plug-Ins measurements. You must have a valid license for InstrumentStudio Pro to use this feature.

Device Communication without Register Maps

Perform register operations using the register address on the Quick Debug tab. You can export the register configuration for use in TestStand, LabVIEW, Python, and .NET APIs. API support for performing register operations is also provided in TestStand, LabVIEW, Python, and .NET. The Quick Debug tab also supports controlling and monitoring devices.

Default Values for Protocols

When configuring protocols for PXIe-657x and NI-845x interfaces, the protocol settings are preset with default values for the I2C, I3C, SPI, and MIPI RFFE protocols.

SPI and I2C Protocol Examples in Semiconductor Device Control Add-On Professional for InstrumentStudio

The Semiconductor Device Control Add-On Professional edition provides examples of the SPI and I2C protocol. Using these examples, you can create and deploy a package file to the Semiconductor Device Control Add-On Professional edition using the same workflow as adding a custom protocol. Refer to the Semiconductor Device Control Add-On for InstrumentStudio Examples section for information about accessing examples.

Editing Configuration Files

Edit an exported configuration (.sdconfig file) during run time using the ShowSDConfig Editor() API, which calls the SDConfig Editor, to edit interface and protocol settings, register map path, register mapping, DIO mapping, and script folder location.

In TestStand, you can edit the exported configuration using the Instantiate step.

Importing Configuration Files

Use the Import Setup button to import a .sdconfig file.

Addition of Binaries to Global Assembly Cache (GAC)

Reference the required binaries of the Semiconductor Device Control Add-On directly from the GAC for applications you build, without having to copy the DLL files as a dependency when using Semiconductor Device Control Add-On APIs in applications.

Relative Path Support

Save file paths as relative paths to allow transfer of projects and their dependencies to another location. For files you save in InstrumentStudio, the base directory is the InstrumentStudio directory. For exported configuration files, the base directory is the .sdconfig file directory. Relative path support is only applicable for files parallel to the base directory and nested within folders in the base directory. The maximum file path size is 256 characters.

Custom Interfaces and Protocols Support and Templates

(Professional Edition Only) Use Visual Studio project templates to develop custom interfaces and protocols that you deploy to the Semiconductor Device Control Add-On.

Custom PXIe-657x Protocol Support and Templates

(Professional Edition Only) Use Visual Studio project templates to develop custom protocols to the existing PXIe-657x interface.

MIPI® I3C® Protocol Support

Use I3C protocols with PXIe-657x digital pattern instruments to interact with the DUT, and read and write registers.

Initialized Session ID Exposure

Use the LabVIEW, Python, or .NET API to obtain ID of the initialized session, which is used to interact with the PXIe-657x and enable capabilities including frequency measurement and custom pattern burst.

Pin Map File Sharing

Use a pin map file (.pinmap) derived from the Digital Pattern Editor to select resources when configuring a PXIe-657x interface. The Semiconductor Device Control Add-On and Digital Pattern Editor can use the same pin map file to configure an interface.

dEVM SPI Function Update

Use the new dEVM SPI settings to specify where to end the SPI command.

New Script for the MIPI® RFFE Protocol Patterns

Use the new script to load, configure, and skip burst of the patterns and maintain the ON duration of the MIPI® RFFE protocol.

Instrument Simulation for the PXIe-657x

Use the Simulate setting on the PXIe-657x interface to enable interactions with simulated digital pattern instruments.

Digital Pattern Editor Template for Combined I2C, I3C, and SPI Protocols

Use the combined protocol template in Digital Pattern Editor to merge multiple types of protocols into a cohesive test pattern.

API Updates

NI657x Low-level APIs for SPI, I2C, and I3C protocols—Use low-level APIs in LabVIEW, .NET, and Python to configure settings for SPI, I2C, and I3C operation on the PXIe-657x.

NIDigital APIs—Use NIDigital APIs in LabVIEW, .NET, and Python to configure dynamic settings for a protocol in a specified PXIe-657x interface and get information about the interface.

Get Register Address API—Use the Get Register Address API in LabVIEW, .NET, and Python to get register information from the register map.

Get Field Definition Details API—Use the Get Field Definition Details API in LabVIEW, .NET, and Python to get field definition information.

Get Interface Details API—Use the Get Interface Details API in LabVIEW, .NET, and Python to get information about the names and types of interfaces.

Generate Device Elements API—Use the Generate Device Elements API to import information about registers and fields into Python code for using Microsoft IntelliSense in Python.

RFFE Protocol

Use the Radio Frequency Front End (RFFE) control interface to interact with the DUT and read and write to registers. Use the dEVM capability to repeat actions with the RFFE protocol a finite number of times.

Script Capability

Create and execute scripts to perform repeatable actions on the DUT. You can import a predefined script or create one using the Device Activity log. You can execute scripts via the API or the InstrumentStudio user interface.

dEVM Capability for RFFE and SPI Protocols

Perform Dynamic Error Vector Magnitude (dEVM) measurements on DUTs that use RFFE or SPI hardware protocols with the PXIe-6570 or PXIe-6571. Configure DIO triggers, backplane triggers, and repeat capabilities for dEVM. Run dEVM measurements manually through scripts or automatically through the API.

View Function Specification Diagram

From the Hardware Configuration tab, click SHOW to display the signal interaction with the DUT and some of the configurable settings for each function.