Agilent Technologies L4400 User Manual

Agilent L4400 Series

LXI Class C Instruments

User’s Guide

Agilent Technologies

Notices

CAUTION

WARNING

No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any means (including electronic storage and retrieval or transla tion into a foreign language) without prior agreement and written consent from Agi lent Technologies, Inc. as governed by United States and international copyright laws.

Manual Part Number

34989-90000

Edition

Fourth Edition. Sept. 2012

Printed in Malaysia Agilent Technologies, Inc.

5301 Stevens Creek Blvd. Santa Clara, CA 95052 USA

Warranty

The material contained in this document is provided “as is,” and is

subject to being changed, without notice, in future editions. Further,

to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Agilent dis claims all warranties, either express or implied, with regard to this manual and any information contained herein, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Agilent shall not be liable for errors or for inci dental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, use, or performance of this docu ment or of any information contained herein. Should Agilent and the user have a separate written agreement with warranty terms covering the material in this docu ment that conflict with these terms, the warranty terms in the separate agreement shall control.

Technology Licenses

The hardware and/or software described in this document are furnished under a license and may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of such license.

than Limited Rights as defined in F A R

52.227-14 (June 1987) or DFAR

252.227-7015 (b)(2) (November 1995), as applicable in any technical data

Safety Notices

A CAUTION notice denotes a hazard. It calls attention to an operating procedure or practice that, if not correctly performed or adhered to, could result in damage to the product or loss of important data. Do not proceed beyond a CAUTION notice until the

indicated conditions are fully understood and met.

A WARNING notice denotes a hazard. It calls attention to an operating

procedure or practice, that, if not correctly performed or adhered to, could result in personal injury or death. Do not proceed beyond a WARNING notice until the indicated conditions are fully understood and met.

Restricted Rights Legend

If software is for use in the performance of a U.S. Government prime contract or subcontract, Software is delivered and licensed as “Commercial computer soft ware” as defined in DFAR 252.227-7014 (June 1995), or as a “commercial item” as defined in FAR 2.101(a) or as “Restricted computer software” as defined in F AR 52.227-19 (June 1987) or any equivalent agency regulation or con tract clause. Use, duplication or disclosure of Software is subject to Agilent Technologies’ standard commercial license terms, and non-DOD Depart ments and Agencies of the U.S. Government will receive no greater than Restricted Rights as defined in FAR

52.227-19(c)(1-2) (June 1987). U.S. Government users will receive no greater

Additional Safety Notices

Alternating current

Frame or chassis terminal

Standby supply. Uni t is not completely disconnected from ac mains when switch is off

Caution, risk of electric shock

Caution, refer to accompanying

If you have questions about your shipment, or if you need information about warranty, service, or technical support, contact Agilent Technologies:

In the United States: (800) 829-4444 In Europe: 31 20 547 2111 In Japan: 0120-421-345

Or go to ww.agilent.com/find/assist for information on contacting Agilent in your country of specific location. You can also contact your Agilent Technologies Representative.

The following general safety precautions must be observed during all phases of operation of this instrument. Failure to comply with these precautions or with specific warnings or instructions elsewhere in this manual violates safety standards of design, manufacture, and intended use of the instrument. Technologies assumes no liability of the customer’s failure to comply with the requirements.

Agilent

General

Do not use this products in any manner not specified by the manufacturer. The protective features of this product may be impaired if it is used in a manner not specified in the operation instructions.

Before Applying Power

Verify that all safety precautions are taken. Make all connections to the unit before applying power.

Ground the Instrument

Do Not Modify the Instrument

Do not install substitute parts or perform any unauthorized modification to the product. Return the product to an Agilent Sales and Service Office for service and repair to ensure that safety features are maintained.

In Case of Damage

Instruments that appear damaged or defective should be made inoperative and secured against unintended operation until they can be repaired by qualified service personnel.

Safety Symbols

This product is provided with protective earth terminals. To minimize shock hazard, the instrument must be connected to the ac power mains through a grounded power cable, with the ground wire firmly connected to an electrical ground (safety ground) at the power outlet. Any interruption of the protective (grounding) conductor or tive earth terminal wi shock hazard that could result in personal injury.

disconnection of the protec-

ll cause a potential

Do Not Operate in an Explosive Atmosphere

Do not operate the instrument in the presence of flammable gases or fumes.

Do Not Remove the Instrument Cover

Only qualified, service-trained personal who are aware of the hazards involved should remove instrument covers. Always disconnect the power cable and any external circuits before removing the instrument cover.

Declaration of Conformity

Declarations of Conformity for this product and for other Agilent products may be downloaded from the Internet. There are two methods to obtain the Declaration of Conformity:

• Go to http://regulations.corporate.agilent.com/DoC/search.htm . You can then search by product number to

find the latest Declaration of Conformity.

• Alternately, you can go to the product web page (www.agilent.com/find/L4400), click on the Document

Library tab then scroll down until you find the Declaration of Conformity link.

iii

1 Introduction to the L4400 Series LXI Instruments

2 Software Installation and Configuration

Instrument Considerations 2

Environmental Operating Conditions 2 Electrical Operating Conditions 3

Interconnection Solutions Overview 4

Bench-Top Operation and Instrument Rack Mounting 5

Bench-Top Operation 5 Rack Mounting 5 Procedure 6

Applying Power 11

Connecting the Power Cord and Turning On the Instrument 11

Installing the Agilent IO Libraries and L4400 Instrument Drivers 14

Installing the Agilent IO Libraries 14 Installing the L4400 Instrument Drivers 15

Configuring the L4400 Instruments 17

Selecting a LAN Network 17 Connecting the LAN Cables 18 IP Addresses and Host Names 20 Configuring the LAN Interface 21 Identifying the Instruments 27 Using the Instrument Web Interface 28 LAN Configuration Command Summary 32

GPIB Configuration 33

Firmware Updates 39

Downloading the Update Utility and Firmware 39

Instrument Power-On and Default LAN Configuration States 45

LAN Reset (Default) Configuration 45

L4400 User’s Guide v

3 Operating and Programming

L4400 Instrument Front Panel Overview 48

The LAN Reset Button 48 The Front Panel LEDs 48

L4400 Instrument Rear Panel Overview 50

L4400 Series Channel Addressing Scheme 52

Introduction to the SCPI Command Language 52

Syntax Conventions 53 Command Separators 54 Using the MIN and MAX Parameters 54 Querying Parameter Settings 54 Specifying Channel Lists and Scan Lists 55

L4400 SCPI Command Summary 55

L4400 Series Programming Examples 59

Modifying IVI-COM Examples (.NET) 59 Modifying IVI-C Examples 61 Modifying VISA and VISA COM Examples 62 Using L4400 Instruments in Agilent 34980A Applications 64

Analog Bus Applications 65

Environmental Operating Conditions 66 Electrical Operating Conditions 66 Safety Interlock 67

User-Defined Channel Labels 68

Scanning Applications 69

Rules for Scanning 69 Creating the Scan List 71 Trigger Count 75 Sweep Count 76 Channel Delay 77 Reading Format 79 Non-Sequential Scanning 79 Monitor Mode 80

Scanning with External Instruments 81

Alarm Limits 84

Viewing Stored Alarm Data 87 Using the Alarm Output Lines 88

vi L4400 User’s Guide

Using Sequences 89

Defining a Sequence 90 Querying the Sequence Definition 93 Executing a Sequence 93 Executing a Sequence on an Alarm Condition 94 Deleting Sequences 95 Reading the List of Stored Sequences 95

Instrument State Storage 96

Error Conditions 97

Relay Cycle Count 98

Calibration Overview 98

4 L4421A 40-Channel Armature Multiplexer

Low Frequency Multiplexer Switch Instrument 100

L4421A Measurement Functions 100

L4421A SCPI Command Summary 101

L4421A Example Program Segments 103

L4421A 40-Channel Armature Multiplexer Hardware Description 104

L4421A Simplified Schematic 106 L4421A D-Sub Connectors 107 34921T Terminal Block 108

5 L4433A Dual/Quad 4x8 Reed Matrix

Matrix Switch Instrument 112

L4433A SCPI Command Summary 113

L4433A Example Program Segments 114

Linking Multiple L4433A Instruments 116

L4433A Dual/Quad 4x8 Reed Matrix Hardware Description 118

L4433A Simplified Schematic for Two-Wire Mode 120 L4433A D-Sub Connectors for Two-Wire Mode 121 34933T-001 Terminal Block for Two-Wire Mode 122 L4433A Simplified Schematic for One-Wire Mode 124 L4433A D-Sub Connectors for One-Wire Mode 125 34933T-002 Terminal Block for One-Wire Mode 126

L4400 User’s Guide vii

6 L4437A General Purpose Switch

General Purpose Switch Instrument 128

L4437A SCPI Command Summary 130

L4437A Example Program Segments 131

L4437A 32-Channel General Purpose Switch Hardware Description 132

L4437A Simplified Schematic 132 L4437A D-Sub Connectors 133 34937T Terminal Block 134

7 L4445A Microwave Switch/Attenuator Driver

L4445A SCPI Command Summary 136

L4445A Microwave Switch/Attenuator Driver 138

Recommended Switches and Attenuators 141 Power Supplies 142 Channel Numbering 143 Simple Switch Control 144 Remote Module Identifiers 145 Drive Modes 145 Using Single Drive Switches and Attenuators 146 Using Dual Drive Switches and Attenuators 147 Using Pulse Drive 148 Long Execution Times 149 Verifying Switch State 149 LED Drive 151 Default and Reset States 152 Y1150A 155 Y1151A 159 Y1152A 164 Y1153A 169 Y1154A 174 Y1155A 179 Mounting the Remote Modules 187 SCPI Programming Examples 188

viii L4400 User’s Guide

8 L4450A 64-Bit Digital I/O with Memory and Counter

L4450A SCPI Command Summary 192

L4450A 64-Bit Digital I/O with Memory and Counter 199

Basic Digital I/O Operations 200 Handshaking 203 Buffered I/O Operations 210 Interrupt Lines 213 Byte Ordering 214 Pattern Matching 215 Counter 216 Initiated Measurement Mode 217 Clock 218 L4450A D-Sub Connectors 218 34950T Terminal Block 221

9 L4451A 4-Channel Isolated D/A Converter with Waveform Memory

L4451A 4-Channel Isolated D/A Converter with Waveform Memory 224

L4451A SCPI Command Summary 226

L4451A Example Program Segments 228

L4451A Simplified Block Diagrams 231 L4451A D-Sub Connector Pinout 232 34951T Terminal Block 233

10 L4452A Multifunction Module with DIO, D/A, and Totalizer

L4452A Multifunction Module 236

Digital Input/Output 236 Totalizer Input 236 Analog Output (DAC) 236

L4452A SCPI Command Summary 237

L4452A Example Program Segments 241

L4452A Simplified Block Diagram 243 L4452A D-Sub Connector 244 34952T Terminal Block 245

L4400 User’s Guide ix

A L4451A and L4452A Calibration Procedures

Calibration Procedures 248

Agilent Technologies Calibration Services 248 Calibration Interval 248 Time Required for Calibration 249 Automating Calibration Procedures 249 Recommended Test Equipment 249 Calibration Security 250 Calibration Message 251 Calibration Count 251 Calibration Process 252 Aborting a Calibration in Progress 252

Performance Verification Tests 253

L4451A and L4452A Performance Test Considerations 253 L4451A 4-Channel Isolated DAC Module 253 L4452A Multifunction Module 261

x L4400 User’s Guide

Agilent L4400 LXI Class C Instruments User’s Guide

Introduction to the L4400 Series 

LXI Instruments

Instrument Considerations 2 Interconnection Solutions Overview 4 Bench-Top Operation and Instrument Rack Mounting 5 Applying Power 11

Welcome. The products covered in this user’s guide represent the Agilent L4400 Series of LXI Class C instruments. LXI, an acronym for LAN eXtensions for Instrumentation, is an instrumentation standard for devices that use the Ethernet (LAN) as their primary communications interface.

The L4400 series family of instruments provide switching and multifunction test capabilites for design verification, automated test, and data acquisition applications. The instruments include:

• L4421A 40- Channel Armature Multiplexer Module

• L4433A Dual/Quad 4x8 Reed Matrix Module

• L4437A 32- Channel General Purpose Switch Module

• L4445A Microwave Switch/Attenuator Driver Module

• L4450A 64- Bit Digital I/O Module with Memory and Counter

• L4451A 4- Channel Isolated D/A Converter w/ Waveform Memory

Module

• L4452A Multifunction Module

This chapter contains general information on instrument environmental and electrical operating conditions, instrument interconnections, and rack mounting instructions. The chapter also contains information on applying power.

Agilent Technologies

1 Introduction to the L4400 Series LXI Instruments

Instrument Considerations

This section lists important items and actions that can affect the operation of your modules.

Environmental Operating Conditions

The L4400 Series LXI modules are designed to operate in a temperature range of 0 °C to +55 °C with non- condensing humidity. The maximum hu

midity is 80% at 40 °C or higher. Do not use in locations where

conductive dust or electrolytic salt dust may be present.

The modules should be operated in an indoor environment where

emperature and humidity are controlled. Condensation can pose a

t potential shock hazard. Condensation can occur when the modules are moved from a cold to a warm environment, or if the temperature and/or humidity of the environment changes quickly.

The following table shows maximum voltage ratings for each module. If conditions change, ensure that condensation has evaporated and the

ument has thermally stabilized until pollution degree 1 conditions

instr are restored before turning on power to the equipment.

Table 1-1. L4400 Series LXI Instrument Voltage Ratings.

Instrument

L4421A 40 channels, 300V rms or DC, 1A, 

L4433A Dual/quad 4x8 matrix, 150 Vpeak,

L4437A

L4445A See Chapter 7 - L4445A See Chapter 7 - L4445A L4450A 64 channels, 5V, 30 mA Max 64 channels, 5v, 30 mA Max L4451A 4 channels 16V, 20 mA 4 channels, 16V, 20 mA L4452A 32 DIO channels, 42V, 400 mA,

Pollution Degree 1 Specific ations Pollution Degree 2 Specifications

40 channels, 100V rms or DC, 1A, 

60 VA/channel

0.5A, 10 28 channels, 300 V rms or DC, 1A,

60 4 channels, 250 V rms or 30 VDC, 5A, 150 VA per channel

2 channel DAC, 12V, 10 mA

VA/chann el

VA per channel

60 VA/channel Dual/quad 4x8 matrix, 100 Vpeak, 

.5 A, 10 VA per channel

0 28 channels, 100 V rms or DC, 1A,

60 VA per channel 4 channels, 100 V rms or 30 VDC,  5A, 150 VA per channel

32 DIO channels, 42V, 400 mA, 2 channel DAC, 12V, 10 mA

2 L4400 User’s Guide

Pollution Degree 1: No pollution or only dry, non-conductive

NOTE

WARNING

CAUTION

pollution occurs. The pollution has no influence (on insulation) (IEC 61010-1 2nd Edition).

Pollution Degree 2: Normally only non-conductive pollution occurs. Occasionally, a temporary conductivity (leakage current between isolated conductors) caused by condensation can be expected (IEC 61010-1 2nd Edition).

Electrical Operating Conditions

To avoid electric shock, turn off the L4400 instrument and disconnect or de-energize all field wiring to the instrument and to the analog bus connector (if present) before removing any terminal block covers.

Introduction to the L4400 Series LXI Instruments 1

Transients

The L4421A, L4433A, and L4437A modules are designed to safely withstand occasional transient overvoltages up to 1000 Vpeak. Typically, these transient overvoltages result from switching inductive loads or from nearby lightning strikes. The lightning- caused transient overvoltages that may occasionally occur on mains power outlets may be as high as 2500 Vpeak.

The L4445A, L4450A, L4451A, and L4452A modules are intended for only

w- voltage applications, and should not be connected to circuits that

lo may generate or conduct large transient voltages.

High Energy Sources

These instruments are designed to handle inputs up to their rated currents or their rated powers, whichever is less. Under certain fault conditions, high energy sources could provide substantially more current or power than a module can handle. It is important to provide external current limiting, such as fuses, if the instrument inputs are connected to high- energy sources.

Install current limiting devices between high energy sources and the module inputs.

L4400 User’s Guide 3

1 Introduction to the L4400 Series LXI Instruments

Interconnection Solutions Overview

Depending on your specific requirements, you can connect your DUT  to the L4400 LXI instrument using the following optional interconnection solutions. See the L4400 series Product Data Sheets for additional information. The data sheets can be located on the Web at:

www.agilent.com/find/L4400

Ter mi na l B lo ck s Detachable terminal blocks are available for most of the L4400 series instruments and offer a flexible method for connecting external wiring (300V rated). Each terminal block is customized for a specific module.

Ordering Information: 349xxT(e.g., 34921T, 34937T, etc.)

Shielded Cables Standard cables are available for 50- pin D- sub and  78- pin D- sub connectors. Depending on the module and your specific requirements, one or two cables may be required per module.

Ordering Information:  Y1135A (1.5 meters, 50- pin D- sub, 300V) Y1136A (3 meters, 50- pin D- sub, 300V) Y1137A (1.5 meters, 78- pin D- sub, 300V) Y1138A (3 meters, 78- pin D- sub, 300V)

Solder Cup Connector Kits These connector kits are available if you want to build your own custom cables.

Ordering Information:  Y1139A (50- pin D- sub female, 125V, for L4421A/L4433A/L4437A) Y1141A (50- pin D- sub male, 125V, for L4451A/L4452A) Y1142A (78- pin D- sub male, 60V, for L4450A)

L4445A Remote (Extender) Modules and Distribution Boards These kits expand the number of switches and attenuators controlled by the L4445A Microwave Switch/Attenuator Driver instrument.

Ordering Information:  34945EXT (External Driver) Distribution Boards: Y1150A (Eight N181x SPDT switches) Y1151A (Two 87104x/106x multiport or 87406B matrix switches) Y1152A (One 87204x/206x or 87606B switch and two N181x switches) Y1153A (Two 84904/5/6/7/8 or 8494/5/6 step attenuators) Y1154A (Two 87222 transfer switches and six N181x SPDT switches) Y1155A (Generic screw terminals for driving 16 switch coils



4 L4400 User’s Guide

Introduction to the L4400 Series LXI Instruments 1

Bench-Top Operation and Instrument Rack Mounting

The L4400 series instruments can be located on a bench- top or rack mounted in standard 19- inch EIA rack cabinets.

Bench-Top Operation

Cooling and ventilation of the L4400 series instruments are through the sides of the instrument chassis. When placed on the bench- top, ensure the sides of the instrument are not directly covered or blocked.

Rack Mounting

The L4400 instruments are mounted in EIA rack cabinets using the Y1160A rack mount kit. The kit allows you to mount one or two L4400 instruments side- by- side on a sliding shelf, while occupying one EIA rack unit of space.

Rackmounting instructions are provided with the kit and are also

ovided here.

Rack Mounting Kit Contents

The contents of the Y1160A sliding shelf rack mount kit are listed in Table 1- 2.

Table 1-2. L4400 (Y1160A) Rack Mount Kit Contents.

Item Description

1 M4x8 flat head screw 1515-1367 12 2 10-32 pan head dress screw 0570-1577 4 3 10-32 x 0.625 pan head screw 2680-0105 10 4 10-32 x 0.5 flat head screw 2510-0283 2 5 10-32 clip-on nut 0590-0804 12 6 10-32 nut w/lock washer 2740-0003 4 7 Sliding shelf 5180-0102 1 8 Shelf rails 5180-0103 2

Part Number Quantity

9 Filler panels 5180-0104 2

10 Rear (rail) brackets 5180-0105 2

--- Installation Instructions Y1160-90030 1

L4400 User’s Guide 5

1 Introduction to the L4400 Series LXI Instruments

Procedure

Figure 1- 1 is a composite drawing of the Y1160A sliding shelf rack mount kit. The drawing shows the location/usage of the hardware items listed in Table 1- 2.

Figure 1-1. Y1160A Instrument Rack Mount Kit (L4400 Series).

6 L4400 User’s Guide

Introduction to the L4400 Series LXI Instruments 1

EIA unit indicators

(1 EIA unit)

44.45 mm (1.75 in)

6.35 mm

15.875 mm

6.35 mm

NOTE

The L4400 instrument(s) can be mounted between any two adjacent EIA unit indicators (Figure 1- 2). On Agilent racks, an EIA unit indicator is represented by a triangle (

) on the rack’s front and rear-facing

columns. A single EIA unit extends from the triangle indicator to the next indicator on the column (1 Unit = 44.45 mm = 1.75 in).

Figure 1-2. EIA Unit Indicators for Installing the Y1160A Rack Mount Kit.

It is not necessary to remove the cabinet side panels to rack mount the L4400 instruments. The side panels can be removed, however, if additional access to the cabinet’s vertical columns is desired.

Install the Shelf Rails

1. Select the vertical position in the rack between any two adjacent EIA unit indicators where the L4400 instrument is to be installed. Insert clip- on nuts (item 5) on the three holes between the unit indicators. Place nuts on both the left and right front- facing columns (Figure 1- 3).

L4400 User’s Guide 7

1 Introduction to the L4400 Series LXI Instruments

(center of rack)

front-facing columns

center-facing colums

back of rack

insert clip nuts between rack unit indicators

insert clip nut

if column present

insert clip nuts on first and third holes between indicators

rail “channel

If center-facing columns with holes are present on the frame, insert a clip- on nut on the hole perpendicular to the center hole on the front facing column. See Figure 1- 3.

2. With the rail “channel” facing the cent to the front facing column using a 10- 32 flathead screw (item 4) and the center clip- on nut on the front- facing column. Repeat for the rail on the opposite column. Ensure the rail channel faces the center of the rack.

If the rack has center- facing columns (Figure 1- 3), insert a 10- 32 pan head sc front- facing column). Repeat for the rail on the opposite column.

3. On the rack’s rear-facing columns, insert clip-on nuts on the first and hird holes between the EIA unit indicators that are at the same vertical

t position as the indicators on the front- facing columns.

4. Attach the rear brackets to the rail ends using tw

screws (item 3) and two 10-32 nuts with lockwashers (item 6) per rail. Adjust the bracket along the rail until the bracket end aligns with (covers) the rack’s rear- facing columns. Tighten the 10- 32 pan head screws to firmly connect the bracket to the rail and maintain the rail length.

Connect the rail brackets to the rear-facing columns using two 10- 32 pan

ad screws per column.

Figure 1-3. Rack Column and Shelf Rail Orientation.

er of the rack, connect the rail

rew through the rail opening and clip nut (perpendicular to the

o 10- 32 pan head

8 L4400 User’s Guide

Introduction to the L4400 Series LXI Instruments 1

Rail channel

Shelf tab

Bottom surface

Install the Sliding Shelf

Facing the rack, slide the shelf (item 7) onto the bottom surfaces of the rail channels. The tabs at the back of the shelf pass underneath the channel surface. The tabs allow you to extend the shelf from the cabinet, thus providing a working surface for mounting the instruments.

Figure 1-4. Installing the Shelf.

Install Instruments on the Shelf

The L4400 instruments can be installed flush (even) with front edge of the shelf, recessed in 50 mm increments, or reverse-mounted with the front of the instrument facing the back of the rack cabinet.

1. Extend the shelf from the rack such that approximately 50% - 75% of he shelf surface is outside of the rack. (The tabs on the back of the

t shelf that run underneath the rail channel prevent the shelf from tipping.)

2. Determine the position of the instruments (flush, recessed, reversed).

o accommodate the terminal blocks (available with some of the L4400

T instruments) and to simplify cable routing, it is recommended that the instruments be mounted flush (even) with the front or back edge of the shelf.

3. Note the location of the four mounting holes on the bottom of the

ument (Figure 1- 1). Set the carrier on the shelf, and align the

instr mounting holes with the holes on the shelf. Insert four M4x8 flat head screws (item 1) upward through the bottom of the shelf and into the carrier mounting holes.

L4400 User’s Guide 9

1 Introduction to the L4400 Series LXI Instruments

terminal block

flat head screws

support sleeve

pan head screw

flat head screws

spring-loaded mounting screws

instrument sub-assembly

4. Install the second L4400 instrument (if present) in the shelf area adjacent to the first instrument. If only one instrument is installed, install a filler panel on the front edge of the unused area. Insert two M4x8 flat head screws (item 1) upward through the bottom of the shelf and into the panel.

5. Connect the instrument power cord, LAN cable, and GPIB cable if esent.

6. For instruments that have accompanying terminal blocks, partially

move the instrument sub- assembly from the instrument (carrier) by

re loosening the spring- loaded mounting screws (Figure 1- 5). Remove the support sleeve from the terminal block. Locate and remove the flat head screws from the sleeve and remove the pan head screw from between the instrument’s D- sub connectors (Figure 1- 5). Connect the sleeve to the instrument using the flat head and pan head screws as shown. Reconnect the sub- assembly.

10 L4400 User’s Guide

Figure 1-5. Connecting the Terminal Block Support Sleeve.

Connect the Shelf to the Rack Frame

NOTE

Once the instruments are installed and all power cords and cables are routed as intended, slide the shelf into the cabinet until the shelf handles meet the front- facing columns of the rack frame. Using two10- 32 pan head dress screws (item 2) per column, secure the shelf to the frame.

Applying Power

The input power, operating environment, and storage environment specifications for the L4400 series instruments are listed in Table 1- 3. Refer to the instrument data sheets for a complete listing of instrument specifications. The data sheets can be found on the Web at:

Introduction to the L4400 Series LXI Instruments 1

Refer to Chapters 4-10 for information on Terminal Block wiring and connecting the terminal block to the instrument.

www.agilent.com/find/L4400

Table 1-3. Agilent L4400 Series Instrument Input Power Specifications.

Instrument Description

L4421A L4433A L4437A L4445A L4450A L4451A L4452A

Power Supply: Power Line Frequency: Power Consumption: 50VA

Operating Environment:

Storage Environment:

Universal 100V to 240V 50Hz to 60Hz

Full accuracy for 0 Full accuracy to 80% R.H. at 40

C to 70C

-40

±10% auto sensing

C to 55C

Connecting the Power Cord and Turning On the Instrument

Connect the power cord supplied with the instrument or a power cord rated for the conditions listed in Table 1- 3 to the electrical outlet and to the instrument.

Turn the instrument on (and off) by pressing the power button shown in

igure 1- 6.

±10%

C

L4400 User’s Guide 11

1 Introduction to the L4400 Series LXI Instruments

Power Button

Refer to Table 3- 1 (Chapter 3) for definitions of the LEDs (ATTN, LAN, PWR) on the L4400 instrument front panel.

Figure 1-6. Location of the L4400 Series Instrument Power Button.

12 L4400 User’s Guide

Agilent L4400 LXI Class C Instruments User’s Guide

2 Software Installation and Configuration

Installing the Agilent IO Libraries and L4400 Instrument Drivers 14 Configuring the L4400 Instruments 17 GPIB Configuration 33 Firmware Updates 39 Instrument Power-On and Default LAN Configuration States 45

This chapter contains the software installation and configuration procedures required for you to use the L4400 series instruments. Also included are procedures for configuring the LAN and (optional) GPIB interfaces, and for testing the communication (IO) paths to the instruments.

Agilent Technologies

2 Software Installation and Configuration

Installing the Agilent IO Libraries and L4400 Instrument Drivers

Communication and control of the L4400 series instruments from a Microsoft® programming environment is provided through the following software that is included with the L4400A instruments:

gilent E2094A IO Libraries Suite 14.1

• A

gilent L4400A Product Reference CD-ROM (p/n 34989- 13601)

This section covers the sequence and procedures for installing the IO

raries and instrument drivers required to program the instruments.

lib

Installing the Agilent IO Libraries

The Agilent IO Libraries Suite must be installed first, followed by the L4400 instrument drivers that are located on the Product Reference CD- ROM (p/n 34989- 13601). The IO Libraries are contained on the Agilent Automation- Ready CD included with the instrument, or may be downloaded from the Agilent website at h

ttp://www.agilent.com/find/iosuite.

Before installing the IO libraries, review table 2-1 to verify that your computer meets the specifications required by the software.

Table 2-1. Agilent IO Libraries Suite System Requirements.

Processor 450 MHz Intel Pentium® II or higher

Operating System Windows XP Professional or Home Edition (Service Pack 1 or

later

Windows 2000 Professional (Service Pack 4 or later)

Web Browser Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 or greater (recommended)

Available Memory 128 MB (256 MB or greater recommended)

Available Disk Space 225 MB required for installation:

- 160 MB for Microsoft .NET Framework

- 65 MB for Agilent IO Libraries Suite



175 MB required for operation:

- 110 MB for Microsoft .NET Framework 

- 65 MB for Agilent IO Libraries Suite

Video Super VGA (800x600) with 256 colors

14 L4400 User’s Guide

Software Installation and Configuration 2

NOTE

Close all applications on your computer. Insert the Agilent Automation- Ready CD into the CD-ROM drive. Follow the instructions as prompted during the installation. Accept all default directories specified.

If the IO libraries installation does not start automatically, select St Run from the Windows Start menu and type <drive>:\autorun\auto.exe where <drive> is the designator of the CD- ROM drive.

If another vendor’s implementation of VISA (Virtual Instrument Software Architecture) is currently installed on your computer, contin ue installation of the Agilent IO Libraries by installing Agilent VISA in side-by-side mode. More information on side-by-side operation can be found in the Agilent IO Libraries Suite Help (available after installation is complete) under “Using Agilent VISA with Another Vendor’s VISA.

Installing the Agilent IO Libraries also installs the Interchangeable Virtual Instrument (IVI) Shared Components. The IVI Shared Components are required before IVI drivers (e.g. IVI-COM, IVI-C) can be installed (see “Installing the L4400 Instrument Drivers”).

After the IO libraries have been successfully installed, you will see the Agilent IO Control (IO icon) in the taskbar notification area of your computer screen (Figure 2- 1).

art >

Figure 2-1. Agilent IO Control Icon.

Installing the L4400 Instrument Drivers

Insert the L4400 Product Reference CD-ROM into the computer. The installation program will open the menu window shown automatically , select Start -> Run -> Open: <cd-rom drive>:\index.html.

L4400 User’s Guide 15

in Figure 2-2. If the program does not start

2 Software Installation and Configuration

Figure 2-2. L4400 Product Reference CD-ROM Software (Driver) Menu

Install the appropriate driver from the menu based

on the environment you will use to

program the L4400 instruments. Table 2-2 contains a list of common environments and corresponding drivers. Accept all default directories specified during installation.

Table 2-2. L4400 Programming Environments and Recommended Drivers

Programming Environment

Microsoft® Visual C 6.0 Visual C++, ANSI C Microsoft® Visual Basic 6.0 Microsoft Visual Studio .NET for C#, C,

isual Basic

V Agilent VEE

National Instruments LabVIEW

National Instruments LabWindows/CVI

Recommended Drivers

IVI-C, IVI COM, VISA IVI-COM, VISA, VISA-COM IVI-COM

IVI-COM LabVIEW Plug&Play (with

44XX native mode driver),

L IVI-C

IVI-C

For information on firmware updates that may be available after purchase, refer to “Firmware Updates” at the end of this chapter.

16 L4400 User’s Guide

Configuring the L4400 Instruments

Instrument configuration as applied to the L4400 series of LXI instruments involves the following:

• identifying the IP address and host name (LAN programming)

• (optional) setting the GPIB address

• testing the communication paths (LAN and/or GPIB) to the instrument

• opening the Web interface to the instrument

Each task listed above is accomplished using the Agilent Connection Expert Feature of the Agilent IO Libraries Suite.

The information included this section of the chapter is:

Software Installation and Configuration 2

• Selecting a LAN Network

• Connecting the LAN Cables

• Configuring the LAN Interface

• GPIB Configuration

Selecting a LAN Network

This user’s guide defines a private (isolated) LAN as a network in which instrument access is limited to a direct connection between the computer and the instrument, or to multiple instruments connected via a dedicated router or switch. A site (company- wide) LAN is defined as a network in which instrument access is available to many users in on- site and remote locations.

The instrument’s application and/or your company’s Information Technology (IT) department may have guidelines that help decide the type (private or site) of network used. If a network configuration has not been determined, refer to the following considerations concerning each type.

Private LAN Considerations

Some of the basic parameters of a private LAN network to consider are: security, performance, reliability, and IP address availability.

L4400 User’s Guide 17

2 Software Installation and Configuration

Security: a private network generally involves direct connections between the computer and the instruments, and may include switches and routers. Access to the instrument is limited to users connected directly to the private network, as opposed to users on a site network that could locate and access the instrument from any location - possibly disrupting tests in progress. Code generation for test systems on a private network is often simplified as protection against unauthorized users may not be required.

Performance: test systems where large amounts of data are transferred usually have faster throughput on a private network. On a site network, heavy and unpredictable LAN traffic (lots of data) affects each instrument (node) on the network. The impact on a test system is that repeatability is difficult to achieve as latencies are difficult to account for.

Reliability: private networks are fundamentally more reliable than site networks as they host fewer users and are less complex than site networks. Private networks are isolated from conditions that could bring down (crash) a site network.

IP Address Availability: Every instrument (node) on a LAN (private or site) has an IP (Internet Protocol) address. Due to the expanding use of the internet, the number of site network IP addresses available is limited. By using a router with Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) capability on a private network, the router can assign an IP address to each instrument thus creating a sub- network (subnet) that does not consume site IP addresses.

Site LAN Considerations

For applications requiring access by many users or by users at distributed sites, a site LAN network is required. In addition to supporting multiple users, site LANs often offer the advantage of being maintained by IT departments.

When using a site LAN, consult your IT department regarding all LAN configuration and security issues.

Connecting the LAN Cables

LAN cables are connected to the LAN terminal on the instrument, the computer, and to the router or switch if they are part of your network.

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