“Capability limitations mean that the high-speed bandwidth requirements of the latest MultiGBASE-T1 protocols cannot be supported with reed relays or electromechanical relays, dictating the use of mems switches,” Pickering product manager Steven Edwards. “Speed of operation is 50µs for the signal switches. Longevity is also vastly extended by an operational life of more than three billion operations.”
There are two models: 40-205 with a PXI interface and 42-205 with a PXIe interface.
Each channel can support 500mA and 100V between wire pairs, which have controlled transmission line impedance “suited to most single twisted pair signalling systems,” said Pickering.
Additional fault buses (see diagram), capable of carrying 1.6A, allow multiple channels to be connected to the same external fault condition. Each of these includes a more conventional change-over relay to select alternative faults.
For the channel connections, a single high-speed connector is used, with an external accessory converting this to multiple Rosenberger H-MTD connectors in the standard version. Fault bus connections are via a 9way D connector.
“In the default position, the two-wire channels directly pass through the module without significant signal loss,” said the company. “Alternatively, any wire can be set as open-circuit, or shorts can be applied across wire pairs.”
They are designed primarily for automotive hardware-in-the-loop simulation and design verification, in driver assistance controllers, for example.
“Single pair Ethernet is also seeing increased usage in aerospace and industrial applications due to its ease of implementation, lower cost and reduced weight compared to standard Ethernet CAT 5/6 cabling,” said Pickering.
Find the switch modules on this Pickering web page
