A portable PXI platform for mobile applications [military test systems]

With definitive advantages in cost and size, PXI is gaining ground as the mainstream technology for military test application development. However, there are many instances where a military test system must be operated without the assurance of a reliable power source. There is a growing demand for a portable system that can be easily packed, carried and used anywhere. Furthermore, it would be ideal if the same system used in development can be simply unplugged and deployed in the field directly, with no change in functionality or capability. Similar to the development of commercial notebook computers, the portable PXI platform must be designed from the ground up, putting power supply design, power management, and platform packaging at a high priority. PXI is an open standard, and system integrators may configure a test system with varying degrees of power requirement. The ability to tolerate a wide range of power consumption must be factored in when the platform is designed. Wireless data communication should also be addressed by the platform. In this paper, we provide the technical overview of this platform, and the salient features of a 3U 8-slot implementation.