Agilent Technologies Switch/Measure manual 34980A User’s Guide

Features and Functions 2

•The Analog Bus relays are automatically opened and closed as required during the scan to connect to the internal DMM for the measurement. For example, all 2- wire measurements use the ABus1 (MEAS) relays; for 4- wire measurements, the ABus2 (SENS) relays are used in addition to the ABus1 relays.

•When the scan is initiated, the instrument will open all channels in banks that contain one or more channels in the scan list.

•In order to guarantee that no signals are connected to the Analog Buses prior to the scan, the instrument will open all ABus1 relays (applies to all banks in all slots). In banks that contain channels in the scan list, the instrument will also open all ABus2 relays (regardless of whether 4- wire measurements are involved). If no channels configured for

4- wire measurements are included in the scan list, the state of the ABus2 relays in the non- scanned banks is not altered.

•The state of the ABus3 and ABus4 relays is not altered and these relays remain available for use during the scan. However, be sure to use CAUTION when closing these relays on banks involved in the scan. While the scan is running, any signals present on ABus3 and/or ABus4 will be joined with the scanned measurement on ABus1 and ABus2.

•While the scan is running, the instrument prevents use of all channels in banks that contain one or more channels in the specified scan list (these channels are dedicated to the scan). In addition, the instrument prevents use of all ABus1 and ABus2 relays on banks containing channels in the scan list. If one or more channels configured for 4- wire measurements are included in the scan list, then the rules for ABus2 relay operations are extended to the non- scanned banks as well.

•If the ABus1 relay used for current measurements (channel 931 on 34921A only) is not closed prior to the initiation of the scan, the four current channels (channels 41 through 44) are not affected by the scan. However, if the ABus1 relay is closed, the instrument will open the ABus1 relay as well as the four associated current channels in a make- before- break fashion.

•When you add a digital read (digital modules) to a scan list, the corresponding channel is dedicated to the scan. The instrument issues a Card Reset to make that channel an input channel (the other channel is not affected).

•While the scan is running, you can perform low- level control operations on any channels on the digital modules that are not in the scan.

For example, you can output a DAC voltage or write to a digital channel (even if the totalizer is part of the scan list). However, you cannot change any parameters that affect the scan (channel configuration, scan interval, Card Reset, etc.) while a scan is running.

•If a scan includes a read of the totalizer, the count is reset each time it is read during the scan only when the totalizer reset mode is enabled.

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