vSignalyzer Product Information

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Table of Contents

1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 1.1 Introduction................................................................................................................................................................................ 3 1.2 Overview of Advantages .......................................................................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Application Areas ...................................................................................................................................................................... 4 1.4 System Requirements ............................................................................................................................................................... 4 1.5 Functional Extension by Additional Options ......................................................................................................................... 4 1.6 More Information ...................................................................................................................................................................... 4

2 Functions .................................................................................................................................................................................... 4

3 Visualizing and Manually Analyzing Measurement Data ..................................................................................................... 5

4 Extending the Analysis with Functions and Virtual Signals ................................................................................................ 7

5 Automated Analysis of Measurement Data and Data Mining ............................................................................................ 7 5.1 Scripts as a Simple Method for Automation ......................................................................................................................... 7 5.2 Evaluating and Analyzing Multiple Measurement Files ....................................................................................................... 8

6 Generating Reports ................................................................................................................................................................. 10

7 Supported Measurement File Formats ................................................................................................................................. 11

8 Analyzing Logged Bus Communication ................................................................................................................................. 11

9 Visualizing the Vehicle Position on a Map ............................................................................................................................ 13 9.1 Application Areas .................................................................................................................................................................... 13 9.2 Supported Map Materials ...................................................................................................................................................... 13 9.3 System Requirements ............................................................................................................................................................. 13 9.4 Functions .................................................................................................................................................................................. 13

10 Analysis of Data Recorded with Loggers ............................................................................................................................. 14

11 Developing Driver Assistance Systems ................................................................................................................................ 15

12 Measurement Data Management with vMDM .................................................................................................................... 15

13 Display of Thermodynamic Measurement Data ................................................................................................................. 16

14 Engineering Services ............................................................................................................................................................... 17

15 Training ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 17

V2.2 3/2018 – Valid for vSignalyzer from Version 16.0.

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1 Overview

1.1 Introduction

vSignalyzer is a convenient tool for efficient evaluation and analysis of all types of measurement data. It offers measurement engineers extensive options for data visualization, as well as functions for manual and automated analysis and report generation.

Measurement data recorded during the acquisition of physical values, network development, analysis and ECU calibration may be read-in from various file formats. Extensive function libraries and integrated data mining functionality let you analyze your measurement data manually or automatically and conveniently display the data – focusing on its most important aspects. Powerful printing and reporting tools are integrated for documenting the results. The range of standard features includes visualization of GPS data with various map materials.

Option Driver Assistance extends vSignalyzer by adding a verification solution for driver assistance systems (ADAS).

1.2 Overview of Advantages

> Convenient and individually adjustable display of logged measurement data

> Efficient handling – even with very large measurement files

> Automated analysis of any amount of data based on specific criteria using data mining functions

> Extensive mathematical function library for creating data analysis

> Users can create their own functions in the function editor for customized extension of the analysis; MATLAB/Simulink models can also be linked.

> Meaningful reports and documentation of analysis results

Figure 1: Convenient display and analysis of measurement data with vSignalyzer

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1.3 Application Areas

vSignalyzer lets you focus on the measurement data that is relevant to you. You simply create panel interfaces on which you can control the flow of the analysis process and visualize your measurement results. Even complex analysis functions and data mining calculations can be started with just a few mouse clicks, and they can be run fully automatically. This also lets less experienced vSignalyzer users perform complex analysis. The high degree of automation even makes it very easy to analyze multiple measurement files which are very large overnight.

vSignalyzer gives you a number of tools so that you can simply and quickly insert measurement results into your report or print them directly. The configurable print view gives users a preview of the document during analysis. Drag & drop functions simplify export to external tools such as Word or PowerPoint.

Many different data formats from the areas of measurement technology, vehicle development and ECU development are supported. You can load multiple measurement files in parallel to compare them with one another, save measurement signals together in a new measurement file or simply extract the data and time ranges of interest to you and save them. vSignalyzer is also optimized to work in a quick and goal-oriented way, even with very large measurement files.

vSignalyzer helps you to effectively analyze the individual measurement data generated by data loggers, measurement and calibration systems, test benches and analog measurement modules.

The “Driver Assistance” extension supports you in the verification process for driver assistance systems (ADAS) and automated driving systems.

1.4 System Requirements

> Windows 10/8.1/7 (32- and 64-bit versions): PC with at least 2.8 GHz, 8 GByte RAM and a graphics card with at least 128 MByte RAM

1.5 Functional Extension by Additional Options

> Option “Driver Assistance” for object verification in driver assistance systems and optimization of image processing algorithms

> Option “vMDM” for interfacing vSignalyzer with an in-house or cloud-based vMDM measurement data management server

> Option “Thermodynamic State Charts” for displaying thermodynamic data and informative state charts

1.6 More Information

Various documents related to vSignalyzer are available online. In the demo version you get sample configurations for a number of application areas and a detailed online Help function, in which all vSignalyzer functions are described. Moreover, you can benefit from valuable know-how in the form of technical articles and application notes. You will find more information at the Vector Download-Center.

2 Functions

vSignalyzer offers you all of the functions you need to view, compare and edit measurement data:

> Visualize and analyze measurement data

> Quickly analyze and evaluate large quantities of data by automated analysis

> Reporting with PDF output and export to Office applications

> Import and export of measurement files of all common formats

> Analyze logged CAN, CAN FD, LIN, FlexRay and Ethernet bus communication

> Time-synchronous display of sensor data as overlay objects on the video image with Option Driver Assistance

> Time-synchronous display of measurement values and related vehicle position on a map

> Team project management with the CANape measurement and calibration tool as well as measurement software vMeasure exp

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3 Visualizing and Manually Analyzing Measurement Data

In vSignalyzer, signals can be displayed with different scaling and physical meanings. For example, you might use mixed display of analog and digital signals in various sub-windows of the Graphic window to immediately compare switch states and the system reactions that result from them. Here, a zoom operation on the time axis produces uniform resolution of all sub-axes.

vSignalyzer can display signals over the time axis or in an XY display over another signal. The global measurement cursor is an instrument you can use to compare the signal values of all display windows at the same time point. The measurement cursor is always positioned at the same time point in all display windows. In the Text, Trace and Multimedia windows as well, the relevant values or image sequences are displayed at the momentary position of the global measurement cursor. You can also synchronize the time axes in all windows and on all display pages. Moreover, a difference cursor, grid lines, various options for displaying the Y axis, labeling options, zoom functions and much more is available for quick and effective analysis. Color functions help users in analysis by overlaying additional information over the signal values, such as to highlight limit violations or to show two signals in one display.

You can use drag & drop functionality to insert statistics columns in the windows for all measurement signals. Along with the name of the displayed signal, you have the option of showing additional columns in the legend, such as signal information or statistical values.

For comparison purposes, you can visualize signals from multiple measurement files simultaneously. The displayed signals can be saved directly from the Graphic window to a new measurement file in any format. You can also individually configure the time range to be saved. Of course, you can also analyze statistical data measured by CANalyzer/CANoe such as bus load, message rates and error rates.

The same window can be displayed on multiple display pages and at different positions on those pages. Windows can also be displayed outside of the vSignalyzer program window, so that they will be shown regardless of which display page is active. In the Data window, you can conveniently visualize all properties of the measurement parameters. This window also implements the display of structured signals.

It is easy to select the signals to be displayed by dragging and dropping them from the Symbol Explorer. Along with the display of MDF meta-data such as the project, user name, etc. in the Symbol Explorer, you can also visualize signal properties to make it easier to select measurement data. The search function can be used over all measurement data.

With the event-based signal comparison, you can compare signal characteristics at different points in time within one measurement very quickly and conveniently, for instance in order to detect outliers or deviations from the target behavior. You simply specify the time points with the signal value comment function or use trigger events or Data Mining hits.

Figure 2: Comparison of a signal characteristics at different time points

In order to compare signal characteristics from different measurements, you simply drag the measurement files in question into the Graphic window. The desired signals are displayed with coloring on a shared axis for multiple files. You can correct time differences between the individual files easily using the time offset function.

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Figure 3: The spectrogram display – in this example of an audio source – lets you visualize the power spectrum of a signal

The key functions in detail:

> Import and export of different measurement file formats

> Easy handling of measurement files, for example loading of multiple files, clear representation of the contained signals

> Signal display over time or in XY representation

> Manual analysis of signal responses by zoom, search function and cursor

> Synchronous movement of measurement and difference cursors over all display windows

> Envelope curve display in Graphic window shows the signal response with all outliers while also accelerating the loading process

> Numerical, graphic and spectrogram displays of recorded characteristic curves and maps including the working point

> Additional information can be superimposed over signal curves and characteristic maps by the use of color functions

> Measurement data that was logged at different time intervals can be displayed together

> Time-synchronous display of signal responses and video sequences

> Comparison of signal characteristics within one measurement files or across multiple measurement files

> Flexible configuration of the axes shown in the Graphic windows

> Display of statistical parameters as a separate column in the display windows

> User commenting of signal points and regions. The comments appear in the Graphic window and on the printout, and they are saved in the MDF file

> Export of sequences from measurement files including synchronous video clip

> Display of the data structure of measured ECU signals

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4 Extending the Analysis with Functions and Virtual Signals

In analyzing the measurement data, you can apply any analysis algorithms to your measurement data with functions existing in the library or functions you create yourself. These functions produce a virtual signal that is then available and can be displayed just like a real signal in the display window or be used as an input variable for other functions. To calculate the virtual signals, you can easily integrate functions and your input signals into the display windows by drag & drop from the Symbol Explorer to the windows. Indexed access to signal values of different sampling times can be used to implement filtering functions such as smoothed averaging. Intermediate results and/or status information can be output to the Write window, which simplifies the process of developing calculation functions for the virtual signals tremendously.

The Function Editor is included, which gives you an extra working environment designed to make it easier to create your own functions. You can use this editor to create and compile the functions and add them to the library as necessary. CASL (Calculation and Scripting Language) is also included which simplifies access to individual signals and vSignalyzer functionalities; it is an easy to learn script language whose coding is similar to C coding. It also lets developers integrate their own C-Code or Simulink models.

Besides the Function Editor, virtual measurement signals can also be generated by linking to MATLAB/Simulink models. A Graphical Editor is also provided which you can use to create simple functions with just a few mouse clicks.

Figure 4: It is easy to create virtual functions with the Graphical Editor

5 Automated Analysis of Measurement Data and Data Mining

When large volumes of data occur, as in vehicle development, it is often no longer possible to analyze data manually. Using powerful functions, scripts and data mining functionality, vSignalyzer enables efficient analysis of large amounts of measurement data as well.

5.1 Scripts as a Simple Method for Automation

Scripts give you a quick method to automate work flows. Regardless of whether you just want to automatically reconfigure the Graphic window for new measurement files or automate entire test sequences, both of these are possible using scripts. In the Function Editor, you can create and compile the scripts quickly and easily, just as you can do with functions.

Scripts are either executed manually, or they are coupled to specific events such as loading a new measurement file, starting or closing the project, etc. The Task Manager is a user interface you can use to manage and view the links of your scripts to events.

You can define global variables that simplify working with functions and scripts. They may be used within functions and scripts. You can assign values to the variables in calibration windows or on panels in order to modify or adapt them.

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Figure 5: Creating functions and scripts quickly and conveniently.

5.2 Evaluating and Analyzing Multiple Measurement Files

If you wish to extend an automated analysis to cover multiple measurement files, the data mining functionality is a method available to you for automated offline analysis of signals in a number of saved measurement files. In one search run, you can process multiple files (with structures that are as similar as possible, i.e. the same measurement signals). The same analysis algorithm is applied to all selected measurement files, and the results are shown in a list.

All functions and scripts already used in vSignalyzer are available to you in data mining. You can view the analysis results either in the Data Mining dialog or in vSignalyzer’s “Symbol Explorer”. All hits for the currently loaded measurement file are highlighted in color in the various vSignalyzer display windows. When you double-click a hit in the list, the measurement cursor moves to the associated position in the display window. If you select a hit that is not contained in the currently loaded measurement file, vSignalyzer automatically loads the corresponding measurement file to replace the original measurement file.

Along with the “hits” for your search conditions, other information is available such as the search method used (this is important if your analysis contains multiple criteria), the measurement file and the configuration. Analysis that have already been performed can be repeated at any time, e.g. to analyze the effects on a modified measurement file directly.

Figure 6: Direct links lead you right to the hits found in the measurement files.

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Entire data mining sequences can be fully automated. You can set up your own panels on which you can conveniently control the sequential flow. This makes it possible for users who do not possess much specific know-how to analyze measurement files and create reports.

A typical work flow includes the following steps:

> Select the measurement files to be analyzed

> Execute data mining over all of the measurement files

> Evaluate the analysis results

> Reporting

Figure 7: User-definable panels simplify the analysis of measurement data. You can use an editor to easily create functions and scripts.

The following functions are available for automated analysis:

> Script-driven analysis of measurement files

> Convenient search and analysis of large quantities of data with the data mining user interface

> Extensive function library for standard analytics

> You can easily formulate your own analytics using algebraic expressions in the Graphical Editor

> Complex mathematical analysis via the integrated CASL function language, your own C/C++ based functions or with MATLAB/Simulink models

> Display of data mining hits in graphic display windows

> Automated export of analysis results in CSV and PDF formats

> Execution of complex analysis via simple and understandable panels

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6 Generating Reports

The analysis and documentation of measurement data go hand-in-hand in vSignalyzer. You can have the display pages you created for analysis shown in the normal view or the print view. In the print view, all inserted analysis windows and display elements are shown with the difference that the display page now has the appearance of the printed page that will be printed later. You can use a header and footer to create a layout template for your company's corporate image, and you can use display elements such as text boxes, graphics and arrows to create reports with an impressive look.

You can switch the display mode to either use the analysis pages you have already created for documentation or create your own individual print view pages. In the Print menu, you can quite simply select which pages you wish to use for the report. The results can be printed or saved as a PDF file.

You can conveniently save individual analysis windows or entire display pages of a desktop as a JPG, PDF or PNG using drag & drop functionality, or you can copy them directly into a Word or PowerPoint file.

Figure 8: Creating meaningful reports in the Print view

An overview of key functions:

> Use the Print Template Manager to create professional layouts

> All paper formats are supported, including mixed formats within a report (portrait and landscape formats)

> Switch between print view and normal view on the display pages

> The page overview gives you a quick summary

> Reports are easy to create by drag & drop

> All display options for analysis are also available for reporting

> Fully automated reporting of data mining results

> Documentation of analysis with flexible layout of display elements

> Text elements with predefined functions or user-specific script-driven macro functions

> Export of reports in these formats: PDF or EMF, PNG, JPG, GIF, BMP

> Script and drag & drop functionality lets you export entire display pages or individual analysis windows to other Windows applications such as Microsoft Office with ease

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Figure 9: Drag & drop functions let you copy to external tools such as PowerPoint, Word etc. with ease

7 Supported Measurement File Formats

vSignalyzer makes it possible to work with measurement data in various file formats:

> MDF-3.x, ASAM MDF-4.x, INCA DAT, XLS, XLSX, MATLAB MAT 7.3, HDF5

For formats that vSignalyzer cannot process directly, corresponding import converters are available. The conversion happens automatically when the file is loaded into vSignalyzer:

> BLF, ASC, LOG, ASCII, ATF, CC3, CLF, CSV, GLX, GPX, KME, NMEA 0183, PCAP, TTL, XLG, XLX

If further processing of measurement files in a different file format is necessary, vSignalyzer supports conversion of MDF files to a number of target formats:

> ASCII, ATF, MATLAB (M/MAT), DIADEM, Excel

8 Analyzing Logged Bus Communication

In the Trace window, you can have the logged CAN, CAN FD, LIN and FlexRay bus activities listed as well as messages and Error frames. If you associate a network database, for example, it is possible to show the individual signals of messages in decoded form and extract them directly from the Trace window to a Graphic window. The global measurement cursor synchronizes the Trace messages with all other measurement signals shown in vSignalyzer. When you click a message or signal in the Trace window, the global measurement cursor jumps directly to the relevant time point in all analysis windows.

Drag & drop lets you quickly add measurement files to the Trace window from Windows Explorer or the Symbol Explorer in vSignalyzer.

Various methods are available for analyzing the data in the Trace window:

> Filters: The Trace window offers a number of filters. To reduce the volume of data, you can filter for a specific bus or for individual messages with block and pass filters. A filter may also be used for each column in a display.

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> Predefined column displays: The Trace window can be quickly optimized for standard bus systems such as CAN, LIN, J1939 and FlexRay. It is also easy to add individual columns in the Trace window that contain more information.

> Search: Messages/signals can be found based on search conditions.

> Color highlighting of buses: The displayed buses are highlighted in different colors so that they can be readily distinguished from one another.

> Show statistics: You can use different views to show details of the messages/signals, for example, including their values or to calculate differences between time stamps or signal values.

Figure 10: Trace window with time synchronization via the global measurement cursor

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9 Visualizing the Vehicle Position on a Map

vSignalyzer lets you visualize logged GPS data on electronic maps. This simplifies the interpretation of logged measurement data significantly, because geographic conditions can be considered in the analysis. In the offline analysis, the measurement values are displayed synchronously in the GPS window together with the related vehicle position.

Figure 11: Sample configuration with GPS window that shows the vehicle position

9.1 Application Areas

The ability to synchronize measurement data with geographic positions during a test drive and to display the position on a map makes it much easier to track certain events. This supplemental information often leads to more reliable interpretation of the behavior of your ECU; one example is when upshifting is performed on a mountain.

9.2 Supported Map Materials

The following map materials may be used:

> OpenStreetMap (also permits offline use of previously downloaded map materials, very helpful for analyzing test drives without an Internet connection)

> Shobunsha Super MappleG

> You can integrate your own maps in the form of graphic files

9.3 System Requirements

> Hard drive memory for offline map materials of Open StreetMap and Shobunsha

9.4 Functions

Option GPS offers the following functionality:

> Creating user configurable and scalable GPS display windows

> Displaying vehicle position in the GPS window

> Configurable display of route section driven so far

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> Visualize geographic and car-specific data in the various display windows simultaneously

> Synchronization of the measurement cursor with the car’s position on the map

> Simultaneous display of multiple vehicles (as with Car2x/V2X communication)

> Degree of map detail changes as a function of zoom setting

10 Analysis of Data Recorded with Loggers

When analyzing measurement data generated by data loggers, e.g. from the Vector GL family, vSignalyzer is able to demonstrate its advantages.

If the data is not already available in MDF format, vSignalyzer provides converters for many file formats, including BLF, ASC, LOG, CC3, CLF, GLX, TTL, XLG and XLX.

Besides signal-oriented visualization, data analysis with high-performance automation is especially important for the large data volumes that are usually generated by data loggers. With Data Mining, vSignalyzer offers the ideal tool for this. Furthermore, a need for analysis of the bus messages recorded by loggers arises again and again. vSignalyzer displays them in the Trace window, synchronized with the signal characteristics in the Graphic window.

Recorded environment data such as GPS position and video data are also visualized synchronously and simplify measurement data analysis for you. Instead of a continuous video stream, data loggers often record sequences of individual images in order to handle the available storage space as efficiently as possible. These sequences of individual images can also be displayed synchronously with vSignalyzer, of course.

Voice comments recorded during the measurement often supply important insights for understanding a particular driving situation, and thus for analyzing the measurement data. These voice comments can be displayed in vSignalyzer in the Graphic window and played by double clicking them. You can hide irrelevant voice comments very easily in the Symbol Explorer so you can concentrate on what is essential.

Figure 12: Start data analysis directly from the Vector Logger Configurator with the quick view function

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11 Developing Driver Assistance Systems

Option Driver Assistance lets developers of driver assistance systems (ADAS) and systems for automated driving synchronously visualize logged sensor data in the Video window. Here the sensor data is superimposed on the video image as graphic objects (e.g. rectangles and lines) in a perspective view, and it is also visualized in a side view or bird’s eye perspective.

Based on the video image, you can verify the acquired data to objectively assess the reliability and operational safety of the system, regardless of whether it is a radar system such as ACC, lane detection or a parking assistant.

In addition to overlaying the acquired data on the video image, the data can also be displayed true to position on a map. Online map materials are available from OpenStreetMap. Offline maps from OpenStreetMap and Shobunsha Super MappleG may also be used.

Figure 13: Option Driver Assistance – object verification for driver assistance systems and for optimizing image processing algorithms

12 Measurement Data Management with vMDM

vMDM (Vector Measurement Data Management) is the solution for efficient management of large data volumes from development, test bench operation and vehicle tests. With vMDM, you can save your measurement data securely, protect it against unauthorized access and simplify the exchange of measurement data between distributed teams.

Even without the vMDM option, you can use the vSignalyzer “Local vMDM” function to index the measurement files on your local workstation's hard disk.

The vMDM Explorer window in vSignalyzer gives you direct access to all the measurement data managed by vMDM, irrespective of whether it is stored on the local hard disk or on a vMDM server.

Thanks to the use of freely definable metadata, you can set up flexible organizational and search criteria. At the same time, both the test object and the employed measurement technology or ECU hardware/software can be described based on the features that are important for you. In this way, you can ensure that all the measurement data can be retrieved quickly and reliably at any time for use during data analysis.

Naturally, this functionality is not restricted to the manual analysis of individual files. The vSignalyzer Data Mining function can also handle vMDM files and perform automated analyses at the touch of a button on the basis of your freely defined search queries.

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Figure 14: Fast access to measurement files using the vMDM Explorer window

13 Display of Thermodynamic Measurement Data

During the development and testing of all types of air conditioning and cooling systems, physical variables such as pressure and temperature are recorded at the test bench or test vehicle, usually together with other measured signals and ECU internal values. To evaluate the system configuration and the employed components and coolants, engineers working in the field of air conditioning technology need specific ways of visualizing thermodynamic data.

With the vSignalyzer Thermodynamic State Chart option, you can now also display thermodynamic data synchronized with other measured data and generate highly informative state charts for offline analysis.

Figure 15: Professional display of thermodynamic state charts using the Thermodynamic State Charts option

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14 Engineering Services

Vector can assist you with know-how and complete solutions tailored to your tasks, so that you can concentrate fully on ECU development. Our services range from consultation work, including developing customer-specific analysis scripts, providing integration support or posting a Field Application Engineer at your business site.

15 Training

In the framework of our training program, we offer training events for vSignalyzer in our seminar rooms as well as at the business sites of our customers.

You will find for more information on training events and dates online at: www.vector-academy.com.

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