Abstract: Apparatus and associated systems, methods and computer program products relate to isolating horizontal jitter component(s) from vertical jitter component(s). In preferred embodiments, at least one horizontal component of jitter is distinguished from at least one component of vertical jitter by fitting a curve to a digitally acquired waveform, determining the curve slope and statistical variance about the fitted curve over at least one time period, identifying a functional relationship between the variance and slope, and determining therefrom at least one horizontal component of jitter and at least one vertical component of jitter. Random and deterministic jitter components may be aggregated, in certain embodiments, so as to identify a vertical jitter component that reflects both deterministic and random jitter. In preferred implementations, the isolated vertical jitter component is subtracted from a total jitter measurement so as to better approximate actual signal jitter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a statistic based upon a persistence data is provided. The method comprises the steps of defining a plurality of slices of data comprising a persistence data and generating a histogram of the data within each of the plurality of slices. A parameter is measured for each of the generated histograms, and the measured parameters are plotted corresponding to each of the generated histograms.

Abstract: A waveform processing system may include a compensation circuit to adjust a voltage supplied to an output stage, wherein a supplied voltage is controlled to substantially maintain constant power dissipation in the output stage, and wherein the compensation circuit is configurable independently from the amplification stage. In an illustrative embodiment, a control circuit may be independently configurable with respect to an amplifier that generates a signal for the output stage, and the control circuit may bias a compensation circuit that provides thermal tail compensation for an output stage transistor. In some embodiments, the bias may operate the compensation circuit (i) to maintain a substantially constant power condition in the output stage transistor to substantially reduce thermal tail effects, and (ii) to maintain the output stage transistor in an unsaturated operating condition.

Abstract: A conductive connector includes a bendable, shape retainable extension having a first end and a second end. The first end is integral with the probing head. The test point connector is integral with said second end. The test point connector is for making electrical contact with testing points. The present invention may be part of a probing system. The present invention may also include a method for using the conductive connector.

Abstract: A high-speed arbitrary waveform generator (AWG) that utilizes multiple digital-to-analog converters (D/A converters) and overcomes bandwidth limitations of individual D/A converters to produce high-speed waveforms.

Abstract: A waveform processing system performs operations that may include identifying a location of a specified bit pattern within a coherently sampled repeating pattern input signal. In some examples, multiple periods of a repeating pattern signal are acquired using coherent sampling techniques such as, for example, coherent interleaved sampling (CIS). In such examples, the sampled waveform may be converted to a binary pattern that can be searched to locate a match to a predetermined or user-specified bit pattern. In one illustrative example, the identified location may be used to display the sampled waveform. In another example, the identified location may be used to measure pattern-dependent jitter of the sampled waveform.

Abstract: A method of digitizing an analog signal is provided, comprising the steps of separating the analog signal spanning a frequency range into a plurality of frequency bands, each frequency band spanning a corresponding predefined frequency range, at least a portion of each of the plurality of corresponding frequency ranges not overlapping any other of the plurality of corresponding predefined frequency ranges and then translating at least one of the signals in the plurality of frequency bands to a lower frequency band in accordance with a local oscillator and digitizing the at least one translated signal with digitizing elements having a frequency range less than the analog signal frequency range. A fixed relationship of the phase of the local oscillator and a repetitive signal generated in accordance with a writing to a circular buffer of the digitized representation of the at least one of the plurality of frequency bands is then defined.

Abstract: A data acquisition apparatus and method are provided. The apparatus comprises a receiver for receiving an analog data signal, an equalizer for equalizing the received analog data signal. A trigger element is provided for generating a trigger signal in accordance with the equalized analog data signal. A memory element stores a digitized version of the received analog data signal digitized by an analog to digital converter in accordance with the generated trigger signal.

Abstract: Methods for processing waveforms may include decimating an over-sampled waveform by identifying samples for which the sample's position within a data period indicates that is closest to a selected time within a data period. In some example applications, the selected time may be determined as a preferred time to sample the waveform within a data period. In an illustrative example, a sequence of samples representing an over-sampled waveform may be reduced by identifying a sample in each data period that is closest in time to the selected time. In another illustrative example, a sample within each data period may be identified if it falls within a range that is a function of the selected time within the data period and an integral ratio of a sample period to the data period. The identified samples may be used to reconstruct the original waveform with fewer samples than the over-sampled waveform.

Abstract: A remote display for a test and measurement apparatus is provided including a control panel. The control panel is removable and user-replaceable with an alternate control panel. The control panel can be connected to the remote display device to control and interact with the test and measurement apparatus, and to control the display of information on the remote display device.

Abstract: A system and method for compensation of deterministic jitter in measurements made when utilizing a plurality of time interleaved analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). The system includes edge timing measurement error information for each of the plurality of time interleaved ADCs and a processing element for converting a measured edge time of one or more edges of a waveform into a corrected edge time. The processing element determines the corrected edge time by subtracting the edge timing measurement error corresponding to one or more of the time interleaved ADCs.

Abstract: A method for improving bandwidth of an oscilloscope involves, in preferred embodiments, the use of frequency up-conversion and down-conversion techniques. In an illustrative embodiment the technique involves separating an input signal into a high frequency content and a low frequency content, down-converting the high frequency content in the analog domain so that it may be processed by the oscilloscope's analog front end, digitizing the low frequency content and the down-converted high frequency content, and forming a digital representation of the received analog signal from the digitized low frequency content and high frequency content.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a data signal is provided. The apparatus comprises an acquisition unit of a test instrument for acquiring a data signal for a predetermined time, a memory of the test instrument for storing the data signal, and a clock recovery unit for recovering a clock signal from the stored data signal. A processor slices the stored data signal into a plurality of data segments of a predetermined length in accordance with the recovered clock signal.

Abstract: A method of processing a data signal is provided. The method comprises the steps of acquiring a data signal by an acquisition unit of a test instrument for a predetermined time and storing the data signal in a memory of the test instrument. A clock signal is recovered from the stored data signal, and the stored data signal is sliced into a plurality of data segments of a predetermined length in accordance with the recovered clock signal.

Abstract: A modular active test probe and removable tip module therefor. Within the scope of the invention, there is a probe tip module comprising a first probe tip adapted for probing a circuit under test to receive a signal therefrom. The probe tip module includes an amplifier having a first input solidly connected to the probe tip, an output connected to an output connector, and a housing for supporting the probe tip, the amplifier, and the output connector. A probe body is cooperatively adapted with the housing for repeatably removably receiving at least the output connector.

Abstract: Methods for processing waveforms may include using temporal descriptor information about an input waveform to selectively request a segment of the input waveform that, when processed by a filter, produces a segment of an output waveform. In an illustrative example, waveform descriptor information may be used to request data to perform unary or filtering operations, or to perform one or more processes that involve at least one additional waveform. In combination with a filter descriptor that identifies, for example, upsampling factor, delay samples, and startup samples, complex waveform operations may be processed by selectively pulling input waveform segment data to generate a segment of the output waveform. In embodiments that process sequential waveform segments, filter tap states may be initialized using state information from processing of a previous waveform segment.

Abstract: A test and measurement apparatus is provided including a control panel. The control panel is removable and user-replaceable with an alternate control panel. The control panel can be connected to the test and measurement apparatus or to a generic local computing device to control and interact with the test and measurement apparatus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for capturing an analog waveform on a serial bus. The method comprises the steps of designating a predetermined digital data sequence, decoding a serial data signal carried on a serial data bus, and comparing the decoded serial data signal to the predetermined digital data sequence. When it is determined that a portion of the decoded serial data matches the predetermined digital data sequence, the portion of the serial data signal corresponding to the matching portion of the decoded serial data signal is marked.