Abstract: Test and measurement probes include a body, an adjustable member moveably coupled to the body and having a changeable position relative to the body, and a transducer subsystem structured to measure the position of the adjustable member and configured to output a position signal indicative of the position of the adjustable member. A change in the position of the adjustable member causes a change in an electrical characteristic of the probe. A position-dependent correction factor may be used to correct the change in the electrical characteristic. Methods of compensating for a change in a response of a test and measurement system include monitoring a position sensor output to detect a position change of a first part of a probe relative to a second part, determining that the position sensor output value has crossed a boundary value between a first and second range, and applying a compensation factor corresponding to the second range to modify the response of the system.

Abstract: A method of employing a Decision Feedback Equalizer (DFE) in a test and measurement system. The method includes obtaining an input signal data associated with an input signal suffering from inter-symbol interference (ISI). A bit sequence encoded in the input signal data is determined to support assigning portions of the input signal data into sets based on the corresponding bit sequences. The DFE is applied to each set by employing a DFE slicer pattern corresponding to each set, which results in obtaining a DFE adjusted waveform histogram/PDF/waveform database graph for each set adjusted for ISI and accurately captures jitter suppression. The DFE adjusted waveform histogram/PDF/waveform database graphs are normalized and combined into a final histogram/PDF/waveform database graph for determining an eye contour of an eye diagram and jitter measurements.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for continuous RF signal visualization with high resolution acquires RF signal data within a specified frequency bandwidth seamlessly to produce digitized time domain data. The digitized time domain data is processed in both the frequency and time domains to form high resolution spectral and time traces which are stored. To match human visualization abilities, the high resolution traces are combined to form low resolution traces which are displayed. With the spectral traces, spectrum bitmaps may be generated and stored so that the spectrum bitmap for any displayed spectral trace may be recalled and displayed. The high resolution traces for any specified low resolution trace may be recalled for display. Finally multiple trigger event types may be generated and displayed with the displayed traces.

Abstract: A test and measurement instrument including a signal generator configured to generate a waveform to be sent over a cable to a device under test (DUT) and a real-time waveform monitor (RTWM) circuit. The RTWM is configured to determine a propagation delay of the cable, capture a first waveform, including an incident waveform and a reflection waveform at a first test point between the signal generator and the DUT, capture a second waveform including at least the incident waveform at a second test point between the signal generator and the DUT, determine a reflection waveform and the incident waveform based on the first waveform and the second waveform, and determine a DUT waveform based on the incident waveform, the reflection waveform, and the propagation delay. The DUT waveform represents the waveform generated by the signal generator as received by the DUT.

Abstract: A test and measurement instrument having a signal generator circuit and a waveform monitor circuit for monitoring a waveform received at a device under test (DUT). The signal generator circuit generates a waveform based on an input from a user, while the waveform monitor circuit sends captured signals to a processor to determine a waveform received at the DUT. The waveform monitor captures a signal at a first test point and a second test point, via a switch, and the processor receives the captured signals and using linear equations determines both an incident waveform and a reflected waveform from the DUT.

Abstract: Disclosed is a test and measurement probe including a signal channel having an input series resistor with a series parasitic capacitance. The probe also includes an amplifier coupled to the signal channel. The amplifier includes a shunt parasitic capacitance. A variable shunt resistor is coupled to the signal channel and a ground. The variable shunt resistor can be set to match a resistance capacitance (RC) value associated with the series parasitic capacitance and the shunt. The probe can also include a variable series resistor coupled to the amplifier. The variable series resistor can be set to adjust for attenuation variation associated with the variable shunt resistor. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed herein.

Abstract: A waveform monitor device, or media analysis device, to monitor a video signal. The waveform monitor device may include an input to receive the video signal, the video signal having a plurality of frames, a memory to store the received video signal, a processor coupled to the memory, and a display. The processor separates the video signal into at least two component signals, for at least one component signal, determines a peak value of the at least one component signal for at least one frame of the plurality of frames, generates a marker at the peak value, determines if the peak value violates a predetermined threshold, and generates an alert when the peak value violates the predetermined threshold. The at least one component signal, the marker at the peak value on the component signal and the alert when the peak value violates the predetermined threshold are displayed on the display to allow a user to quickly determine if a video signal is within a required threshold.

Abstract: A probe for making electrical contact with a device-under-test test point includes a body, a rigid member capable of travelling linearly with respect to the body, a flexible arm having a test point contact at one end and fastened to the rigid member at the other end, and a flexible linkage fixed to the body and to the flexible arm. The flexible linkage is structured to cause the flexible arm to bend in response to travel of the rigid member in one direction, and to cause the flexible arm to unbend in response to travel of the rigid member in the other direction. A second flexible arm may be included, the two arms opening and closing to change the distance between test point contacts. A light source may be disposed on a portion of the flexible linkage that simultaneously articulates to automatically track the orientation of the test point contact.

Abstract: Disclosed is a signal isolating test instrument, such as an electronics test probe. The instrument includes an input to receive a floating analog signal. An upconverter is employed to modulate the floating analog signal to a microwave frequency analog signal. An isolation barrier in the instrument prevents coupling of the floating analog signal to an earth ground. The instrument employs a microwave structure to transmit the microwave frequency analog signal across the isolation barrier via electromagnetic coupling. A downconverter is then employed to demodulate the microwave frequency analog signal to obtain a ground referenced test signal corresponding to the floating analog signal.

Abstract: A test and measurement instrument, such as an oscilloscope, including one or more ports to receive one or more signals from a device under test, a trigger enable logic circuit configured to output a trigger enabled signal when a trigger enable event occurs within the one or more signals, the trigger enable event being a real-time event of the one or more signals, one or more trigger logic circuits configured to generate a plurality of trigger signals when the trigger enable signal is received, each trigger signal being generated when a trigger event occurs within one of the one or more signals, and an acquisition circuit configured to acquire and store data in a memory in response to each of the trigger signals.

Abstract: A test and measurement instrument including an interface configured to receive one or more preconditions for data acquisition, the one or more preconditions defining one or more rules to which data received during the data acquisition is to conform, and one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to receive the one or more preconditions for data acquisition, determine whether the test and measurement instrument can be configured to implement the one or more preconditions for data acquisition, configure the test and measurement instrument to implement the one or more preconditions for data acquisition when the test and measurement instrument can be configured to implement the one or more preconditions for data acquisition, and generate one or more alerts when the test and measurement instrument cannot be configured to implement the one or more preconditions for data acquisition.

Abstract: A method for determining scattering parameters of a device under test using a real-time oscilloscope. The method includes calculating a reflection coefficient of each port of a device under test with N ports, wherein N is greater than one, based on a first voltage measured by the real-time oscilloscope when a signal is generated from a signal generator. The method also includes determining an insertion loss coefficient of each port of the device under test, including calculating the insertion loss coefficient of the port of the device under test to be measured based on a second voltage measured by the real-time oscilloscope when a signal is generated from a signal generator.

Abstract: A probe, including a first input configured to receive a first input signal, a second input configured to receive a second input signal, a first cable connected to the first input, a second cable connected to the second input, an electronically adjustable delay connected to the first cable, the electronically adjustable delay configured to delay the first input signal to remove a skew between the first input signal and the second input signal, and an amplifier configured to receive the first input signal from the electronically adjustable delay and a second input signal.

Abstract: A test-and-measurement instrument is described. A state machine, corresponding to a regular expression, can be stored in the test-and-measurement instrument. The state machine can be modified to reflect a trigger condition received from a user. The modified state machine can then be used to invoke a trigger when the condition is met in the bits of a bit stream.

Abstract: A method of conductively bonding a test probe tip having an electrically conductive element to a device under test (DUT) having an electrical connection point, the method comprising: positioning the electrically conductive element of the test probe tip proximate to the electrical connection point of the DUT; dispensing a UV-cure conductive adhesive between the electrically conductive element and the electrical connection point of the DUT, the dispensed UV-cure conductive adhesive continuously covering at least a portion of the electrically conductive element and at least a portion of the electrical connection point of the DUT; and bonding the dispensed UV-cure conductive adhesive to the electrically conductive element and the electrical connection point of the DUT by applying UV-light from a UV-light source to the dispensed UV-cure conductive adhesive.

Abstract: A modular power supply including a voltage regulator configured to output a voltage, a first output configured to connect to a device under test and output the voltage from the regulator, a microcontroller connected to the voltage regulator, and an interface configured to connect to a test and measurement instrument. The interface includes an input configured to receive power from the test and measurement instrument and a second output configured to output a signal characteristic of the first output.

Abstract: Disclosed is a test and measurement probe. The test and measurement probe includes a probe tip to connect to a Device Under Test (DUT). The probe tip includes a Resistor Capacitor (RC) probe tip network coupled to a test signal channel. The test and measurement probe also includes at least one variable resistor coupled to the test signal channel. The at least one variable resistor is set to provide an adjustable resistance to compensate for frequency variation in the RC probe tip network.

Abstract: The disclosure includes an electro-optical sensor. The electro-optical sensor includes a test signal input to receive a test signal from a device under test (DUT). A bias circuit is employed to generate a bias signal. The electro-optical sensor also includes a Mach-Zehnder Modulator (MZM) that employs an optical input, an optical output, and a bias input. The MZM is configured to receive an optical carrier signal via the optical input. The MZM also receives both the test signal and the bias signal on the bias input. The MZM modulates the test signal from the bias input onto the optical carrier to generate an optical signal while operating in a mode selected by the bias signal. The MZM also outputs the optical signal over the optical output.

Abstract: A test and measurement system is disclosed. The system includes a data store with a data description of a received in-phase (I) quadrature (Q) symbol. The received IQ symbol is received from a transmitter associated with impairments, and the received IQ symbol is modified from a corresponding ideal IQ symbol by the impairments. A computer processor is coupled to the data store and generates an Error-Vector Magnitude (EVM) function that describes a difference between the received IQ symbol and the ideal IQ symbol in terms of a plurality of impairment parameters indicating the impairments. The processor then determines values for the impairment parameters that quantify the impairments. The values are determined by selection of values for the impairment parameters that minimize the EVM function.