Patents Assigned to Tektronix, Inc.
  • Patent number: 7868625
    Abstract: The slot interposer probe consists of a board with a male edge connector and a female edge connector connected to its opposed edges and circuitry electrically connecting the male edge connector to the female edge connector. The female edge connector may be a straddle-mount connector. The board may have an inner layer sandwiched between two outer layers. There may be a probe having a high-speed buffer connected to a plurality of capacitors, isolation resistors, and vias that intercepts signals carried by transmission lines on the inner layer. The vias may have a length equal to the inner layer's width. The high-speed buffer receives intercepted signals from the vias, copies and amplifies the signals, and drives them through coaxial cables to an acquisition module. The invention also includes a method of intercepting signals between a first electrical device and a second electrical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Devin G. Burt, Joshua J. O'Brien, David W. Koch, Roxann R. Jones
  • Patent number: 7864908
    Abstract: A recovered clock signal is simulated from an acquired external clock signal by use of an uncomplicated algorithm requiring few calculations. The recovered clock is usually used in an apparatus that receives external clock and external data signals and recovers the recovered clock signal from the external clock signal by use of a phase lock loop to process the external data according to the recovered clock. Apparatus according to the invention digitizes the external clock signal and stores resulting the time domain data in memories (step 48). It detects time domain data of edges of the stored external clock (step 50), and the detected time domain data of the edges are converted into frequency domain data (step 52). The frequency domain data are multiplied by the respective predetermined coefficients in different frequency domains (step 54). The resultant frequency domain data are restored to the time domain data (step 56) to obtain time domain data of the edges of the recovered clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Watanabe, Tetsuo Ogawa, Hiromi Nishizaka
  • Patent number: 7855998
    Abstract: A system and method for transmitting data packets to a wireless client is presented herein. The data packets are received by a wireless content switch in the wireless network. The wireless content switch assigns the priority of transmission for the data packet based on both the purchased level of service by the subscriber receiving the data packet, as well as the application the data packet is transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: Vyankatesh Shanbhag
  • Patent number: 7855547
    Abstract: A method of drawing a waveform image in a no dead time acquisition system, where consecutive drawing frames overlap, uses a master/slave relationship between two fast rasterizers. The master rasterizer draws a first display frame in response to a first trigger event in a trigger signal derived from an input signal. The slave rasterizer draws a second display frame in response to a subsequent trigger event in the trigger signal. The portion of the second display frame that duplicates data contained in the first display frame is either (a) suppressed when the first and second display frames are combined to form the waveform image or (b) displayed in a different shade/color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth P. Dobyns, Steven K. Sullivan, Roy I. Siegel
  • Patent number: 7852839
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method for providing ATM cells at an interface arranged between a first and a second node of a transmission system, in an order according to ATM channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: Helge Brinner
  • Patent number: 7847792
    Abstract: A simple, integrated control for pan and zoom of a display of data represented by a very long data record is in the form of a control knob having an outer ring for controlling pan and an inner knob for controlling a zoom factor. A zoom function is turned ON either by turning the inner knob (setting the zoom factor to a default value) or by (i) pressing an adjacent zoom or pan button or (ii) turning the outer ring (setting the zoom factor to a prior value when the zoom function was turned OFF). The zoom function may be turned OFF by turning the inner knob to set the zoom factor to 1× or by pressing the zoom button. The outer ring has individual positions divided into two groups: one group for controlling pan rate within a zoom window displaying a portion of the very long data record defined by a zoom box within a main window displaying the very long data record; and the other group for controlling pan rate of the zoom box within the main window for rapid movement from one end of the record to another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott R. Ketterer, Lance H. Forsberg, Lynne A. Fitzsimmons, Evan A. Dickinson, Steven C. Herring, Kenneth P. Dobyns, Keith D. Rule
  • Patent number: 7839792
    Abstract: A system and a method for simultaneous measurement and analysis of network signals on multiple communication networks are described. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the system accepts signals from two communication networks. The two networks may be following different protocols. A time-correlated measurement of corresponding frames of two protocols may be provided. Information pertaining to message frames of different networks may be displayed simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: RN Prasanna
  • Patent number: 7834780
    Abstract: A waveform compression and display technique saves both a peak detected version (background version) and a decimated/lowpass filtered version (foreground version) of a sampled electrical signal. The two versions are displayed simultaneously overlaid together in a contrasting manner so as not to obscure information contained in either of them. The lowpass filtered version uses a series of simple lowpass filters with decimation to produce a single data stream from a plurality of data streams derived from the sampled electrical signal. The single data stream may then be subjected to additional filtering, such as a cascaded integrator-comb filter, to obtain a desired frequency bandwidth. When displayed, the peak detect pixels adjacent the decimated/lowpass filtered pixels may be adjusted in intensity so that the low frequency information of the lowpass filtered waveform is not lost, while the peak detect pixels further from the lowpass filtered pixels are intensified to highlight the high frequency information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven K. Sullivan, Paul M. Gerlach, Kristie Veith, Kenneth P. Dobyns
  • Patent number: 7835403
    Abstract: An analysis display has a coordinate plane of which coordinate axes are elapsed time and PCR (Program Clock Reference) time calculated using PCR extracted from header information of a transport stream packet. A box indicator representing an access unit is provided on the coordinate plane and sides of the box indicator indicate an arrival time of the access unit AU and time of time stamps PTS/DTS. It analyzes the PCR in a transport stream layer and the time stamps PTS/DTS in a PES layer in a manner of over layers, and displays an analysis result that allows easily understanding a relationship between system timing and them. Therefore, it makes it easier to check a problem on the PCR and the time stamps PTS/DTS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Kato
  • Patent number: 7827209
    Abstract: A test and measurement instrument and method of operating for presenting data in a data presentation, receiving a data selection indicating a portion of the data presented in the data presentation, generating a data object in response to the data selection, presenting the data object in an analysis sandbox, and generating an analysis construct in response to analysis objects in the analysis sandbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Leo David Frishberg, Eric Gould Bear
  • Publication number: 20100271075
    Abstract: A test and measurement instrument including a plurality of channels, each channel configured to receive a corresponding input signal. Each channel includes a comparator configured to compare the input signal to a threshold for the channel; an edge detector configured to detect an edge of an output signal of the comparator; and a threshold controller configured to adjust the threshold for the channel in response to the edge detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: TEKTRONIX, INC.
    Inventor: Michael S. Hagen
  • Publication number: 20100264946
    Abstract: A test and measurement instrument including a port including a plurality of connections; an impedance sense circuit configured to sense an impedance coupled to a connection of the plurality of connections; and a controller configured to setup the test and measurement instrument in response to a sensed impedance from the impedance sense circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: TEKTRONIX, INC.
    Inventor: Michael S. HAGEN
  • Patent number: 7817765
    Abstract: PCR jitter is improved when writing an input stream TS having a packet with a PCR in a memory 10 and reading it at a high speed. An oscillator 44 oscillates a local clock signal having a frequency of a reference clock for the input TS and a counter 46 counts the local clock signal. When a PCR detection section 38 detects the PCR in the input TS, a latch circuit 42 latches a counted value of the counter and a PCR exchange section 40 exchanges the original PCR with a result of subtracting the latched count value from the PCR of the input TS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 7816904
    Abstract: A trigger generator and trigger method are provided for determining whether or not a signal under test matches a modulation signature. The modulation signature may be provided as a magnitude signature, a phase signature or both. When the magnitude values, phase values, or both of a signal under test are the same as their respective modulation signature, an error computation will be close to zero. If this value is within a threshold value, a trigger signal or other indication of a match is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: Shigetsune Torin
  • Publication number: 20100244868
    Abstract: A Wireless Clamp-on Current Probe and an embedded system which includes a digital RF transceiver allows for remote test and measurement equipment to receive data from a current probe without regard to cabling issues such as size, physical wear, weight, cost, electrical noise, losses and more. Such a current probe may be used in environments and situations not previously explored. The probe may be controlled and queried by wired serial communication means or by means of an integrated radio frequency (RF) transceiver. The RF transceiver may utilize a proprietary communication protocol or a standard wireless communication protocol such as ZigBee, Bluetooth or any of the IEEE communication standards.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: TEKTRONIX, INC.
    Inventors: Guilford L. CANTAVE, Steven M. FRANCESCHINI
  • Patent number: 7801206
    Abstract: An encoded serial data bit error analyzer captures the actual waveform of an encoded serial data stream associated with a bit error so that a user may readily validate the cause of the bit error. An encoded serial data stream decoder in the analyzer is modified to provide a signal for a trigger system when a characteristic of a bit error failure is detected. A power splitter produces a pair of incident encoded serial data streams from a programmable test signal, one of which is input to a device under test and the other is input to the analyzer. A re-transmitted encoded serial data stream from the device under test is input to another channel of the analyzer. The encoded serial data stream decoder provides an “error detected” output when a condition occurs in the re-transmitted encoded serial data stream indicative of a bit error. The “error detected” output is used as a trigger signal to capture the incident and re-transmitted encoded serial data waveforms surrounding the detected bit error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: John C. Calvin, Michael J. Wadzita
  • Publication number: 20100235124
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for triggering upon signal events occurring in frequency domain signals. The method includes repeatedly sampling a time-varying signal and generating a plurality of digital frequency domain spectrums based on the samples of the time-varying signal. A frequency domain bitmap for the time-varying signal is repeatedly updated via application of the digital frequency domain spectrums. The method further includes selecting a portion of the frequency domain bitmap, determining a signal occupancy in the selected portion, and triggering a capture of the time-varying signal based on and in response to the occupancy determination for the selected portion of the bitmap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2009
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: TEKTRONIX, INC.
    Inventors: ROBERT E. TRACY, KATHRYN A. ENGHOLM, ALFRED K. HILLMAN, JR.
  • Publication number: 20100231398
    Abstract: An RF test and measurement device, including a front end for receiving a time-varying signal and a real-time engine for generating digital frequency domain spectrums based on the time-varying signal. The device also includes a memory subsystem containing a frequency domain bitmap which is updated through sequential receipt and storage of the digital frequency domain spectrums. The real time engine is further configured to monitor the frequency domain bitmap for occurrence of a signal characteristic, and in response to detection of the signal characteristic, cause a capture of the time-varying signal into a storage location of the RF test and measurement device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: TEKTRONIX, INC.
    Inventors: Kathryn A. Engholm, Edward C. Gee, Alfred K. Hillman, JR., David Eby
  • Publication number: 20100235131
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for graphically actuating a trigger in a test and measurement device. The method includes displaying a visual representation of signal properties for one or more time-varying signals. A graphical user input is received, in which a portion of the visual representation is designated. The method further includes configuring a trigger of the test and measurement device in response to the graphical user input, by setting a value for a trigger parameter of the trigger. The set value for the trigger parameters varies with and is dependent upon the particular portion of the visual representation that is designated by the graphical user input. The trigger is then employed in connection with subsequent monitoring of signals within the test and measurement device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: TEKTRONIX, INC.
    Inventors: KATHRYN A. ENGHOLM, CECILIA A. CASE
  • Patent number: 7795860
    Abstract: A multiple probe acquisition system, such as for use with a value instrument, uses probes where each probe includes an acquisition circuit for acquiring from a circuit under test an electrical signal as digital data at a high rate, and then transferring the digital data from the probe to the instrument at a lower rate over a data bus for processing and display. The probe may be used to acquire analog waveforms or logic data from the electrical signal. The probe provides a very low input capacitance to the circuit under test, minimizing signal distortion, and is relatively inexpensive. The probes are time aligned by detecting when one of the probes generates a trigger, and timing the other probes to stop acquisition simultaneously so the data is synchronized among the probes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven K. Sullivan