Patents Assigned to Tektronix, Inc.
  • APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING BURST TRIGGERING IN A TEST AND MEASUREMENT INSTRUMENT
    Publication number: 20100228508
    Abstract: A test and measurement apparatus, system, and method for synchronizing an acquisition or triggering system to a specific burst of interest. The subject apparatus and method triggers on varying energy content of a signal qualified by time in the presence of high-frequency input signal bursts, by using an adjustable pulse width envelope detector, disposed in the signal path of the trigger circuitry, as a digital rectifier or to otherwise process and extract an envelope signal. An RF envelope probe having an analog envelope detector among other suitable components is disclosed. A method is implemented for isolating an interval of interest in a signal under test. An envelope detector circuit produces an envelope signal from the signal. Trigger circuitry receives the envelope signal from the envelope detector, and isolates the interval of interesting in the signal under test using the envelope signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: TEKTRONIX, INC.
    Inventors: Patrick A. SMITH, David L. KELLY, Que Thuy TRAN, Shane A. HAZZARD
  • METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR IMAGE REGISTRATION
    Publication number: 20100226592
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to methods and systems for image processing, in particular, to methods and systems for computationally efficient and robust image alignment. Initially, larger image features may be used to approximate an alignment measurement. Results of the initial measurement may be used to narrow the search range used in conjunction with higher-resolution images in subsequent alignment measurements. The narrowed search range may insure that if the alignment measurement using the fine-detail images fails, then the measured results may have the accuracy as indicated by the prior, reduced-image-based measurement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: TEKTRONIX, INC.
    Inventor: KEVIN M. FERGUSON
  • METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DETECTING AND LOCATING SKIPPED FRAMES IN A VIDEO SEQUENCE
    Publication number: 20100225767
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for detecting and locating skipped frames in a video sequence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: TEKTRONIX, INC.
    Inventor: KEVIN M. FERGUSON
  • METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR FILTERING A DIGITAL SIGNAL
    Publication number: 20100225818
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for removing spikes and/or speckle noise from a digital signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: TEKTRONIX, INC.
    Inventor: KEVIN M. FERGUSON
  • Protocol tester and method for performing a protocol test
    Patent number: 7793171
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a protocol tester for performing a protocol test, said protocol tester exhibiting an input for the feeding in of data, a protocol decoding device for the decoding of data, and an output for providing the decoded data, the protocol tester also comprising a device for measuring the bit error rate. A corresponding method for performing a protocol test is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: Juergen Forsbach
  • Time synchronization of master and slave devices
    Patent number: 7787576
    Abstract: A time synchronized measurement system has a master device and a slave device. The master device and the slave device each have a time measurement device for assigning a corresponding time of sending and/or receiving a piece of measurement information. The master device also has a reference clock pulse-generating device for transmitting a reference clock signal to the slave device. The reference clock signal is modulated by a piece of information on a common time basis for the master device and the slave device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Sven Foerster, Steffen Schmack, Michael Schuricht, Hans-Ulrich Vollmer
  • Method and system for calculating burst bit rate for IP interactive applications
    Patent number: 7782767
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the burst bit rate for data in the transport layer of a network is described. The burst bit rate is determined by measuring the time for a total number of bytes to be transferred across a point in the network and adding that time to an estimated network delay. The total number of bytes transferred is then divided by the transfer time plus the estimated network delay thereby calculating the burst bit rate for the transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Lisan Lin, Michael Reiman, Mark Chen, Charles Moore
  • Analog to digital conversion system
    Patent number: 7777659
    Abstract: While combining AD converters that one is wide band but narrow dynamic range and the other is narrow band but wide dynamic range, it allows settings to provide a common intermediate frequency signal to the AD converters. A first BPF 50 provides a first AD converter 54 with the output signal obtained by getting an intermediate frequency signal Sif through a first band in the second Nyquist zone of the first AD converter 54. A second BPF 52 provides a second AD converter 56 with the output signal obtained by getting the intermediate frequency signal Sif through a second band in the third Nyquist zone of the second AD converter 56. At this time, the second band is set in the center portion of the second Nyquist zone band, and the first band is set in the center portion of the band of the intermediate frequency signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: Akira Nara
  • Measuring instantaneous signal dependent nonlinear distortion in response to varying frequency sinusoidal test signal
    Patent number: 7778315
    Abstract: A method of measuring instantaneous signal-dependent nonlinear distortion in a system under test in response to a test signal having a varying frequency sinusoidal component, such as a swept frequency signal or a multi-burst signal, uses a time window to locate a frequency of interest in the corresponding varying frequency component of a signal output from the system under test. Once the location of the frequency of interest is located in the output signal, a spectrum of the portion of the output signal within the time window is generated and the magnitudes of the spectral peaks, including the spectral peak for the frequency of interest or nominal frequency and all isolated peaks representing distortion frequencies, are measured. The amount of distortion is calculated as a ratio of the square-root of the sum of the magnitudes of the distortion frequencies to the magnitude of the nominal frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin M. Ferguson
  • POWER TRIGGER WITH TIME QUALIFIED AND SEQUENTIAL EVENT CAPABILITY
    Publication number: 20100204937
    Abstract: A power trigger is provided having time qualified and sequential event capability. Digital data representing an input signal is converted into a power signal. The power signal is compared to a trigger level. A trigger signal is generated when the power signal violates the trigger level for either at least or less than a specified time duration. Alternatively, the trigger signal may be generated on the occurrence of a sequence of such violations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: TEKTRONIX, INC.
    Inventor: Steven L. HARWOOD
  • AMPLITUDE DISCRIMINATION USING THE FREQUENCY MASK TRIGGER
    Publication number: 20100204938
    Abstract: A frequency mask trigger having frequency selective amplitude discrimination capability is provided for triggering when selected frequency components of an input signal fail to reach a desired power level. A frame of digital data representing an input signal is transformed into a frequency spectrum having at least one frequency bin, each frequency bin having a power amplitude value. Each power amplitude value is compared to an upper lower reference power levels and a lower reference power level. A trigger signal is generated when the power amplitude value in any frequency bin is above the lower reference power level and below the upper reference power level for a specified time duration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: TEKTRONIX, INC.
    Inventors: Alfred K. HILLMAN, JR., Thomas C. Hill, III
  • TIME QUALIFIED FREQUENCY MASK TRIGGER
    Publication number: 20100204939
    Abstract: A time qualified frequency mask trigger triggers on signals that violate a frequency mask for at least a specified time duration. A frame of digital data representing an input signal is transformed into a frequency spectrum having at least one frequency bin, with each frequency bin having a power amplitude value. A trigger signal is generated when any of the power amplitude values violates an associated reference power level for at least a specified time duration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: TEKTRONIX, INC.
    Inventors: Alfred K. HILLMAN, JR., Steven L. HARWOOD
  • Automatic measurement of video parameters
    Patent number: 7773112
    Abstract: A system and method for automatic measurement of video parameters for a video sequence using a video processor that has a software waveform monitor implemented as an integral part of a video processing application run by the video processor. Each frame of the processed video sequence, either in realtime as processed by the video processor, in near realtime after storage by the video processor in a storage device, or in the background for each video sequence stored in the storage device, is analyzed against specified parameters for legalization and/or color balancing of the video sequence. The analysis results may be reported as a display in several forms—an error image map, an error log, a timeline graphic, etc. The analysis results may also be provided to the video processor for automatic correction of the video sequence when the specified parameters are not satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Justin F. Whitling, Bozidar Janko, Kathryn A. Engholm, Frederick A. Azinger
  • Configuration of filter for data stream organized in frames
    Patent number: 7765320
    Abstract: A method of configuring a filter for a data stream organized in frames in a protocol tester that is simple without requiring any knowledge of an internal protocol configuration provides the frames partially decoded in an overview display. A user searches the frames for a desired content and selects one of the frames having the desired content. The selected frame is displayed in a fully decoded view. A filter rule is derived from the desired content for configuring the filter. The filter rule may be further defined by modifying parameters from the fully decoded view of the selected frame. The configured filter is applied to all the frames to produce a set of filtered frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Andreas Vehse, Mike Wiedemann
  • Method and apparatus for generating a reference television signal
    Patent number: 7764305
    Abstract: CW lock is conducted with less manual operation. A first input 22 receives a black burst (BB) signal from a key TV station. A second input 30 receives a continuous wave (CW) signal having an accurate, known frequency. A phase adjust signal generator 24 generates a reset signal having a known phase relationship with regard to the key TV station BB signal. The reset signal is used as a phase adjust signal. A PLL 32 receives the CW signal to provide clock. A counter 34 receives the clock and provides a frame pulse signal for synchronizing the key and local TV signals at a local TV station wherein the BB signal of the local station may be derived from the frame pulse signal. The counter 34 uses the reset signal to adjust the phase relationship between the key TV station BB signal and the frame pulse to a desired phase relationship based upon the key TV station BB signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Norihiko Sato, Shinobu Kubota, Kazutomo Tohyama
  • Modulation domain trigger
    Patent number: 7765086
    Abstract: A modulation domain trigger generator demodulates a modulated input signal to extract information content, and a trigger is generated from the extracted information content in response to specified trigger criteria. The modulation domain trigger generator may be combined with a plurality of different types of trigger generators, including frequency domain and time domain trigger generators, to process the input signal in response to different trigger criteria to produce more than one trigger. The different trigger outputs may be combined to produce an acquisition trigger to acquire data surrounding an anomalous or identifiable event within the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Alfred K. Hillman, Jr., Marcus K. Dasilva, Edward C. Gee, Yi He
  • GENERATING A TRIGGER FROM A DIFFERENTIAL SIGNAL
    Publication number: 20100182050
    Abstract: A trigger circuit generates a trigger signal when a differential input signal crosses a differential threshold voltage level. A first side of the differential input signal is applied to a first terminal of a first load termination resistor. A second side of the differential signal is applied to a first terminal of a second load termination resistor. A first side of the differential threshold voltage level is applied to a second terminal of the first load termination resistor. A second side of the differential threshold voltage level is applied to a second terminal of the second load termination resistor. A comparator generates the trigger signal when a voltage level at the first terminal of the first resistor exceeds a voltage level at the first terminal of the second resistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Gene L. Markozen, Barton T. Hickman
  • MULTIFUNCTION WORD RECOGNIZER ELEMENT
    Publication number: 20100182048
    Abstract: A circuit includes a load; a first differential pair coupled to the load and responsive to input data; a second differential pair coupled to the load and responsive to the input data; a third differential pair coupled to the first differential pair and the second differential pair and responsive to a first control signal and a second control signal; a bias circuit configured to pull a node coupled to both the first differential pair and the second differential pair to a predetermined state; and a current source coupled to the third differential pair and the bias circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: John F. STOOPS, Daniel G. KNIERIM
  • Signal analyzer and method for signal analysis
    Patent number: 7759925
    Abstract: A signal analyzer repetitively memorizes waveform data of a signal under test to detect peaks P1-P6 of the waveform data. Waveform widths of the waveform data at a mask reference level, or a predetermined level down from the respective peaks, are evaluated as mask reference widths and then masks of the respective peaks are set using the mask reference level and mask reference widths. Hence the masks are automatically set, so a user can easily obtain time domain data and/or frequency domain data including characterizing portions in the signal under test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: Akira Nara
  • Despreading of modulated signals with low noise
    Patent number: 7756192
    Abstract: A method of despreading modulated signals with low noise to demodulate a sum of spread signals from a base station of a mobile phone system provides the sum of spread signals to several paths. A despreading circuit in each path despreads the sum of spread signals by respective spreading codes. The despread signals are separated into channels and symbols for each channel are estimated on each path. The symbols are modulated by applicable Walsh codes corresponding to the respective channels, added and spread to produce an estimated spread signal corresponding to the spreading code for each path. Then the sum of spread signals is despread again on each path after the estimated spread signals of other paths are subtracted from the sum of spread signals so that the noise due to interference between the spreading codes is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoneo Akita