Abstract: A test and measurement instrument acquires a signal from a device under test, displays that signal as a source waveform, and makes measurements on that source waveform with regard to a predetermined property or event. The test and measurement instrument employs the method of the subject invention for placing these measurements into a waveform and directly correlating a position in the measurement waveform to the same area on the source waveform where they were measured. Specifically, the subject invention displays the correlation of points on a source waveform and a measurement waveform without requiring the use of a common horizontal time scale. In one embodiment of the invention, the measurement waveform is a histogram and a pointer to a given location in the histogram causes identification of corresponding areas in the source waveform.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for constraining temporal parameters associated with the acquisition and display of signals under test acquires samples of a signal under test (SUT) as corresponding sample records with each sample record having associated with it a duration parameter. Display grids cooperate with the resulting waveform imagery by either being locked to the waveform image or locked to a display frame. A controller allows a user to select a number of volts for each vertical grid segment and an amount of time for each horizontal grid segment. The duration parameter determines the length in seconds of the acquired waveform as displayed, which parameter may be changed by adjusting the timebase parameters of record length or sample rate. Therefore when displayed the number of grid lines change as the waveform is expanded or contracted (locked to waveform), or the units between grid lines change as the waveform is expanded or contracted (locked to display frame).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for real-time derivation of precise digital clock edges and synchronous logic samples from a digital signal having a clock channel and at least one data channel acquires a plurality of temporally offset analog samples during each of a sequence of sample periods and from consecutive samples where there is a logic level transition estimates an edge time. From the edge times for the clock channel an offset is added and applied to the at least one data channel to determine the synchronous logic samples for the data channel at each offset clock edge time.

Abstract: A linearity compensation circuit provides cancellation of harmonic distortion introduced by a non-linear system into an input signal by providing a separate harmonic correction component for each harmonic of a fundamental frequency of the input signal. The harmonic correction components are summed with a delayed version of the input signal to produce a corrected input signal for input to the non-linear system. The separate harmonic correction components are generated by respective harmonic correction units, each having a programmable input filter, a Hilbert Transformer filter and a plurality of phase shifters. The output of each programmable input filter is input to the Hilbert Transformer filter and a compensating delay.

Abstract: An automated lip sync error corrector embeds a unique video source identifier ID into the video signal from each of a plurality of video sources. The unique video source ID may be in the form of vertical interval time code user bits or in the form of a watermark in an active video portion of the video signal. When one of the video signals is selected, the embedded unique video source ID is extracted. The extracted source ID is used to access a corresponding delay value for an adjustable audio delay device to re-time a common audio signal to the selected video signal. A look-up table may be used to correlate the unique video source ID with the corresponding delay value.

Abstract: A method of detecting content based defects in previously compressed video streams decodes a video channel from the compressed video streams and performs a match on a frame/field basis between each frame/field of the video channel and a black frame/field and/or a previous frame/field to detect missing frames/fields and/or duplicate frames/fields. The number of consecutive missing and/or duplicate frames/fields are counted and an alarm signal is generated when the count exceeds a specified value. A beat pattern detector may be used to differentiate between 3/2 pulldown and other duplicate frame/field content errors, and a graphics detector may be used to differentiate between lettering/graphics stills and other duplicate frame/field content errors.

Abstract: An adaptive spatio-temporal filter for use in video quality of service instruments based on human vision system models has a pair of parallel, lowpass, spatio-temporal filters receiving a common video input signal. The outputs from the pair of lowpass spatio-temporal filters are differenced to produce the output of the adaptive spatio-temporal filter, with the bandwidths of the pair being such as to produce an overall bandpass response. A filter adaptation controller generates adaptive filter coefficients for each pixel processed based on a perceptual parameter, such as the local average luminance, contrast, etc., of either the input video signal or the output of one of the pair of lowpass spatio-temporal filters. Each of the pair of lowpass spatio-temporal filters has a temporal IIR filter in cascade with a 2-D spatial IIR filter, and each individual filter is composed of a common building block,5 i.e., a first order, unity DC gain, tunable lowpass filter having a topology suitable for IC implementation.

Abstract: A method of identifying a signal type uses parameters of the signal as a basis for automatic identification. A signal of interest is selected from a display of a spectral waveform for a specified frequency. An occupied bandwidth for the signal of interest is estimated and, if the occupied bandwidth is common to more than one known signal type, a complementary cumulative distribution function of peak power for the signal of interest is estimated. The signal type may be identified as a function of these parameters. Additionally the frequency of the signal of interest may be compared with a database of spectral assignments for known signal types to provide further information about the signal of interest.

Abstract: A logic analyzer according to the subject invention employs a bi-directional counter that can be incremented in response to detection of certain events, and decremented in response to detection of other, different, events. Both an overflow (incremented to a predetermined count) and an underflow (decremented to a predetermined count) can be tested by a trigger machine of the Logic Analyzer.

Abstract: A gate comparator control panel, in accordance with the subject invention, allows a user to define up to four different gate regions that may exist on any of the live waveforms, maths waveforms, or REF waveforms. A menu for each gate controls the position of each gate and selects the source for the signal that is to be gated. All gates must be the same width. A high level application copies the gated region of a waveform into a REF memory. For example, Gate 1 would go into REF 1, gate 2 into REF2 and so on. A user-settable tolerance value is used to determine if difference between the waveforms of the gates reaches a point at which a violation is indicated. A master gate position control causes all gates to move by the same amount, thus maintaining a constant distance between them. A master gate width control causes all gates to change width.

Abstract: A combined analog and DSP trigger system for a digital storage oscilloscope (DSO) enables the DSO to real-time trigger on events in an input analog signal based on traditional trigger events in the input analog signal and/or predetermined anomalous events detected in digitized samples of the input analog signal. A processor receives the digitized samples at the input of an acquisition memory to detect the anomalous events and provides an event detect signal to the trigger system. Predetermined amounts of the digitized samples around the events are acquired in an acquisition memory for further processing and display.

Abstract: A high density logic analyzer probing system has a probe mounting fixture for accurately positioning mounting posts to a device under test (DUT). The mounting posts includes a recess in one side for receiving a spring wire clip that mounts through holes in the DUT. The housing includes protrusions that receive screws for securing the probe head to the mounting posts on the DUT. The screws have a first shoulder that engages the protrusions and a second shoulder that engages the mounting post. The probe head is positioned between the mounting posts and tightened to the DUT using the screws. The first shoulder applies downward pressure on the probe head and the second shoulder provides a positive stop to prevent over tightening of the probe head which can cause damage to probe contacts in the probe head.

Abstract: A method of measuring multiple optical characteristics of an optical device during a single sweep of a swept wavelength optical system cyclically changes an input state of polarization on consecutive optical frequency increments of an optical signal within the wavelength range of the swept wavelength optical system. From the measured output states of polarization a wavelength-dependent Jones matrix is calculated, and from the Jones matrix the multiple optical characteristics are determined, which characteristics may include PDL and DGD.

Abstract: A current probe suitable for detecting a large current from DC to high frequency has first and second current detecting means. The first current detecting means detects a current under test from DC to a predetermined intermediate frequency band. It has an orthogonal flux gate element, an induced voltage detecting circuit 46 for detecting an induced voltage of the orthogonal fluxgate element, and a feedback coil 50 receiving the output voltage of the induced voltage detecting circuit 46 for generating magnetic flux to cancel the magnetic flux generated by the current under test. The second current detecting means has a Rogowski coil 12 and an integration circuit and detects said current under test higher than the predetermined intermediate frequency band.

Abstract: A dual bar audio level meter for a digital audio signal with dynamic range control decodes the digital audio signal to produce a full range audio signal and control parameters. A reduced range audio signal is derived from the full range audio signal using the control parameters, and the reduced and full range audio signals are processed to present a display having a pair of bars for each channel of the digital audio signal. The dual bars may be in the form of an inner bar representing the full range audio signal and an outer bar encompassing the inner bar representing the reduced range audio signal. A dual peak indicator also may be used to provide peak information for each channel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring inductance. The method and apparatus include processing current and voltage waveform data associated with an inductive device to determine edge and slope parameters for each of a plurality of current waveform data cycles. Furthermore, proportional magnetic flux and proportional magnetic current is determined from the acquired current waveform data and the voltage waveform data proximate determined edge regions of the waveform data. An inductance value of the inductive device may then be calculated from the proportional magnetic flux and proportional magnetic current.

Abstract: A phase lock for a synthesizer phase reference oscillator that is used in conjunction with a conventional DDS circuit to synthesize an RF output frequency includes a second DDS circuit that is added with a reference increment value as an input to provide a phase offset frequency. A frequency/phase comparator compares a frequency reference oscillator output with the phase offset frequency to generate a control signal for phase locking the phase reference oscillator to the frequency reference oscillator. To determine the correct value for the reference increment value, a switch is provided between the frequency/phase comparator and the phase reference oscillator and the control signal is input to an analog-to-digital converter. During a “turn on” procedure the resulting digitized control signal is observed by a control system as the reference increment value is adjusted until a slow ramp, positive or negative, in the control signal is observed.

Abstract: An optical line-of-sight inter-board data transfer configuration for circuit boards mounted in a card cage or other suitable mounting mechanism has an array of light emitting devices and an array of light detecting devices mounted on each circuit board such that, when the circuit boards are mounted in the card cage, each light emitting device of one circuit board is aligned with a corresponding light detecting device on an adjacent circuit board. Data is modulated onto collimated light that is transmitted from the light emitting devices via a gas (air) or free space medium to corresponding ones of the light detecting devices. In this way high data rates in the gigahertz range may be achieved between circuit boards, avoiding the bottleneck imposed by a backplane of the card cage.