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: 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 test-probe tip having a tip component, a resistive element, and a compliance member. The tip component is configured to electrically connect to a device under test at a first end of the tip component. The resistive element is electrically connected to a second end of the tip component along a signal-flow axis. The resistive element is configured to provide electrical impedance to an electrical signal passing through the resistive element. The compliance member is configured to allow movement of the tip component in a first direction when a mechanical force applied to the tip component in the first direction and to cause movement of the tip component in an opposite, second direction when the mechanical force applied to the tip component is removed or reduced. Architectures for the resistive element are also described.

Abstract: A test and measurement instrument includes a coefficient storage facility coupled to a programmable filter. The coefficient storage facility is configured to store at least two pre-determined filter coefficient sets, and configured to pass a selected one of the at least two pre-determined filter coefficient sets to the filter based on a measurement derived using a compensation oscillator. The measurement may include clock delay and clock skew. In some examples the test and measurement instrument may additionally adjust clock delay and/or clock skew in addition to selecting appropriate filter coefficients.

Abstract: A test and measurement probe coupler that may include a substrate, a first signal tap conductor, a first signal contact, a first ground tap conductor, and a first ground contact. The first signal tap conductor may extends a first length along the substrate. The first signal contact may be electrically coupled to the first signal tap conductor, and the first ground tap conductor may extend a second length along the substrate. The first ground tap conductor may be substantially parallel to the first signal tap conductor. The first ground tap conductor may be disposed in a first lateral direction away from the first signal tap conductor, and the first ground contact electrically may be coupled to the first ground tap conductor.

Abstract: An apparatus and method that captures a complete history of serial network Link Training negotiations by continuously monitoring multiple analog signals representing both sides of full duplex lanes in real-time by pattern matching the Link Training Frame Marker and the subsequent negotiation request/response data values. The apparatus and method compare the digitized version of the incoming signal against a nominal pattern at the start to find the Frame Markers and Control Channel data, storing only those Control Channel data values that do not match the current compare pattern, and further by updating the current compare pattern to the new pattern just received, so that only the transitions in the data values are stored, thereby vastly reducing the amount of data presented to the user, but nonetheless retaining the complete substantive history of the Link Training negotiations.

Abstract: A thermal management system for a test-and-measurement probe that includes a thermally insulated shroud and a fluid inlet conduit. The shroud is configured to enclose a first portion of a probe head of the probe within an interior cavity of the shroud, while permitting a second portion of the probe head to extend out of the shroud. The shroud further includes a fluid outlet passageway configured to permit a heat-transfer fluid to pass from a probe-head end of the interior cavity, through the interior cavity of the shroud, and out of the shroud through an access portion of the shroud. The fluid inlet conduit enters the shroud through the access portion of the shroud, extends through the interior cavity of the shroud, and is configured to introduce the heat-transfer fluid to the probe-head end of the interior cavity.

Abstract: A system for acquiring a test-and-measurement signal from a device under test (DUT) including a test-and-measurement probe, a user interface, a robot, and a controller. The probe is configured to acquire an electronic signal from the DUT. The user interface displays a digital representation of a physical electronic circuit of the DUT, including portrayals of virtual nodes that correspond to actual nodes on the DUT. The robot is configured to automatically position the probe with respect to the DUT. The controller is configured to receive from the user interface an electronic indication of a selected node of the digital representation of the physical electronic circuit, where the selected node is one of the virtual nodes. The controller is further configured to provide instructions to the robot to automatically position the probe to a position on the physical electronic circuit corresponding to the actual node.

Abstract: A test and measurement device includes an input port for receiving a bus conducting data from a device under test, and processing element coupled to the input port. The processing element is configured to execute instructions that cause the processing element to determine a data sequence from a signal of the bus received on a main channel of the device, and use information from at least one other signal of the bus on an auxiliary channel of the device based upon a protocol associated with the bus to adjust parameters for performing error detection on the data sequence.

Abstract: An accessory device has a test port, an instrument port to connect to an instrument having an operating bandwidth, and one or more configurable signal paths connectable between the test port and the instrument port to convert a signal from the test port having a first frequency range to a signal having a second frequency range different than the first frequency range. A test and measurement system has a test and measurement instrument having an operating bandwidth, and an accessory device. The accessory device has a first instrument port to connect the accessory device to the test and measurement instrument, a test port to connect the accessory device to a device under test, and one or more configurable signal paths connectable between the test port and the instrument port to down-convert a signal from the test port having a first frequency range to a signal having a second frequency range lower than the first frequency range.

Abstract: A test and measurement device includes an input configured to receive an analog signal from a Device Under Test (DUT), an Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) coupled to the input and structured to convert the analog signal to a digital signal, a receiver implemented in a first Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and structured to accept the digital signal and perform signal analysis on the digital signal, a transmitter implemented in a second FPGA and structured to generate a digital output signal, and a Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) coupled to the transmitter and structured to convert the digital output signal from the transmitter to an analog signal, and structured to send the analog signal to the DUT. The receiver and the transmitter are coupled together by a high speed data link over which data about the current testing environment may be shared.

Abstract: A signal source device includes at least one digital-to-analog converter, at least one connector, a first output path from the at least one digital-to-analog converter to the at least one connector, and a second output path from the at least one digital-to-analog converter to the at least one connector. A method of generating a analog signal includes generating at least one analog signal from at least one digital-to-analog converter, transmitting a first analog signal of the at least one analog signal along a first output path from the at least one digital-to-analog converter to at least one connector, and transmitting a second analog signal of the at least one analog signal along a second output path from the at least one digital-to-analog converter to the at least one connector.

Abstract: A system includes a plurality of oscilloscopes, each oscilloscope having an output port and an input port, a cable connecting the output port of an initial oscilloscope of the plurality of oscilloscopes to the input port of a second oscilloscope of the plurality of oscilloscopes, the initial oscilloscope having a processing element to generate a master run clock, the second oscilloscope having a processing element including a phase-locked loop to lock a slave run clock to the master run clock, wherein the processing element of one of the oscilloscopes executes code to cause the processing element to manipulate one of the run clocks to pass trigger information to another of the plurality of oscilloscopes.

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 system is disclosed that includes an input for receiving a digital bus conducting a plurality of digital values, a display, and a memory. The memory stores hit frequencies for the digital values, and stores data indicating the digital values. The test and measurement system also includes at least one processor coupled to the display and the memory. The processor causes the display to depict the digital values and hit frequencies of the digital values by depicting persistence of the digital values over time and by depicting decay of the digital values over time.

Abstract: A test and measurement instrument includes a processor configured to execute instructions that cause the processor to: receive a bus auto-detect signal; receive signals from a bus connected to the test and measurement instrument; and apply machine learning to the signals from the bus to output a predicted a bus type; at least one memory to store the instructions and data used in the machine learning, and a display to display information for a user including the predicted bus type. A method of automatically detecting a bus type includes receiving a bus auto-detect signal when a bus is connected to a test and measurement instrument, receiving signals from the bus at a processor, and using the processor to apply machine learning to the signals from the bus to predict a bus identity.

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 test system can include a probe suitable to be coupled between a test measurement device and a device under test (DUT). The probe can include a signal input to receive an active signal from the DUT and a signal output to provide the active signal to the test measurement device. The probe can also include an input ground to connect to the DUT ground and an output ground to connect to the test measurement device ground. A probe ground connection checking device can automatically determine whether the probe ground connections to the DUT ground and test measurement device ground are solid.

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: A test and measurement instrument for analyzing signals using machine learning. The test and measurement instrument can determine a recovered clock signal based on the digital signal, set window positions for a fast Fourier transform of the digital signal, window the digital signal into a series of windowed waveform data based on the window positions, transform each of the windowed waveform data into a frequency-domain windowed waveform data using a fast Fourier transform, and determine high-order spectrum data of each of the frequency-domain windowed waveform data. The test and measurement instrument includes a neural network configured to receive the high-order spectrum data of the frequency-domain windowed transform data and classify each windowed waveform data based on the high-order spectrum data.