Patents by Inventor John J. Pickerd

John J. Pickerd has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20160047842
    Abstract: A signal acquisition probe stores compressed or compressed and filtered time domain data samples representing at least one of an impulse response or step response characterizing the signal acquisition probe. The compressed or compressed and filtered time domain data samples of the impulse response or the step response are provided to a signal measurement instrument for compensating the signal measurement instrument for the impulse or step response of the signal measurement instrument.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventors: Richard A. Booman, John J. Pickerd
  • Publication number: 20160018450
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: Kan Tan, John J. Pickerd
  • Patent number: 9140723
    Abstract: A signal acquisition probe stores compressed or compressed and filtered time domain data samples representing at least one of an impulse response or step response characterizing the signal acquisition probe. The compressed or compressed and filtered time domain data samples of the impulse response or the step response are provided to a signal measurement instrument for compensating the signal measurement instrument for the impulse or step response of the signal measurement instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: TEKTRONIX, INC.
    Inventors: Richard A. Booman, John J. Pickerd
  • Publication number: 20150212185
    Abstract: A test and measurement system including a test and measurement instrument, a probe connected to the test and measurement instrument, a device under test connected to the probe, at least one memory configured to store parameters for characterizing the probe, a user interface and a processor. The user interface is configured to receive a nominal source impedance of the device under test. The processor is configured to receive the parameters for characterizing the probe from the memory and the nominal source impedance of the device under test from the user interface and to calculate an equalization filter using the parameters for characterizing the probe and nominal source impedance from the user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Applicant: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: John J. Pickerd, William A. Hagerup, William Q. Law
  • Publication number: 20150084655
    Abstract: A de-embed probe, including two inputs configured to connect to a device under test, a memory, a signal generator configured to output a signal, a plurality of load components, a plurality of switches, and a controller. Each load component is configured to provide a different load. A first switch of the plurality of switches is associated with the signal generator and the other switches of the plurality of switches are each associated with one load component. The controller is configured to control the plurality of switches to connect combinations of the loads from the plurality of load components and the signal from the signal generator across the two inputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: John J. Pickerd, Kan Tan
  • Publication number: 20150084656
    Abstract: A test and measurement system including a device under test, two de-embed probes connected to the device under test, and a test and measurement instrument connected to the two de-embed probes. The test and measurement instrument includes a processor configured to determine the S-parameter set of the device under test based on measurements from the device under test taken by the two de-embed probes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: John J. Pickerd, Kan Tan, Daniel G. Knierim
  • Patent number: 8928514
    Abstract: A harmonic time interleave (HTI) system can include a sample clock to provide a reference signal, a summing component to receive the reference signal and a second input, a splitter component to receive an input signal, and delay blocks to each receive an output from the splitter. The HTI system can also include digitizing components to receive the reference signal from the sample clock and an output from each of the mixing components, and a poly-phase filter matrix block to receive an output from each of the digitizing components. The HTI system can also include an interleave reconstruction block to receive an output from the poly-phase filter matrix block and interleave time domain signal samples from each digitizer to create a reconstructed waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: John J. Pickerd
  • Publication number: 20140354344
    Abstract: A test and measurement instrument including a splitter configured to split an input signal having a particular bandwidth into a plurality of split signals, each split signal including substantially the entire bandwidth of the input signal; a plurality of harmonic mixers, each harmonic mixer configured to mix an associated split signal of the plurality of split signals with an associated harmonic signal to generate an associated mixed signal; and a plurality of digitizers, each digitizer configured to digitize a mixed signal of an associated harmonic mixer of the plurality of harmonic mixers. A first-order harmonic of at least one harmonic signal associated with the harmonic mixers is different from an effective sample rate of at least one of the digitizers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel G. Knierim, John J. Pickerd
  • Patent number: 8891603
    Abstract: A device and method of re-sampling a plurality of S-parameters for serial data link analysis is disclosed. The method includes storing a plurality of S-parameters sets, each S-parameter set being associated with a subsystem and having associated impulse responses and a time interval. An increased time interval is determined based on the time interval associated with each S-parameter set. The impulse responses are zero filled in each S-parameter set to maintain any wrapped ripples and increase the time interval. A plurality of resampled S-parameter sets are generated with a finer frequency resolution to cover the increased time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Kan Tan, John J. Pickerd
  • Publication number: 20140300371
    Abstract: A method of preventing inter-system interference while acquiring waveforms in a test and measurement instrument with variation in a device under test system S-parameters. The method includes receiving a waveform from a device under test at the test and measurement instrument, digitizing the waveform, identifying portions of the digitized waveform with different S-parameter characteristics, separating the identified portions of the digitized waveform into different waveforms, and displaying the different waveforms to a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: John J. Pickerd
  • Patent number: 8788234
    Abstract: In a multi-channel oscilloscope a method of calibrating interleaved digitizer channels initially calibrates each digitizer channel to produce a bandwidth enhanced filter for each digitizer channel to match the respective channel frequency and phase characteristics. The oscilloscope is then configured for interleaved operation whereby an input signal is applied to at least two digitizers via a switch through a common preamplifier to produce a reference digitizer channel and an interleaved digitizer channel where the bandwidth enhanced filter for the interleaved digitizer channel is now not correct. Fast Fourier transforms are performed on the data from the reference digitizer channel and the interleaved digitizer channel, from which are derived a match filter for the interleaved digitizer channel so the interleaved digitizer channel and reference digitizer channel are matched in phase and magnitude at all frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: John J. Pickerd
  • Patent number: 8650010
    Abstract: A signal generator produces a victim signal having crosstalk emulation by filtering and combining a victim signal waveform record file and an aggressor signal waveform record file generated using parameters selected by a user. A signal channel or a cascaded signal channel is characterized using one or more S-parameter arrays. The S-parameter array or arrays represent a mixed-mode multiple-port device under test. Coefficients of a NEXT filter, a FEXT filter and a forward transmission filter are derived from selected S-parameters of the S-parameter array. The aggressor signal is filtered individually by the NEXT and FEXT filters. The victim signal is summed with the filtered aggressor signal from the NEXT filter with the resulting summed signal being filtered by the forward transmission filter. The filtered signal from the forward transmission filter is summed with the filtered aggressor signal from the FEXT filter to generate a victim signal having crosstalk emulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Parthasarathy Raju M, Sampathkumar R. Desai, John J. Pickerd
  • Publication number: 20130343442
    Abstract: A device and method of re-sampling a plurality of S-parameters for serial data link analysis is disclosed. The method includes storing a plurality of S-parameters sets, each S-parameter set being associated with a subsystem and having associated impulse responses and a time interval. An increased time interval is determined based on the time interval associated with each S-parameter set. The impulse responses are zero filled in each S-parameter set to maintain any wrapped ripples and increase the time interval. A plurality of resampled S-parameter sets are generated with a finer frequency resolution to cover the increased time interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: TEKTRONIX, INC.
    Inventors: Kan TAN, John J. PICKERD
  • Publication number: 20130332101
    Abstract: A serial data link measurement and simulation system for use on a test and measurement instrument presents on a display device a main menu having elements representing a measurement circuit, a simulation circuit and a transmitter. The main menu includes processing flow lines pointing from the measurement circuit to the transmitter and from the transmitter to the simulation circuit. The main menu includes a source input to the measurement circuit and one or more test points from which waveforms may be obtained. The simulation circuit includes a receiver. The measurement and simulation circuits are defined by a user, and the transmitter is common to both circuits so all aspects of the serial data link system are tied together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: TEKTRONIX, INC.
    Inventors: John J. Pickerd, Kan Tan, Kalev Sepp, Sarah R. Boen
  • Patent number: 8588703
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for splitting a wide band input signal and overlaying multiple frequency bands on each path associated with one or more digitizers. All frequencies from the split signal on each path can be fed to a mixer. The local oscillator of each mixer receives a sum of signals, which can each be set to any arbitrary frequency, as long as an associated matrix determinant of coefficients is non-zero. Each oscillator signal is multiplied by a coefficient, which can represent phase and magnitude, prior to summing the oscillator signals together. Each mixer mixes a combined signal with the input, thereby generating a set of multiple overlaid frequency bands. The digitized signals are processed to substantially reconstruct the original input signal. Thus, the wide band input signal is digitized using multiple individual digitizers. In particular, a system can support two wide band signals using four digitizers of narrower bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: John J. Pickerd, Kan Tan
  • Patent number: 8542002
    Abstract: A system and method for performing power spectral density (PSD) and power level measurements for measuring PSD required by 10GBaseT applications, using a single test and measurement instrument, such as a real time oscilloscope is described. That is, an oscilloscope includes processing circuitry which receives an input signal and converts it to raw data, it then transforms the raw data into specific analyzed displayable data by algorithmically deriving PSD from spectral data and plotting the PSD data along with limit values on a display screen of the oscilloscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: P E Ramesh, John J. Pickerd
  • Publication number: 20130237170
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for splitting a wide band input signal and overlaying multiple frequency bands on each path associated with one or more digitizers. All frequencies from the split signal on each path can be fed to a mixer. The local oscillator of each mixer receives a sum of signals, which can each be set to any arbitrary frequency, as long as an associated matrix determinant of coefficients is non-zero. Each oscillator signal is multiplied by a coefficient, which can represent phase and magnitude, prior to summing the oscillator signals together. Each mixer mixes a combined signal with the input, thereby generating a set of multiple overlaid frequency bands. The digitized signals are processed to substantially reconstruct the original input signal. Thus, the wide band input signal is digitized using multiple individual digitizers. In particular, a system can support two wide band signals using four digitizers of narrower bandwidth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: TEKTRONIX, INC.
    Inventors: John J. Pickerd, Kan Tan
  • Patent number: 8463224
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for splitting a wide band input signal and overlaying multiple frequency bands on each path associated with one or more digitizers. All frequencies from the split signal on each path can be fed to a mixer. The local oscillator of each mixer receives a sum of signals, which can each be set to any arbitrary frequency, as long as an associated matrix determinant of coefficients is non-zero. Each oscillator signal is multiplied by a coefficient, which can represent phase and magnitude, prior to summing the oscillator signals together. Each mixer mixes a combined signal with the input, thereby generating a set of multiple overlaid frequency bands. The digitized signals are processed to substantially reconstruct the original input signal. Thus, the wide band input signal is digitized using multiple individual digitizers. In particular, a system can support two wide band signals using four digitizers of narrower bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: John J. Pickerd, Kan Tan
  • Publication number: 20130093493
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for splitting a wide band input signal and overlaying multiple frequency bands on each path associated with one or more digitizers. All frequencies from the split signal on each path can be fed to a mixer. The local oscillator of each mixer receives a sum of signals, which can each be set to any arbitrary frequency, as long as an associated matrix determinant of coefficients is non-zero. Each oscillator signal is multiplied by a coefficient, which can represent phase and magnitude, prior to summing the oscillator signals together. Each mixer mixes a combined signal with the input, thereby generating a set of multiple overlaid frequency bands. The digitized signals are processed to substantially reconstruct the original input signal. Thus, the wide band input signal is digitized using multiple individual digitizers. In particular, a system can support two wide band signals using four digitizers of narrower bandwidth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: TEKTRONIX, INC.
    Inventors: John J. PICKERD, Kan TAN
  • Patent number: 8233569
    Abstract: A realtime spectrum trigger system on a realtime oscilloscope considers both the magnitude and phase of an input signal having a periodic component so that successive acquisitions of the input signal are time aligned. A user inputs a frequency, threshold and phase for triggering on the periodic component. Input signal samples are filtered by quadrature filters according to the frequency input to produce quadrature signal components. The square of the magnitude of the input signal is computed from the quadrature signal components, as well as the phase ratio and sign, for comparison with calculated values. When enabled by the magnitude of the input signal, a phase crossing determinator compares the phase ratio and sign with calculated values to determine the phase crossing to generate a trigger, resulting in successive acquisitions of the input signal being in time alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Kan Tan, John J. Pickerd