Display Of Waveform Patents (Class 702/67)
  • Patent number: 6909981
    Abstract: One embodiment of the invention is directed to a method of processing a plurality of spectra. The method includes receiving values associated with a plurality of sample spots on one or more sample chips, wherein the values were entered using graphic elements representing the sample spots, the graphic elements being displayed on a graphical user interface. Data representing a plurality of signals are received. Each signal in the plurality of signals is annotated with a set of values associated with the sample spot from which the signal is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Ciphergen Biosystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward J. Gavin, Cynthia Enderwick, Patrick Ho, Niels Kirk Thomsen
  • Patent number: 6909980
    Abstract: Auto-skew alignment of high-speed eye diagrams of a pair of differential signals defines a figure of merit containing time integrals of mathematical functions dependent on magnitudes of the differential signals and related skew, then calculating an optimized skew value that minimizes the figure of merit. Optimally integrals are performed over a random time interval including at least two consecutive bit periods of the differential signals. Calculations include coarse search for optimum skew and fine search using an adaptively decreasing fine skew interval. Data acquisition and control hardware includes paired independent skew circuits and paired sampling circuits coupled to a timebase generator and a processing unit, which performs calculations in accordance with an auto-deskew algorithm. The accuracy of the optimized skew value is limited only by hardware skew resolution which in present implementations is less than or equal to one picosecond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Chenjing Fernando
  • Patent number: 6909979
    Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide a waveform measuring instrument whose waveform reproducibility in the equivalent time sampling system is improved. The present invention is characterized by that, in a waveform measuring instrument configured so that the repeated waveform data items are acquired and sent to the acquisition memory by means of the equivalent time sampling, the above acquisition memory is divided into a plurality of time slot regions corresponding to the interval of equivalent time sampling and a plurality of memory address groups is assigned to each time slot region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Saitou, Shigeru Takezawa
  • Patent number: 6907366
    Abstract: A storage stores data of plural function menus corresponding to plural function menu items composed of plural pages to be used in instruction of execution of mutually different plural functions to process tested data of an object displayed in a first region on a screen of a display section. A screen manager selectively reads out function menu data of one page corresponding to a specified function from data of plural function menus stored in the storage, in accordance with setting of a display state displayed on the screen, and displays in a second region different from the first region, corresponding to each of the plural function keys. A list display section reads out data of plural function menus of all pages corresponding to the specified function from data of plural function menus stored in the storage, depending on the operation of a list display key, and displays a list in a third region, different from the second region, including the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Anritsu Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhisa Iiyoshi, Takayuki Morikawa, Yuji Kanno, Hideo Zuinen
  • Patent number: 6901353
    Abstract: This invention presents Normalized Amplitude Hilbert Transform (NAHT) and Normalized Hilbert Transform(NHT), both of which are new methods for computing Instantaneous Frequency. This method is designed specifically to circumvent the limitation set by the Bedorsian and Nuttal Theorems, and to provide a sharp local measure of error when the quadrature and the Hilbert Transform do not agree. Motivation for this method is that straightforward application of the Hilbert Transform followed by taking the derivative of the phase-angle as the Instantaneous Frequency (IF) leads to a common mistake made up to this date. In order to make the Hilbert Transform method work, the data has to obey certain restrictions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Norden E. Huang
  • Patent number: 6892149
    Abstract: Identifying data loss in a transmission system includes shifting one of a received waveform and a transmitted waveform, determining differences between the transmitted and received waveforms at various shift points, and identifying a smallest of the differences between the transmitted and received waveforms. A plot of the differences relative to the shift points may be generated. The smallest of the differences may be a low vertex point on the plot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Stuart W. Sherlock
  • Patent number: 6892150
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: John J. Pickerd, Que Thuy Tran
  • Patent number: 6879919
    Abstract: Peak capture circuitry for measuring a peak value of a waveform characterized by a first portion having a first rate of change and a second portion having a relatively faster rate of change. Peak stretching circuitry stretches a portion of the waveform as a function of time. Digital signal processing circuitry samples an output waveform of the peak stretching circuitry for determining the peak value. Thus, despite any steeply sloped portion, samples can be reliably taken throughout the waveform for calculation of peak value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
    Inventors: Thomas D. Loewe, Yosuf M. Taraki, James A. Panko, Timothy G. Ruther
  • Patent number: 6876937
    Abstract: A method of displaying a number of measurement curves is described. The measurement curves are displayed in at least two windows. Each one of the windows comprises two axes. One or more measurement curves are displayed in each one of the windows. The method comprises the steps of changing the scale of one of the curves in the direction of at least one of the two axes by a user and synchronizing at least one of the other curves of one or more other windows with respect to one of the two axes depending on said change carried out by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Goericke
  • Patent number: 6871152
    Abstract: An eye diagram analyzer equips each SUT data and clock signal input channel with individually variable delays in their respective paths. For a range of signal delay of n-many SUT clock cycles, the SUT clock signal delay might be set at about n/2. For each data channel there is specified a point in time relative to an instance of the delayed clock signal (data signal delay) and a voltage threshold. The specified combination (data signal delay, threshold and which channel) is a location on an eye diagram, although the trace may or may not ever go through that location. A counter counts the number of SUT clock cycles used as instances of the reference for the eye diagram, and another counter counts the number of times the specified combination of conditions was met (“hits”).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A Nygaard, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6868351
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for monitoring the force severity of a mechanical press able to do so without utilizing a contact force sensor. The method continually computes values of dynamic deflection for the press being monitored and utilizes these values to compute load on the press at any point in time. Also provided is a method and apparatus for generating a theoretical slide displacement curve and an actual displacement curve as well as a system for comparing such curves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: The Minster Machine Company
    Inventors: Daniel A. Schoch, Titus Broek
  • Patent number: 6850852
    Abstract: A trigger function display system and methodology for trigger definition development in a signal measurement system having a graphical user interface. The system displays a plurality of graphically selectable icons and an associated protocol profile window. The protocol profile window includes at least a protocol descriptor field and a protocol editors field. The user inputs data into the protocol editors field which causes the system to automatically construct a bit sequence utilizing a plurality of event definitions stored in memory. The event definitions are two bit blocks resulting from the parsing of protocol definition text files. The bit sequence is used to then construct a series of trigger primitives. An optimizing routine is used to consolidate consecutive multiple occurrences of identical bit patterns in the bit sequence into single trigger primitives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott R Ferguson, Daniel James Ojennes
  • Patent number: 6847905
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for rasterizing a digital sample stream by producing histograms for each of a plurality of time slices forming a display frame. Time slice histograms for at least one display frame are stored in a circular memory buffer and provided to a display raster for display. The first time slice displayed optionally comprises that time slice temporally associated with a trigger condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric P. Etheridge, Kevin T. Ivers, Forrest A. Edwards, Paul M. Gerlach
  • Patent number: 6845331
    Abstract: A data processing system and method included within an oscilloscope for independently analyzing a signal input into the oscilloscope. The oscilloscope includes a plurality of triggering modes. A plurality of trigger parameters are specified for each of the triggering modes. Thereafter, the oscilloscope automatically analyzes the input signal, independently from any user input, utilizing each of the triggering modes and the trigger parameters specified for each of the triggering modes. The input signal includes a desired waveform and a plurality of undesired waveforms. While the oscilloscope is automatically analyzing the input signal, a determination is made regarding whether the oscilloscope triggered on one of the undesired waveforms. When it is determined that the oscilloscope triggered on one of the undesired waveforms, the undesired waveform upon which the oscilloscope triggered is stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Scott Leonard Daniels, David Edward Halter
  • Patent number: 6844715
    Abstract: Outputs of a linear RF detector and a logarithmic RF detector are multiplexed individually to a single digitizer or simultaneously to a respective digitizers. A process generates a composite waveform from the resulting digitized data, either at a later time in the former case or in real-time in the latter case. To achieve simultaneous routing, several routing relays are arranged in a specialized configuration between the outputs of the RF detectors and the inputs of the digitizers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Shlomo Hoffmann
  • Publication number: 20040267470
    Abstract: Systems and methods for performing multi-measurements are provided. One such method includes: displaying a first icon corresponding to a multi-source measurement, displaying waveforms, visually associating the first icon with at least one of the waveforms responsive to user input, and performing a multi-source measurement related to the waveforms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventors: Michael R. Fender, Warren S. Tustin
  • Patent number: 6836738
    Abstract: A first method for rendering an eye diagram synchronized to a recovered clock and based on a single shot acquisition of a digital storage oscilloscope, acquires a waveform and measures the timing of its edges. It then estimates the symbol rate of the waveform and derives clock signals in accordance with the edge timing and the estimated symbol rate. The waveform data is then sliced into frames with respect to the derived clock signals, and the frames are partially overlapped and aligned to form an eye diagram. In a second embodiment of the invention, the frames are aligned, without being overlapped, to form an eye diagram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Kalev Sepp, John C. Calvin
  • Publication number: 20040236527
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for sequential multiple trigger event acquisition in a multiple measurement channel oscilloscope arms a first trigger event and responds to the first trigger event by acquiring a first set of data. The process then arms a second trigger event after the first trigger event, the second trigger event having different criteria than the first trigger event, and responds to the second trigger event by acquiring a second set of data. Both sets of data are then presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventor: Jimmie Doyle Felps
  • Patent number: 6823272
    Abstract: An electronic test system with a progress window that enables the user to observe in one glance the progress and status of a test. The progress window is preferably comprised of graphical elements representing test results grouped along a progress axis representing the length of the test procedure. Each graphical element is preferably displayed as a bar, with the length of the bar perpendicular to the progress axis representing the value of the result. The specifications limits are represented by lines parallel to the progress axis. A line above the progress axis represents the upper specification limit and a line below the progress axis represents the lower specification limit. The bars are color coded to display the pass, fail and marginal status of the test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher K Sutton
  • Publication number: 20040225460
    Abstract: An eye diagram analyzer equips each SUT data and clock signal input channel with individually variable delays in their respective paths. For a range of signal delay of n-many SUT clock cycles, the SUT clock signal delay might be set at about n/2. For each data channel there is specified a point in time relative to an instance of the delayed clock signal (data signal delay) and a voltage threshold. The specified combination (data signal delay, threshold and which channel) is a location on an eye diagram, although the trace may or may not ever go through that location. A counter counts the number of SUT clock cycles used as instances of the reference for the eye diagram, and another counter counts the number of times the specified combination of conditions was met (“hits”).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2004
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Inventor: Richard A. Nygaard
  • Patent number: 6807496
    Abstract: A real time digital storage oscilloscope acquires a long data record in an acquisition memory and processes the data of the long data record to search for predetermined events. Upon detection of such a predetermined event, circuitry generates an event detect signal, and data comprising an acquisition frame surrounding the event is applied to a waveform processing and display system. The long data record can be replayed in order to perform additional searches throughout the data record using different search criteria, thereby permitting multiple waveforms to be displayed simultaneously, each being captured as a result of a different user-defined event. A screen display may be programmed to display a different kind of event such as Runt signal, Overshoot, or Pulsewidth Violation in each waveform, or to display multiple occurrences of the same kind of event such as Runt signal in each waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: John J. Pickerd
  • Publication number: 20040181350
    Abstract: Auto-skew alignment of high-speed eye diagrams of a pair of differential signals defines a figure of merit containing time integrals of mathematical functions dependent on magnitudes of the differential signals and related skew, then calculating an optimized skew value that minimizes the figure of merit. Optimally integrals are performed over a random time interval including at least two consecutive bit periods of the differential signals. Calculations include coarse search for optimum skew and fine search using an adaptively decreasing fine skew interval. Data acquisition and control hardware includes paired independent skew circuits and paired sampling circuits coupled to a timebase generator and a processing unit, which performs calculations in accordance with an auto-deskew algorithm. The accuracy of the optimized skew value is limited only by hardware skew resolution which in present implementations is less than or equal to one picosecond.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2003
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventor: Chenjing Fernando
  • Publication number: 20040172209
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to realize waveform display equipment and to achieve a waveform displaying method, in which a plurality of waveforms can be easily observed and measured. The present invention improves conventional waveform display equipment in which a plurality of waveforms based on waveform data obtained by measuring signals to be measured are displayed in the display region of a display screen. The equipment is characterized by the fact that, a discriminating means which discriminates measuring periods for each of displayed waveform data, and a split display means which splits the display region into a number of mutually-different measuring periods based on the result of discrimination and displays a waveform measured in one of the mutually-different measuring periods or a plurality of waveforms, each measured in the same measuring period composing one of the mutually-different measuring periods, in each of split display regions, are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Applicant: YOKOGAWA ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yinxiu Li
  • Patent number: 6785622
    Abstract: An eye diagram analyzer equips each SUT data and clock signal input channel with individually variable delays in their respective paths. For a range of signal delay of n-many SUT clock cycles, the SUT clock signal delay might be set at about n/2. For each data channel there is specified a point in time relative to an instance of the delayed clock signal (data signal delay) and a voltage threshold. The specified combination (data signal delay, threshold and which channel) is a location on an eye diagram, although the trace may or may not ever go through that location. A counter counts the number of SUT clock cycles used as instances of the reference for the eye diagram, and another counter counts the number of times the specified combination of conditions was met (“hits”).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A Nygaard, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6785621
    Abstract: A method is described that involves forming a product waveform by multiplying a positive signal waveform and negative signal waveform. The positive signal waveform and the negative signal waveform are representative of a logical transition within a differential signal. The crossing point voltage of the logical transition within the differential signal is determined by calculating the square root of a maximum of the product waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Gregory L. Ebert
  • Patent number: 6771170
    Abstract: A circuit monitoring system for performing synchronized waveform capture. A waveform capture trigger communication network interconnects a plurality of monitoring devices. The system provides direct device to device trigger communication between monitoring devices in a synchronized group. Power system waveform data is stored in the monitoring device memory of all members of the synchronized group in response to a trigger event initiated by any monitoring device in the synchronized group. High speed trigger communication results in substantially simultaneous waveform capture among the members of the synchronized group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Frederick Papallo, Jr., Mark Fredrick Culler, David Fletcher, Gregory Lavoie, John James Dougherty, Michael S. Tignor
  • Patent number: 6751565
    Abstract: Waveform data contains waveform signals having transition events and is subdivided into data blocks. Indexing elements are provided for each waveform signal that correspond to a time range of the waveform data, and have a pointer to a data block within which transition events for the waveform signal are stored. Each indexing element has a maximum interval value that indicates the maximum amount of time spanned between transition events of the waveform signal. A minimum time resolution that may be adequately resolved on the display is computed. For indexing elements having maximum interval values that exceed the minimum time resolution, the pointers of the indexing elements are used to access and draw transition events for the waveform signals. For indexing elements having maximum interval values that are less than the minimum time resolution, a predetermined image in place of transition events for the waveform signals is drawn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Springsoft, Inc.
    Inventors: Edwin Kurt Naroska, Fei-Pei Lai, Chung-Chia Chen
  • Patent number: 6748336
    Abstract: In one embodiment a visual representation of a pulse shape is created. points of the visual representation of the pulse shape are moved to correspond to a representation of an ideal pulse. Pulse shape coefficient registers are updated to represent the visual representation of the pulse shape such that the pulse shape is adjusted to correspond to the pulse template.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Xuye Li
  • Patent number: 6745140
    Abstract: An electronic test system with a test results view filter that enables the user to filter the test results of a test program according to their particular datapoint value status. The test results view filter is preferably comprised of graphical elements representing a plurality of test results view filter option buttons grouped together in said test results view filter. Each test result view filter option button is capable of filtering an entire test program for their respective datapoint value status and displaying said filtered datapoint value status. The test results view filter option buttons are selected from the group consisting of: all datapoint value status, failed datapoint value status, marginal datapoint value status, and selected datapoint value status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher K. Sutton
  • Publication number: 20040102910
    Abstract: Methods for displaying an anomaly in a periodic waveform. Specifically, in one embodiment according to the present invention, a method is provided of (a) setting a pulse start address, (b) setting an initial screen position, (c) displaying a pulse at a time-aligned position, (d) updating the pulse start address in response to a pulse width value, (e) repeating (c) and (d), and (f) interactively adjusting the pulse width value at any time without using a clock recovery procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2003
    Publication date: May 27, 2004
    Inventor: Peter J. Letts
  • Publication number: 20040102909
    Abstract: A signal acquisition instrument, such as an oscilloscope, having an input stage that is referenced to a user's ground is disclosed. Information gathered by the input stage is stored in a storage element powered by a floating power supply that is referenced to the user's ground. After storage, the storage element is disconnected from the floating power and from the user's ground and switched to a power supply referenced to the remainder of the system. FET switching is beneficial, and information can be stored either in an analog format or in a digital format.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Publication date: May 27, 2004
    Inventor: David F. Hiltner
  • Patent number: 6728648
    Abstract: Initial mask and waveform positions on a display screen may be determined by an AUTOSET TO MASK function. Upon detection of violations that occur after the AUTOSET TO MASK function is complete, control for further alignment of the waveform under test and the mask is assumed by an AUTOFIT TO MASK function. Comparison of the mask pixels and waveform pixels to detect collision between a waveform pixel and a mask pixel (i.e., a mask violation) is performed substantially in real time, as the pixels are being composited into the raster memory by the rasterizer. In the event of a mask violation, a mask violation signal is generated. In a further embodiment of the invention, in response to the mask violation signal, the AUTOFIT TO MASK function uses display rasterization to automatically redraw the waveform at a new location, until the waveform fits within the mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter J. Letts
  • Patent number: 6707474
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for manipulating buses and signals on a display window of a graphical user interface of a logic analyzer. Each signal is associated on the display with representations of its sampled data, which may be in the form of lists or of waveforms. The system enables a user to graphically associate the buses and signals. Also, the buses and signals may be visually associated on the display window with user-specified trigger-conditions. The User may graphically associate the signals into buses by selecting the signals then grouping them by selecting a group command. Responsive to this grouping, the system may generate a bus representing the grouped signals. The bus may be graphically associated with the grouped signal-name elements, such as, for example, by a hierarchical structure. The system, responsive to the grouping by the user of the signals into buses, generates bus-data elements representing signal data associated with the grouped signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas James Beck, Michael A. Upham, Cheryl Brown
  • Publication number: 20040034487
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the adjustment of luminance. The present invention is a method of manufacturing image forming apparatus including a step of applying characteristic shift voltage comprising a plurality of pulses in which the amplitude of the pulse obtained from the look-up table has two or more values, to the emitter, the look-up table storing the amplitude of the pulse and the number of the pulse for shifting characteristic of emitters to a predetermined luminance target value on the basis of the measurement result of the luminance. Moreover, the present invention is a method of manufacturing image forming apparatus comprising a step of applying the second pulses of characteristic shift voltage having the amplitude which was determined in response to the measurement result of the luminance after the first characteristic shift voltage had been applied to the emitter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2003
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideshi Kawasaki, Shuji Aoki, Izumi Tabata, Akihiko Yamano, Hisashi Sakata
  • Patent number: 6694273
    Abstract: In a receiving apparatus, there are included a compensation characteristic variable type waveform degradation compensating unit capable of compensating for waveform degradation of a received signal stemming from a transmission line, a received waveform measuring unit for measuring waveform data on the received signal (which will be referred to hereinafter as “received waveform data), and a control unit for controlling a compensation characteristic of the waveform degradation compensating unit to minimize a difference between frequency data on the received signal, obtained by converting the received waveform data acquired by the received waveform measuring unit into a frequency domain, and frequency data on a reference waveform free from waveform degradation. With this configuration, certain compensation for the waveform degradation of the received signal stemming from chromatic dispersion or the like becomes feasible without using a dispersion compensation fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Takashi Kurooka, Hisaya Sakamoto, Akimitsu Miyazaki, Tomoyuki Otsuka
  • Patent number: 6690398
    Abstract: A logic analyzer integrates the capabilities of both textual and graphical description into a common environment, so that each can be used as needed, and in conjunction with the other. In an example embodiment a trigger specification can comprise many “steps”. A step can be conceptualized as an atomic segment of flow charting that involves or investigates a quantity or condition of interest. These steps may involve testing, and a decision concerning whether or not to trigger or whether or not to advance to a next step. A given step can be either textual or graphical. A GUI (Graphical User Interface, as in computer windows, and not to be confused with ‘graphical’ meaning ‘waveform-like’) on a CRT screen in conjunction with a pointing device (e.g., mouse) provides the presentation of the integrated textual and graphical (waveform-like) trigger specification steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas James Beck, Michael Shaun Backsen, Douglas Fred Robison, John Howard Friedman
  • Patent number: 6691050
    Abstract: An electronic instrument includes instrument hardware. A data acquisition engine schedules time sharing of the instrument hardware. Channel objects act each as a client of the data acquisition engine. The channel objects each included a channel buffer that contains data obtained from the instrument hardware. Measurement objects are each a client of one of the plurality of channel objects. Each measurement object processes data obtained from a channel buffer of a channel object to which the measurement object is a client. Display window objects are each a client of at least one of the plurality of measurement objects, each display window object displaying data processed by any measurement object to which the display window object is a client. Memory within the electronic instrument is allocated among object types to accommodate a user specified mix of object types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald Wilson Stark
  • Publication number: 20040024547
    Abstract: Once an eye diagram measurement is begun and there is an eye diagram displayed, different on-screen measurement tools may be used singly, or in combination. Each measurement involves indicating with cursors and line segments regions of the eye diagram that are of interest, and a parameter or parameters associated with each measurement tool in use is reported in a (usually) separate area of the display. An Eye Limits measurement allows the specification of a point within an eye diagram, whereupon it finds and reports the eye diagram coordinates first encountered along horizontal and vertical lines extended from the selected point (i.e., “eye opening” size). The coordinates of the point itself are also reported. A Four Point Box measurement allows the construction on the eye diagram of a rectangle having sides parallel to the coordinate axes of the eye diagram.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2002
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventor: Richard A. Nygaard
  • Patent number: 6687628
    Abstract: A signal analyzer has a display with two regions. In a first region there is displayed a first waveform representing a signal. The first waveform is shown in two dimensions. One dimension represents signal amplitude and one dimension represents signal frequency. In a second region is displayed a second waveform. The second waveform represents a subset of data points of the first waveform. The second waveform also is shown in two dimensions. One dimension represents signal amplitude and one dimension represents signal frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Stanley Edward Jaffe
  • Publication number: 20040002826
    Abstract: A first method for rendering an eye diagram synchronized to a recovered clock and based on a single shot acquisition of a digital storage oscilloscope, acquires a waveform and measures the timing of its edges. It then estimates the symbol rate of the waveform and derives clock signals in accordance with the edge timing and the estimated symbol rate. The waveform data is then sliced into frames with respect to the derived clock signals, and the frames are partially overlapped and aligned to form an eye diagram. In a second embodiment of the invention, the frames are aligned, without being overlapped, to form an eye diagram.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Publication date: January 1, 2004
    Inventors: Kalev Sepp, John C. Calvin
  • Publication number: 20030236640
    Abstract: Waveform data contains waveform signals having transition events and is subdivided into data blocks. Indexing elements are provided for each waveform signal that correspond to a time range of the waveform data, and have a pointer to a data block within which transition events for the waveform signal are stored. Each indexing element has a maximum interval value that indicates the maximum amount of time spanned between transition events of the waveform signal. A minimum time resolution that may be adequately resolved on the display is computed. For indexing elements having maximum interval values that exceed the minimum time resolution, the pointers of the indexing elements are used to access and draw transition events for the waveform signals. For indexing elements having maximum interval values that are less than the minimum time resolution, a predetermined image in place of transition events for the waveform signals is drawn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Publication date: December 25, 2003
    Inventors: Edwin Kurt Naroska, Fei-Pei Lai, Chung-Chia Chen
  • Publication number: 20030220753
    Abstract: A digital storage oscilloscope is capable of responding to its usual assortment of analog trigger signals and is also responsive in real time to an event detection signal provided by a processor unit having an input coupled for receiving a data stream from an A/D converter. The processor unit examines the streaming digital samples of a signal under test in real time for the occurrence of a predetermined event. Upon detection of one of the predetermined events, a frame of data surrounding the event is captured for waveform processing and display. Multiple waveforms can be displayed simultaneously, each being captured in response to a detection of a user-defined anomalous event. A screen display can be programmed to display a different kind of event such as Runt signal, Overshoot, or Pulsewidth Violation in each waveform, or to display multiple occurrences of the same kind of event such as Runt signal in each waveform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Publication date: November 27, 2003
    Inventors: John J. Pickerd, Que Thuy Tran
  • Publication number: 20030208328
    Abstract: A real time multi-channel digital storage oscilloscope acquires a relatively long data record for each channel in an acquisition memory and processes the data of the relatively long data record to search for predetermined events. Upon detection of such a predetermined event, circuitry generates an event detect signal, and data comprising an acquisition frame surrounding the event is applied to a waveform processing and display system. The relatively long data record can be replayed in order to perform additional searches throughout the data record using different search criteria, thereby permitting multiple waveforms to be displayed simultaneously, each being captured as a result of a different user-defined event. A screen display may be programmed to display a different kind of event such as Runt signal, Overshoot, or Pulsewidth Violation in each waveform, or to display multiple occurrences of the same kind of event such as Runt signal in each waveform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2002
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Inventor: John J. Pickerd
  • Patent number: 6642926
    Abstract: A telecom mask testing zoom function draws mask. pixels into a raster memory. In this way, the mask is treated as a waveform. Comparison of the mask pixels and waveform pixels to detect collision between a waveform pixel and a mask pixel (i.e., a mask violation) is performed substantially in real time, as the pixels are being composited into the raster memory by the rasterizer. The mask is scalable and repositionable by the rasterizer under control of a controller, because it is treated as a waveform. The mask is lockable to the waveform because both are stored in pixel form in raster memory by the rasterizer under control of the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter J. Letts
  • Patent number: 6631310
    Abstract: Using a personal digital assistant (PDA) to collect operational data for analysis on computers from systems including engine-generator controllers and the downloading of operational parameters to engine-generator controllers is described. The engine-generator controllers control at least one engine-generator set. A method for using the PDA includes the steps of configuring the controller with a communications service manager to enable communications with the PDA and configuring the PDA to display engine-generator operational data. The method of collection and downloading continues by transferring operational parameters from the computer to the PDA, downloading the operational parameters from the PDA to the controller, uploading operational data from the controller to the PDA and transferring operational parameters from the PDA to the computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: David S. Leslie
  • Patent number: 6624829
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for enabling a user to specify a trigger condition of a signal or bus by enabling the user to graphically select the signal or bus from a hierarchically arranged list of signal or bus names. The user may make this selection from a graphical user interface of a signal measurement system. The user also graphically selects the signal trigger condition. A trigger-specification element identifying the trigger condition is visually associated with a displayed name of the first signal or bus. The user may select the signal trigger condition of the first signal or bus by selecting the first trigger-specification element. The signal measurement system may be a logic analyzer. The hierarchically arranged list may be vertically aligned and each signal or bus name may be visually associated with one of a first group of trigger-specification elements by horizontal alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas James Beck, Michael A. Upham, Cheryl Brown, Richard A Nygaard, Jr., Natalie Overstreet Ramsey
  • Patent number: 6625770
    Abstract: Relevant logic cells and waveforms of a circuit are automatically identified, traced and displayed by using conventional simulation, schematic viewing and waveform viewing tools. The input and output waveforms to and from each logic cell and a transition and a transition time point of each waveform are derived. The output waveform and a selected transition time point identify a predictive input waveform and its transition time, which cause the output signal transition at the selected transition time point. The predictive input signal is the output signal of a preceding, predictive logic cell, thereby identifying the preceding predictive logic cell. Repetitions of this procedure are performed with each new identified predictive logic cell to automatically derive a series or cone of logic cells which cause the desired output signal at a selected output signal transition time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation
    Inventor: Richard T. Schultz
  • Patent number: 6615162
    Abstract: A noise reduction/resolution enhancement signal processing method and system is disclosed, wherein the influence of noise spikes and gaps is substantially reduced. The data for the noise reduction may be amplitudes (bx) measured at corresponding values (x) over a given domain D, wherein the data defines a composite wave form. The composite wave form is decomposed into instances of a discrete wave form, each having reduced noise amplitudes. A candidate point c in D for, e.g., an amplitude extreme is determined for each discrete wave form instance (having unknown amplitude). A minimization technique determines a first set of discrete wave form instances (having known amplitudes) by collapsing on the amplitudes (bx) from above. A maximization technique determines a second set of discrete wave form instances (having known amplitudes) by rising up to the amplitudes (bx) from below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: DMI BioSciences, Inc.
    Inventor: Raphael Bar-Or
  • Publication number: 20030163266
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Publication date: August 28, 2003
    Inventors: Benjamin A. Ward, John J. Pickerd
  • Patent number: 6598003
    Abstract: The power and environmental condition monitoring system monitors the quality of power provided to a site as well as other environmental conditions that might affect the operation of electronic equipment at the site. The system detects and records power events, such as spikes, sags, surges, and other transients, records power conditions, such as voltage level, RMS volts, phase differential, A/C frequency, current, and impedance, and records environmental conditions, such as temperature, vibration, and humidity. The system includes an analog signal receiver that receives analog signals from measurement devices and converts the analog signals into digital signal data. At least some of the channels on the analog boards are high frequency channels capable of receiving and converting high frequency voltage event signals. The system also includes a digital signal processor (DSP) for reading the raw digital signal data from the analog signal receiver and for processing the raw digital signal data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: RX Monitoring Services, LLC
    Inventors: Todd V. Heino, Erik J. Kindseth, Robert T. Thomas