SIMULTANEOUS PHYSICAL AND PROTOCOL LAYER ANALYSIS

• US 20080255784A1
• Filed: 06/20/2008
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teledyne LeCroy, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gilles Ritter, Kenneth William Johnson, Lawrence Steven Salant, Roland Gamper
• Inventors: Salant, Lawrence Steven, Ritter, Gilles, Gamper, Roland, Johnson, Kenneth William
• Granted Patent: US 7,756,199 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/67
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/0209 in numerical form
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/0245 for inserting reference markers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/0254 for triggering, synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/029 Software therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31912 Tester/user interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/367 Design verification, e.g. using simulation, simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis [SPICE], direct methods or relaxation methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring

Abstract

A method and apparatus for capturing an analog waveform on a serial bus. The method comprises the steps of designating a predetermined digital data sequence, decoding a serial data signal carried on a serial data bus, and comparing the decoded serial data signal to the predetermined digital data sequence. When it is determined that a portion of the decoded serial data matches the predetermined digital data sequence, the portion of the serial data signal corresponding to the matching portion of the decoded serial data signal is marked.

Claims

1-44. -44. (canceled)

45. A method for displaying an analog waveform and a corresponding digital value, comprising the steps of:

displaying a portion of the analog waveform;

delineating a predetermined time segment of the displayed portion of the analog waveform; and

displaying the digital value corresponding to the delineated predetermined time segment of the displayed analog waveform adjacent the delineated predetermined time segment.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the predetermined time segment is delineated by employing a translucent rectangle overlaid on the displayed portion of the analog waveform.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the translucent rectangle exhibits dimensions that are indicative of the predetermined time segment of the displayed portion of the analog waveform

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the digital value is displayed within the translucent rectangle.

49. The method of claim 45, wherein the digital value is displayed above the displayed portion of the analog waveform.

50. The method of claim 45, wherein the digital value comprises a protocol decoded value of the delineated predetermined time segment of the displayed portion of the analog waveform.

51. A method for displaying an analog waveform and a plurality of corresponding digital values, comprising the steps of:

displaying a portion of the analog waveform;

delineating a plurality of predetermined time segments of the displayed portion of the analog waveform; and

displaying the digital value corresponding to each of the delineated predetermined time segments of the displayed analog waveform adjacent the respective corresponding delineated predetermined time segment.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein each predetermined time segment is delineated by employing a translucent shape overlaid on the displayed portion of the analog waveform.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein a different translucent shape is utilized to designate different predetermined time segments of the displayed portion of the analog waveform.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the digital value corresponding to each of the delineated plurality of predetermined time segments is displayed within the respective corresponding translucent shape.

55. The method of claim 53, wherein the digital value corresponding to each of the delineated portions is displayed above the respective corresponding delineated time segment of the displayed portion of the analog waveform.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein the digital values comprise protocol decoded values of respective delineated predetermined time segments of the displayed portion of the analog waveform.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein each of the digital values corresponds to one or more portions of a protocol decoded message.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein the digital values comprise bit error rates associated with the predetermined time segments of the displayed portion of the analog waveform.

59. The method of claim 51, further comprising the step of delimiting a larger portion of the analog waveform, said larger portion including one or more of the delineated predetermined time segments.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein said larger portion of the analog waveform is delineated by overlaying a translucent shape on the displayed portion of the analog waveform.

61. The method of claim 51, wherein an amount of information displayed is determined at least in part in accordance with a zoom factor employed in displaying a portion of the analog waveform.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein upon displaying a smaller amount of the analog waveform, more detailed descriptive information is displayed.

63. The method of claim 51, wherein each predetermined time segment is delineated by overlaying a colored translucent shape on the displayed portion of the analog waveform.

64. The method of claim 51, wherein each predetermined time segment is delineated by overlaying a shape on the displayed portion of the analog waveform.

65. A computer readable medium storing a computer program including instructions adapted to operate on an oscilloscope which, when implemented, causes the oscilloscope to display an analog waveform and a plurality of corresponding digital values by:

displaying a portion of the analog waveform;

delineating a plurality of predetermined time segments of the displayed portion of the analog waveform; and

displaying the digital value corresponding to each of the delineated predetermined time segments of the displayed analog waveform adjacent the respective corresponding delineated predetermined time segment.

66. The computer readable medium of claim 65, further comprising instructions for:

delineating each predetermined time segment by overlaying a translucent shape on the displayed portion of the analog waveform, different translucent shapes being utilized to designate different predetermined time segments of the displayed portion of the analog waveform; and

wherein the digital value corresponding to each of the delineated predetermined time segments is displayed within the respective corresponding translucent shape.