SIMULTANEOUS PHYSICAL AND PROTOCOL LAYER ANALYSIS

• US 20100141657A1
• Filed: 02/12/2010
• Published: 06/10/2010
• 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 7,965,764 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/440.100
• 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 plurality of corresponding protocol decoded values, comprising the steps of:

inputting the analog waveform

displaying on a display a portion of the analog waveform;

selecting a zoom factor at which the portion of the analog waveform is displayed;

delineating a plurality of time segments of the displayed portion of the analog waveform by decoding said analog waveform in accordance with a predetermined protocol; and

displaying on said display the protocol decoded values corresponding to each of the delineated time segments of the displayed analog waveform adjacent the respective corresponding delineated time segment, the amount of the protocol decoded values that are displayed being determined at least in part in accordance with the zoom factor selected to display said portion of the analog waveform.

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

47. The method of claim 46, wherein a different translucent shape is utilized to designate different time segments of the displayed portion of the analog waveform.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the protocol decoded value corresponding to each of the delineated plurality of time segments is displayed within the respective corresponding translucent shape.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein the protocol decoded 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.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the protocol decoded values comprise protocol decoded values of respective delineated time segments of the displayed portion of the analog waveform.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein each of the protocol decoded values corresponds to one or more portions of a protocol decoded message.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein the protocol decoded values comprise bit error rates associated with the delineated time segments of the displayed portion of the analog waveform.

53. The method of claim 45, further comprising the step of delimiting a larger portion of the analog waveform, said larger portion including one or more of the delineated time segments.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein said larger portion of the analog waveform is delineated by overlaying a translucent shape on the displayed portion of the analog waveform.

55. The method of claim 45, wherein upon displaying a smaller amount of the analog waveform, more of said protocol decoded values are displayed.

56. The method of claim 45, wherein each said time segment is delineated by overlaying a colored translucent shape on the displayed portion of the analog waveform.

57. The method of claim 45, wherein each said time segment is delineated by overlaying a shape on the displayed portion of the analog waveform.

58. 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 protocol decoded values by:

displaying a portion of the analog waveform;

delineating a plurality of time segments of the displayed portion of the analog waveform by decoding said analog waveform in accordance with a predetermined protocol;

translating the protocol decoded values into user-selected messages defined by said predetermined protocol; and

displaying the user-selected message corresponding to each of the delineated time segments of the displayed analog waveform adjacent the respective corresponding delineated time segment.

59. The computer readable medium of claim 58, further comprising instructions for:

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

wherein the user-selected message corresponding to each of the delineated time segments is displayed within the respective corresponding translucent shape.

60. A method for displaying an analog waveform and a plurality of corresponding protocol decoded values, comprising the steps of:

inputting the analog waveform

displaying on a display a portion of the analog waveform;

delineating a plurality of time segments of the displayed portion of the analog waveform by decoding said analog waveform in accordance with a predetermined protocol;

translating the protocol decoded values into user-selected messages defined by said predetermined protocol; and

displaying on said display the user-selected messages corresponding to the delineated time segments of the displayed analog waveform adjacent the respective corresponding delineated time segment.