Test and Measurement Instrument Using Combined Signals

• US 20110071795A1
• Filed: 09/22/2009
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tektronix Incorporated (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Tektronix Incorporated (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: VEITH, Kristie L., BEALE, Terrance R., DOBYNS, Kenneth P.
• Granted Patent: US 10,107,649 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/189
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/244 influencing characteristics of pulses or pulse trains; generating pulses or pulse trains

Abstract

A test and measurement instrument including a plurality of digitizers, each digitizer configured to digitize an input signal to generate a digitized signal; a signal processor configured to combine at least two of the digitized signals from the digitizers into a combined signal; and a circuit configured to receive the combined signal.

Claims

1. A test and measurement instrument, comprising:

a plurality of digitizers, each digitizer configured to digitize an input signal to generate a digitized signal;

a signal processor configured to combine at least two of the digitized signals from the digitizers into a combined signal; and

a circuit configured to receive the combined signal.

2. The test and measurement instrument of claim 1, wherein the circuit is further configured to receive at least one of the digitized signals

3. The test and measurement instrument of claim 1, further comprising:

an acquisition memory configured to store the combined signal.

4. The test and measurement instrument of claim 3, wherein the acquisition memory is further configured to store the digitized signals.

5. The test and measurement instrument of claim 4, the combined signal referred to as a first combined signal, the test and measurement instrument further comprising:

a second signal processor configured to combine at least two signals of the digitized signals and the first combined signal stored in the acquisition memory into a second combined signal and provide the second combined signal as a signal from the acquisition memory.

6. The test and measurement instrument of claim 1, further comprising:

a trigger circuit configured to trigger an acquisition in response to the combined signal.

7. The test and measurement instrument of claim 6, further comprising:

an acquisition memory configured to store the combined signal and at least one of the digitized signals.

8. The test and measurement instrument of claim 1, wherein the signal processor is configured to combine at least two of the digitized signals into the combined signal substantially simultaneously with the digitization of the corresponding input signals.

9. The test and measurement instrument of claim 1, further comprising:

a delay circuit configured to substantially time-align the digitized signals and the combined signal;

wherein the circuit is configured to receive the time-aligned combined signal and at least one of the digitized signals.

10. A test and measurement instrument, comprising:

means for digitizing a plurality of input signals into a plurality of digitized signals;

means for combining at least two of the digitized signals into a combined signal; and

means for acquiring data in response to the combined signal.

11. The test and measurement instrument of claim 10, further comprising:

means for triggering an acquisition in response to the combined signal.

12. The test and measurement instrument of claim 11, wherein the means for triggering the acquisition in response to the combined signal further comprises:

means for triggering the acquisition in response to the combined signal and at least one of the digitized signals.

13. The test and measurement instrument of claim 10, further comprising:

means for storing the combined signal and at least one of the digitized signals.

14. The test and measurement instrument of claim 13, further comprising:

means for combining at least two signals of the combined signal and at least one of the digitized signals stored in the means for storing.

15. A method, comprising:

digitizing a plurality of input signals into a plurality of digitized signals;

combining at least two of the digitized signals into a combined signal; and

selecting from among the digitized signals and the combined signal in association with an acquisition.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

triggering an acquisition in response to the combined signal.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

storing the combined signal in an acquisition memory.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

substantially continuously digitizing the input signals.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the digitizing of the input signals and the combining of the at least two digitized signals occurs substantially simultaneously.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

time-aligning the digitized signals and the combined signal prior to selecting from among the digitized signals and the combined signal.