UNBOUND OSCILLOSCOPE PROBE SYSTEMS-USING RF AND OR OPTICAL TEST POINT LINKS - PROVIDES OPERATIONAL ACCESS AND MOBILITY

• US 20130006570A1
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sidney J. Kaplan
• Original Assignee: Sidney J. Kaplan
• Inventors: Kaplan, Sidney J.
• Application Number:
  US13/538,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20130006570A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/125
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06788 Hand-held or hand-manipulated probes, e.g. for oscilloscopes or for portable test instruments end pieces terminating in a probe H01R11/18

Abstract

Employing RF or optical communication connecting links to oscilloscope probes—adds mobility and flexibility to oscilloscope test and measurement operation. Currently bound by cables to the oscilloscope control and display functions the probe systems are freed to communicate and send signal images over a wide range in local areas. The RF linking of unique address probe systems allows multiple individuals at distant test sites to participate in coordinated viewing and controlling test operations facilitating group and management cooperation. The test probe cable system adapted or replaced by an RF link is configured for the two general classes of oscilloscopes—the integrated bench oscilloscope instrument and the bifurcated oscilloscope instrument that employs a PC for display and control. Oscilloscope probes that are cable free enable the signal measurements to be collected conveniently—even from remote or otherwise inaccessible points.

Claims

1. A method for providing oscilloscope probe signals with wire free operation using RF or light wave signal transmission to the oscilloscope control unit display. A Pod unit with test signal probe contacts which is a part of a digital storage oscilloscope employing a computer control for test signal information display and command is provided with mobility and multiple accesses to multiple test computer control units comprises:

(a) providing said Pod with a means of processing sampled signal data with memory and interface timing for the wire free transmission of signal said signal information as well as RF reception of command signal from said computer command processes,

(b) providing the means for the said computer oscilloscope control computer that comprises PC, tablet or specialized processors with signal timing and processing capability to adapt to the wire free said transmission system of the signal information to be received from the said pod as well as the command signals to be transmitted to the said pod,

(c) providing the means for said transmission system that replaces any connecting cable or wiring between said pod and said controller, were the communication system comprises such standard systems comprise Zigbee, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or any non standard communication protocol,

(d) providing the said computer control a means to display command control of the said transmission system that control the said pod in establishing the timing and version of desired sampling operation,

(e) providing the said computer control a means to display the test signal timed sequence received over the said transmission system,

(f) providing a means for said computer control addressing each signal capture pod that allows the controller to uniquely control said pod transmission to receive said sampled data,

(g) providing a means for a plurality of said controller computers controller where each can individually address each one of said signal capture pods allowing control of selected and addressed said Pods enabling said signal data transmission to be received,

whereby said control and display computer can control said pod or pods and

command signal monitoring and display over a range that can be several hundred meters (depending on the transmitter recover used) that is a major improvement compared to the short distances that current cable attachments allow for probe systems tethered to oscilloscope control and display instruments, and

whereby the wire free probe attachments mitigate the need for long attachment wires and probe cables in use in laboratories.

2. The said Cable Free Oscilloscope Probe System of claim 1 has a means of a powering the said system with a battery system incorporated in said Pod that by making it unnecessary to attach the said Pod to a nearby power source where the battery system facilitates said system in mobility and freedom of use.

3. The said Cable Free Oscilloscope Probe System of claim 1 has a means of making an unbound probe cable system that can provide an analog test signal to any independent oscilloscope system by adding an analog conversion output of said computer control received said test signal and enabling the converted analog signal to be applied to the oscilloscope analog input.

5. The said Cable Free Oscilloscope Probe System of claim 2 has a means of a powering the said system with a battery system incorporated in said pod that facilitate said system in mobility and freedom of use.

6. The said Cable Free Oscilloscope Probe System of claim 2 also contains an analog conversion output of said computer controller that receives said test signal making an unbound probe cable system that can provide an analog test signal to any independent oscilloscope system.

4. A oscilloscope probe system that is cable and wire free uses RF or light wave signal transmission system enabling free unencumbered probes on a Pod unit of a bifurcated digital storage oscilloscope, (DSO), to have mobility and multiple accesses to multiple test control units comprising:

(h) said Pod that converts probe contact input analog signals to digital samples and store the signal data in memory under processor control for adapting the interface timing for the wire free transmission of said signal information as well as reception of command signal from said command processes,

(i) an oscilloscope computer control that comprises PC, tablet or specialized processors with signal timing and processing capability to provides a means to adapt to the said wire free transmission system of the said signal information to be received from the said Pod as well as the command signals to be transmitted to the said Pod,

(j) said transmission system that replaces any connecting cable or wiring between said pod and said controller computer comprises such standard systems comprise Zigbee, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or any non standard communication protocol,

(k) said computer control displays command control of the said transmission system that provides a means to control the said pod in establishing the timing and selected type of the appropriate sampling,

(l) said control computer incorporates a display that presents the test signal representation in timed sequence as received and decoded over the said transmission system,

(m) said computer control addressing each said Pod provides a means to uniquely control said Pod transmission to receive said sampled data,

(n) the addressing system provides a means for a plurality of said computer controllers where each can individually address each one of said signal capture Pods allowing control of each selected and addressed said Pod enabling said signal data transmission to be received by each said control computer,

whereby said control computer can control said pod or pods and

command signal monitoring and display over a range that can be several hundred meters (depending on the transmitter recover used) providing a major improvement compared to the short distances that current cable attachments allow for probe systems tethered to oscilloscope control and display instruments, and

whereby the wire free probe attachments mitigate the need for long attachment wires and probe cables the oscilloscope use in laboratories is facilitated.