Signal probe with remote control function

• US 5,293,122 A
• Filed: 06/08/1992
• Issued: 03/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lecroy Corporation (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lecroy Corporation (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dye, Stephen T., Cake, Brian V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wieder, Kenneth A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, GLENN WARNER
• Application Number:
  US07/895,101
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 324/72.5, 324/115, 324/121 R, 324/149, 324/158 P
• US Class Current: 324/755.01
• 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

A signal probe apparatus having a probe tip, a grounding attachment, a main body portion and a connector for use with a signal measuring device. The probe tip and the grounding attachment are coupled by way of first and second signal lines to the connector for supplying signals therefrom to the signal measuring device. A plurality of circuit elements, such as resistors, are connected between the second signal line and a third line in the connector; and switch means located on the main body portion enables a predetermined circuit value, for example, the resistance between the second and third lines, to be selectively changed to a respective value which corresponds to a respective one of several predetermined functions which may be performed by the signal measuring device. The selected circuit value is detected by the signal measuring device and the corresponding function is thereafter implemented.

Claims

1. Signal probe apparatus for use with and for controlling a signal measuring device operable to perform a plurality of functions, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of signal lines connectable to said signal measuring device;

means for supplying a signal to be measured to one of said signal lines;

attenuation means for attenuating said signal to be measured by a predetermined attenuation amount;

means for selectively producing different predetermined values across a number of said signal lines, each predetermined value representing a respective one of said functions to be performed by said signal measuring device, and including means for connecting different resistors across said number of said signal lines so that said different predetermined values are different resistance values, the effective resistance value nevertheless being within a predetermined range of resistance values so as to identify said attenuation amount to said signal measuring device; and

activate means connected to said means for producing to provide an indication for said signal measuring device to activate the function represented by the selectively produced predetermined value, thereby controlling said signal measuring device.

2. Signal probe apparatus according to claim 1, in which the effective resistance value produced by connecting any of said different resistors across said number of said signal lines is within said predetermined range of resistance values.

3. Signal probe apparatus according to claim 1, in which the number of resistance values is at least 3, thereby enabling selection of at least 3 functions to be performed by said signal measuring device.

4. Signal probe apparatus for use with and for controlling a signal measuring device operable to perform a plurality of functions, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of signal lines connectable to said signal measuring device;

means for supplying a signal to be measured to one of said signal lines;

a plurality of resistors, each being connectable across a number of said signal lines; and

switch means selectively connecting respective ones of said resistors across said number of signal lines to produce a respective predetermined resistance value thereacross which represents a respective one of said functions so as to provide an indication for said signal measuring device to activate the respective function, thereby controlling said signal measuring device.

5. Signal probe apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising attenuation means for attenuating said signal to be measured by a predetermined attenuation amount;

and wherein said plurality of resistors includes a sense resistor having a resistance within a predetermined range of resistance values so as to provide an indication of said attenuation amount to said signal measuring device.

6. Signal probe apparatus according to claim 4, in which each of said switch means includes a momentary-type switch.

7. Signal probe apparatus for use with and for controlling a signal measuring device operable to perform a plurality of functions, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of signal lines connectable to said signal measuring device; and

a body including means for supplying a signal to be measured to one of said signal lines, means for selectively producing different predetermined resistance values across a number of said signal lines, each predetermined resistance value representing a respective one of said functions to be performed by said signal measuring device, attenuation means for attenuating said signal to be measured by a predetermined attenuation amount, and activate means connected to said means for selectively producing to provide an indication for said signal measuring device to activate the function represented by the predetermined resistance value across said number of signal lines, thereby controlling said signal measuring device.

8. Signal probe apparatus according to claim 7, in which the different resistance values switched across said number of signal lines provide an effective resistance within a predetermined range of resistance values to indicate said attenuation amount to said signal measuring device.

9. Signal probe apparatus according to claim 8, in which the effective resistance value connected across said number of signal lines is within said predetermined range of resistance values regardless of the resistance value that is switched.

10. Signal probe apparatus according to claim 8, in which the number of resistance values is at least 3, thereby enabling selection of at least 3 functions to be performed by said signal measuring device.

11. Signal probe apparatus according to claim 7, in which said activate means comprises means for connecting a low resistance value across said number of signal lines.

12. Signal probe apparatus for use with and for controlling a signal measuring device operable to perform a plurality of functions, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of signal lines connectable to said signal measuring device; and

a body including means for supplying a signal to be measured to one of said signal lines, a sense resistor connected across a number of signal lines, attenuation means for attenuating said signal to be measured by a predetermined attenuation amount, and a plurality of resistors each being selectively connectable with said sense resistor so as to selectively change a predetermined resistance value across said number of signal lines to a respective predetermined resistance value which represents a respective one of said functions so as to provide an indication for said signal measuring device to activate the respective function, thereby controlling said signal measuring device.

13. Signal probe apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said sense resistor has a resistance value within a predetermined range of resistance values to provide an indication of said attenuation amount to said signal measuring device.

14. Signal probe apparatus according to claim 13, in which each of said resistors, when connected with said sense resistor, provides an effective resistance value outside said predetermined range of resistance values.

15. Signal probe apparatus for use with a signal measuring device operable to perform a plurality of functions, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of signal lines including ground and sense lines connectable to said signal measuring device;

means for supplying a signal to be measured to one of said signal lines;

attenuation means for attenuating said signal to be measured by a predetermined attenuation amount;

switching means including a sensor resistor connected across said ground and sense lines and having a resistance representing said attenuation amount, and a plurality of additional resistors each being individually connectable in parallel with said sense resistor for selectively producing different predetermined effective resistance values across said ground and sense lines, each predetermined effective resistance value representing a respective one of said functions to be performed by said signal measuring device, the effective resistance value nevertheless being within a predetermined range of resistance values so as to identify said attenuation amount to said signal measuring device; and

activate means connected to said switching means to provide an indication to said signal measuring device to activate the function represented by the selectively produced predetermined effective resistance value.

16. Signal probe apparatus for use with a signal measuring device operable to perform a plurality of functions, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of signal lines connectable to said signal measuring device;

means for supplying a signal to be measured to one of said signal lines;

attenuation means for attenuating said signal to be measured by a predetermined attenuation amount;

a plurality of resistors each being connectable across a number of said signal lines, said plurality of resistors including a sense resistor having a resistance within a predetermined range of resistance values so as to provide an indication of said attenuation amount to said signal measuring device; and

a plurality of switch means each selectively connecting a respective resistor in parallel with said sense resistor to provide an effective resistance value across said number of lines outside said predetermined range of resistance values which represents a respective one of said functions and thereby provide an indication to said signal measuring device to activate the respective function.

17. Signal probe apparatus for use with a signal measuring device operable to perform a plurality of functions, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of signal lines connectable to said signal measuring device; and

a body including means for supplying a signal to be measured to one of said signal lines, attenuation means for attenuating said signal to be measured by a predetermined attenuation amount, a sense resistor connected across a number of signal lines, and a plurality of switchable resistors each including a respective resistor connected to a momentary-type switch and each being selectively connectable in parallel with said sense resistor so as to selectively change a predetermined resistance value across said number of signal lines to a respective predetermined resistance value which represents a respective one of said functions and thereby provides an indication to said signal measuring device to activate the respective function.