Realtime power mask trigger
First Claim
1. An instrument for acquiring digital data representing an input signal in response to a realtime power mask trigger signal comprising:
- an input processor for receiving the input signal and producing a stream of seamless blocks of digital data;
a realtime power mask trigger signal generator for generating a trigger signal on the occurrence of a trigger event;
an acquisition memory for storing a predefined number of blocks of digital data about the trigger event in response to the trigger signal; and
a digital signal processor for processing either the digital data from the input processor, or the digital data stored in the acquisition memory to produce a processed signal;
the realtime power mask trigger signal generator comprising;
a circulating buffer for receiving the blocks of digital data;
a windowing function which produces windowed blocks of digital data from the blocks of digital data in the circulating buffer;
a discrete Fourier transform for converting the windowed blocks of digital data into frequency spectra, each frequency spectrum having a plurality of frequency bins, and each frequency bin having a power amplitude;
an integrator for integrating the power amplitudes of a frequency spectrum over a defined bandwidth to produce an integrated power for the defined bandwidth; and
a comparator for generating the trigger signal when the integrated power of the defined bandwidth violates a specified power level for the defined bandwidth;
the realtime power mask trigger signal generator being fast enough to keep up with the stream of digital data.
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Abstract
A realtime power mask trigger generator for an instrument that acquires data in response to a trigger signal integrates power amplitudes over a defined bandwidth within a frequency spectrum for an input signal to produce an average signal power, and compares the average signal power with a specified reference power level for the defined bandwidth. Violation of the reference power level by the average signal power generates the trigger signal for acquiring data from the input signal about the trigger event by the instrument. The frequency spectrum may be divided into more than one defined frequency bandwidth, and each defined frequency bandwidth may have its own specified reference power level. The defined frequency bandwidths and associated reference power levels define a realtime power mask trigger.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. An instrument for acquiring digital data representing an input signal in response to a realtime power mask trigger signal comprising:
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an input processor for receiving the input signal and producing a stream of seamless blocks of digital data; a realtime power mask trigger signal generator for generating a trigger signal on the occurrence of a trigger event; an acquisition memory for storing a predefined number of blocks of digital data about the trigger event in response to the trigger signal; and a digital signal processor for processing either the digital data from the input processor, or the digital data stored in the acquisition memory to produce a processed signal; the realtime power mask trigger signal generator comprising; a circulating buffer for receiving the blocks of digital data; a windowing function which produces windowed blocks of digital data from the blocks of digital data in the circulating buffer; a discrete Fourier transform for converting the windowed blocks of digital data into frequency spectra, each frequency spectrum having a plurality of frequency bins, and each frequency bin having a power amplitude; an integrator for integrating the power amplitudes of a frequency spectrum over a defined bandwidth to produce an integrated power for the defined bandwidth; and a comparator for generating the trigger signal when the integrated power of the defined bandwidth violates a specified power level for the defined bandwidth; the realtime power mask trigger signal generator being fast enough to keep up with the stream of digital data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A realtime power mask trigger signal generator comprising:
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means for converting a stream of seamless blocks of digital data representing time segments of an input signal into frequency spectra, each frequency spectrum having a plurality of frequency bins, and each frequency bin having a power amplitude; means for integrating the power amplitudes of one frequency spectrum over a defined bandwidth to produce an integrated signal power for the defined bandwidth; and means for comparing the integrated signal power with a specified power level for the defined bandwidth to generate a trigger signal when the integrated signal power violates the specified power level; the means for converting, means for integrating, and means for comparing being fast enough to keep up with the stream of digital data; and the defined bandwidth and the specified power level defining a realtime power mask. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification