Method for marking data in time/frequency measurement

A system for obtaining data of interest for a device under test (DUT) acquired by a measuring instrument transmitting pulsed radio frequency (RF) test signals to the DUT, the system comprising:

• an analog to digital converter (ADC) which receives an analog signal from the device under test and generates a set of measurement data;
• an acquisition component configured to acquire the set of measurement data from the ADC and a synchronizing time pulse separate from and synchronized with the acquired set of data,
• wherein the synchronizing time pulse includes synchronization events associated with timing of the pulsed RF test signals;
• wherein the acquisition component is further configured to identify a location estimated to correspond with a first synchronization event within the synchronizing time pulse in response to an initial trigger;
• a register configured to store the location, the location being received from the acquisition device, wherein the location is inserted into the register in response to the initial trigger;
• and
• a processing engine configured to perform the steps of
• receiving the location estimated to correspond with the first synchronization event from the register;
• searching the synchronizing time pulse within a predetermined window for the first synchronization event based on the location;
• identifying the first synchronization event based on the search;
• obtaining particular measurement data from the acquired set of measurement data within an offset range determined based on the identified first synchronization event;
• wherein a location of the identified first synchronization event within the synchronizing time pulse is designated as a current location;
• iteratively performing the following for a predetermined number of periods, wherein a period is an estimate of a length of time from an initiation of a pulsed RF test signal to an initiation of a next pulsed RF test signal:
• applying an offset delta value to the current location to predict a location of a next synchronization event within the synchronizing time pulse;
• wherein the offset delta value is based on the period;
• searching the synchronizing time pulse within a window based on a target period fraction for the next synchronization event based on the current location;
• iteratively widening the window, upon failing to identify the next synchronization event, and repeating the search within the widened window until identifying the next synchronization event or reaching a predefined maximum width for the window;
• obtaining particular measurement data from the acquired set of measurement data within the offset range determined based on the identified next synchronization event;
• and
• updating the current location based on a location of the identified next synchronization event within the synchronizing time pulse.

A non-transitory machine readable storage medium having instructions thereon that when executed cause a system to:

• receive an analog signal from the device under test and using an analog to digital converter (ADC) to generate a set of measurement data from the analog signal;
• receive, from a register, a location estimated to correspond with a first synchronization event within a synchronizing time pulse separate from and synchronized with the set of measurement data for a device under test (DUT) acquired by a measuring instrument transmitting pulsed radio frequency (RF) test signals to the DUT,
• wherein a synchronization event is associated with timing of a pulsed RF test signal,
• wherein the location is inserted into the register after an initial trigger;
• search the synchronizing time pulse within a predetermined window for the first synchronization event based on the location;
• identify the first synchronization event based on the search;
• obtain particular measurement data from the acquired set of measurement data within an offset range determined based on the identified first synchronization event;
• wherein a location of the identified first synchronization event within the synchronizing time pulse is designated as a current location;
• and
• iteratively perform the following for a predetermined number of periods, wherein a period is an estimate of a length of time from an initiation of a pulsed RF test signal to an initiation of a next pulsed RF test signal:
• apply an offset delta value to the current location to predict a location of a next synchronization event within the synchronizing time pulse;
• wherein the offset delta value is based on the period;
• search the synchronizing time pulse within a window based on a target period fraction for the next synchronization event based on the current location;
• iteratively widen the window, upon failing to identify the next synchronization event, and repeating the search within the widened window until identifying the next synchronization event or reaching a predefined maximum width for the window;
• obtain particular measurement data from the acquired set of measurement data within an offset range determined based on the identified next synchronization event;
• and
• update the current location based on a location of the identified next synchronization event within the synchronizing time pulse.