Method and apparatus for managing waveform data and delays in a waveform generator

A waveform generator, comprising:

• a plurality of signal channels;
• a memory including:
• a delay area configured to store a plurality of delay data sets, the delay area including a plurality of rows, wherein each row is configured to store a delay data set among the plurality of delay data sets with a digital delay value for each signal channel;
• a shared waveform area configured to store a plurality of waveform data sets, each waveform data set comprising a sequence of coded waveform values specifying waveform step states;
• and
• an active area including a buffer for each signal channel, each buffer configured to store a selected waveform data set among the plurality of waveform data sets;
• a signal decode circuit coupled to the buffer for each signal channel, wherein said signal decode circuit is configured to decode the coded waveform values of the waveform data set in the buffer and generate a waveform signal on the signal channel having the waveform step states;
• a delay control circuit comprising a delay register for each signal channel, a counter configured to generate an increment count value and a comparison circuit;
• wherein said memory further comprises:
• a delay pointer configured to address a selected row of said delay area of the memory to read the selected delay data set from the memory;
• and
• a signal pointer configured to address said shared area of the memory to read the selected waveform data set from the memory;
• wherein each delay register is configured to store the digital delay value in accordance with a delay profile specified by the digital delay value of the selected delay data set;
• and
• wherein the comparison circuit is configured to compare each digital delay value to the incrementing count value and generate a transmission control pulse for each signal channel when the comparison is satisfied, said transmission control pulse being configured to trigger the signal decode circuit to generate the waveform signal with said delay profile.