# US 2013/0158923 A1 · Frequency mask trigger with non-uniform bandwidth segments > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0158923 A1 - Document ID: US20130158923A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/328,098 - Filed: 2011-12-16 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-16 - Assignees: Tektronix, Inc. - Inventors: STEVEN W. STANTON; EDWARD C. GEE; ALFRED K. HILLMAN, JR. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130158923A1 ## CPC - G01R 13/0254: {for triggering, synchronisation} - G01R 23/18: with provision for recording frequency spectrum - G01R 23/02: Arrangements for measuring frequency, e.g. pulse repetition rate; Arrangements for measuring period of current or voltage - G01R 23/16: Spectrum analysis; Fourier analysis - G01R 23/20: Measurement of non-linear distortion - G06F 17/00: Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions (information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00) - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Disclosed is a test and measurement instrument having a multiple variable bandwidth frequency mask. The instrument includes an input processor for receiving an input signal and producing a digital signal, as well as a trigger signal generator for generating a trigger signal on the occurrence of a trigger event. A time to frequency converter converts a frame of digital data from the digital signal into a frequency spectrum having at least two frequency bins of dissimilar frequency widths. Each frequency bin has a power amplitude value. The trigger signal is generated when the power amplitude value of any of the at least two frequency bins violates an associated reference power level. In some cases the output may be shown as a density trace, and the trigger signal generated when any point of the density trace violates an associated density threshold. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A test and measurement instrument comprising: an input processor for receiving an input signal and producing a digital signal; a trigger signal generator for generating a trigger signal on the occurrence of a trigger event; and an acquisition memory for storing a seamless block of digital data from the digital signal in response to the trigger signal; the trigger signal generator comprising: a time to frequency converter for converting a frame of digital data from the digital signal into a frequency spectrum having at least two frequency bins, each frequency bin having a power amplitude value, and the at least two frequency bins having dissimilar frequency widths; circuitry for generating the trigger signal when the power amplitude value of any of the at least two frequency bins violates an associated reference power level. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The test and measurement instrument of claim 1 in which the associated reference power level is set according to a spectrum emission mask. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The test and measurement instrument of claim 1, in which the associated reference power level is set according to a spectrum emission mask standard. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The test and measurement instrument of claim 1, in which the associated reference power level is set according to a user-defined spectrum emission mask. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The test and measurement instrument of claim 1 in which the time to frequency converter comprises: a first downconverter and a first time to frequency transform together used to generate the frequency spectrum for a first of the at least two frequency bins; and a second downconverter and a second time to frequency transform together used to generate the frequency spectrum for a second of the at least two frequency bins. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The test and measurement instrument of claim 5 in which the first downconverter is a first re-sampler and the second downconverter is a second re-sampler. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The test and measurement instrument of claim 5, further comprising a resolution bandwidth window coupled to the first downconverter, and a second resolution bandwidth window coupled to the second downconverter. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The test and measurement instrument of claim 1 in which the time to frequency converter comprises: a first time to frequency transform structured to accept an output from a downconverter and generate a frequency spectrum for a first of the at least two frequency bins; and a second time to frequency transform structured to accept the output from the downconverter and generate a frequency spectrum for a second of the at least two frequency bins. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The test and measurement instrument of claim 8, further comprising a first resolution bandwidth window and a second resolution bandwidth window coupled to the downconverter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The test and measurement instrument of claim 8, in which the downconverter is a re-sampler. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The test and measurement instrument of claim 1, in which the frame of digital data is converted into a first set of spectra according to a first resultant bandwidth, and a second set of spectra according to a second resultant bandwidth; and further comprising: means for combining the first set of spectra to produce a first bitmap database having a plurality of cells arranged in an array of rows and columns; means for combining the second set of spectra to produce a second bitmap database having a plurality of cells arranged in an array of rows and columns; and means for generating a density trace having a plurality of points, wherein the value of each point indicates a density of one or more of the columns of the first bitmap database and a density of one or more of the columns of the second bitmap database above an associated amplitude threshold. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The test and measurement instrument of claim 11, in which the means for generating the trigger signal is structured to generate the trigger signal when any point of the density trace violates an associated density threshold. ### Claim 13 A method in a test and measurement instrument, the method comprising: receiving an input signal and producing a digital signal; generating a trigger signal on the occurrence of a trigger event; and storing a seamless block of digital data from the digital signal in an acquisition memory in response to the trigger signal; in which generating a trigger signal comprises: converting a frame of digital data from the digital signal into a frequency spectrum having at least two frequency bins, each frequency bin having a power amplitude value, and the at least two frequency bins having dissimilar frequency widths; and generating the trigger signal when the power amplitude value of any of the at least two frequency bins violates an associated reference power level. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: setting the associated reference power level according to a spectrum emission mask. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, in which converting a frame of digital data from the digital signal into a frequency spectrum having at least two frequency bins comprises: using a first downconverter and a first time to frequency transform together to generate the frequency spectrum for a first of the at least two frequency bins; and using a second downconverter and a second time to frequency transform together to generate the frequency spectrum for a second of the at least two frequency bins. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: setting a first resolution bandwidth for the first time to frequency transform; and setting a second resolution bandwidth for the second time to frequency transform. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, in which converting a frame of digital data from the digital signal into a frequency spectrum having at least two frequency bins comprises: accepting an output from a down converter and generating a frequency spectrum for a first of the at least two frequency bins using a first time to frequency transform; and accepting the output from the down converter and generating a frequency spectrum for a second of the at least two frequency bins using a second time to frequency transform. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: setting a first resolution bandwidth window for the first time to frequency transform; and setting a second resolution bandwidth window for the second time to frequency transform. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 in which converting a frame of digital data from the digital signal into a frequency spectrum having at least two frequency bins comprises: converting the frame of digital data into a first set of spectra according to a first resultant bandwidth and into a second set of spectra according to a second resultant bandwidth; combining the first set of spectra to produce a first bitmap database having a plurality of cells arranged in an array of rows and columns; combining the second set of spectra to produce a second bitmap database having a plurality of cells arranged in an array of rows and columns; and generating a density trace having a plurality of points, wherein the value of each point indicates a density of one or more of the columns of the first bitmap database and a density of one or more of the columns of the second bitmap database above an associated amplitude threshold. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 in which generating the trigger signal comprises: generating the trigger signal when any point of the density trace violates an associated density threshold.