Signal sampling with sampling and reference paths
AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJoachim Moll, Thomas Burger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A signal-analyzing unit has a sampling path and a reference path both receiving a digital test signal. The sampling path has a first comparator for comparing the test signal against a first threshold value and providing a first comparison signal, and a first sampling device receiving as input the first comparison signal and a first timing signal. The reference path has a second comparator for comparing the test signal against a second threshold value and providing a second comparison signal, and a second sampling device for receiving as input the second comparison signal and a second timing signal. An analysis unit receives and analyzes the output of the sampling and reference paths.
Claims16
A signal-analyzing unit adapted for analyzing a digital test signal, comprising:
- a sampling path for receiving the test signal and comprising:
- a first comparator for comparing the test signal against a first threshold value and providing a first comparison signal as result of the comparison, and
- a first sampling device for receiving as input the first comparison signal together with a first timing signal comprising a plurality of successive first timing marks, wherein the first sampling device derives a value of the first comparison signal for one or more of the first timing marks;
- a reference path for receiving the test signal and comprising:
- a second comparator for comparing the test signal against a second threshold value and providing a second comparison signal as result of the comparison, and
- a second sampling device for receiving as input the second comparison signal together with a second timing signal comprising a plurality of successive second timing marks, wherein the second sampling device is to derive a value of the second comparison signal for one or more of the second timing marks;
- and
- an analysis unit for receiving and jointly analyzing the output of both of the sampling and reference path.
A method for analyzing a digital test signal, comprising the steps of:
- (a) comparing the test signal against a first threshold value and providing a first comparison signal as result of the comparison,
- (b) receiving as input the first comparison signal together with a first timing signal comprising a plurality of successive first timing marks, and deriving a value of the first comparison signal for one or more of the first timing marks,
- (c) comparing the test signal against a second threshold value and providing a second comparison signal as result of the comparison,
- (d) receiving as input the second comparison signal together with a second timing signal comprising a plurality of successive second timing marks, and deriving a value of the second comparison signal for one or more of the second timing marks, and
- (e) comparing the value of the first comparison signal for one or more of the first timing marks with the value of the second comparison signal for one or more of the second timing marks.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.