Test and measurement instrument, test and measurement setup and method of measuring a device under test
A test and measurement instrument includes an input configured to receive at least a waveform of a test signal, which includes a plurality of samples. The test and measurement instrument includes a processing circuit connected with the input. The processing circuit is configured to analyze the waveform and to select at least a subset of samples out of the plurality of samples. The subset of samples matches predefined criteria concerning at least one of bandwidth, amplitude distribution, and amplitude percentiles. The test and measurement instrument is configured to generate a modified waveform based on the selected subset of samples and/or to measure only a part of a received measurement signal from a device under test, which corresponds to the selected subset of samples. Further, a test and measurement setup and a method of measuring a device under test are described.
1 . A test and measurement instrument for measuring a device under test, the test and measurement instrument comprising:
an input configured to receive at least a waveform of a test signal, wherein the waveform comprises a plurality of samples;
a processing circuit connected with the input, wherein the processing circuit is configured to analyze the waveform received and to select at least a subset of samples out of the plurality of samples of the waveform received by the input, wherein the selected subset of samples matches predefined criteria concerning at least one of bandwidth, amplitude distribution, or amplitude percentiles,
one of a waveform generation circuit or the processing circuit configured to generate a modified waveform based on the selected subset of samples, wherein the modified waveform comprises a smaller amount of samples than the waveform of the test signal, and
wherein the test and measurement instrument further comprising one of:
a waveform output port arranged to receive the modified waveform, wherein the waveform output port is connectable with an external signal generator device to which the modified waveform is forwarded for generating a signal based on the modified waveform; or
an internal signal generator circuit that is arranged to receive the modified waveform and to generate a signal based on the modified waveform and a signal output port connected to the internal signal generator circuit such that the signal generated based on the modified waveform is forwarded to the signal output port.
2 . The test and measurement instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the selected subset of samples comprises samples in a consecutive order.
3 . The test and measurement instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to divide the waveform into a plurality of segments, wherein the subset of samples is selected from one of the plurality of segments.
4 . The test and measurement instrument according to claim 3 , wherein the subset of samples comprises all samples of the segment selected from the plurality of segments.
5 . The test and measurement instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the input is a digital input via which the waveform is inputted as data.
6 . The test and measurement instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to generate the modified waveform or wherein the waveform generation circuit is separately formed with respect to the processing circuit and is configured to generate the modified waveform.
7 . A test and measurement setup comprising a device under test and a test and measurement instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the device under test is connected via an output of the device under test with an input port of the test and measurement instrument such that a measurement signal outputted by the device under test via the output is inputted to the input port of the test and measurement instrument.
8 . The test and measurement setup according to claim 7 , wherein the test and measurement instrument comprises a signal output port connected with an input of the device under test or wherein the test and measurement setup comprises a separately formed signal generator device that is connected with an input of the device under test.
9 . A method of measuring a device under test by a test and measurement instrument having an input and a processing circuit, wherein the method comprises:
receiving, by the input, at least a waveform of a test signal, wherein the waveform comprises a plurality of samples;
analyzing, by the processing circuit, the waveform received by the input;
selecting, by the processing circuit, at least a subset of samples out of the plurality of samples, wherein the selected subset of samples matches predefined criteria concerning at least one of bandwidth, amplitude distribution, and amplitude percentiles; and
generating, by the processing circuit, a modified waveform based on the selected subset of samples, wherein the modified waveform comprises a smaller amount of samples than the waveform of the test signal;
generating a signal based on the modified waveform, the generated signal being inputted to the device under test for processing the generated signal and generating a measurement signal based on the generated signal.
10 . A test and measurement instrument for measuring a device under test, the test and measurement instrument comprising:
an input configured to receive at least a waveform of a test signal, wherein the waveform comprises a plurality of samples;
a processing circuit connected with the input, wherein the processing circuit is configured to analyze the waveform received by the input and to select at least a subset of samples out of the plurality of samples of the waveform received, wherein the selected subset of samples matches predefined criteria concerning at least one of bandwidth, amplitude distribution, and amplitude percentiles;
a signal receiver circuit configured to receive a measurement signal from the device under test and to digitize the received measurement signal, thereby obtaining a digitized measurement signal;
a signal analyzer circuit connected with the signal receiver circuit and configured to receive the digitized measurement signal from the signal receiver circuit,
wherein the signal receiver circuit is configured to forward only a part of the digitized measurement signal to the signal analyzer circuit, and
wherein the forwarded part of the digitized measurement signal corresponds to the selected subset of samples such that the test and measurement instrument is configured to measure only the selected subset of samples.
11 . The test and measurement instrument according to claim 10 , wherein the signal receiver circuit is a sub-circuit of the processing circuit.
12 . The test and measurement instrument according to claim 10 , wherein the signal analyzer circuit is configured to analyze the digitized measurement signal based on the selected subset of samples.
13 . The test and measurement instrument according to claim 10 , wherein the signal analyzer circuit is a sub-circuit of the processing circuit.
14 . A test and measurement setup comprising a device under test and a test and measurement instrument according to claim 10 , wherein the device under test is connected via an output of the device under test with an input port of the test and measurement instrument such that a measurement signal outputted by the device under test via the output is inputted to the input port of the test and measurement instrument.
15 . The test and measurement setup according to claim 14 , further comprising a signal output port connected with an input of the device under test or wherein the test and measurement setup comprises a separately formed signal generator device that is connected with an input of the device under test.