Patent EP0371656A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0371656A2
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EP
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Sequence of events detector for one or more digital signals
Assignee: Tektronix Inc
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Filing: 1989-11-15
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-11-15
Abstract
Abstract A sequence of events detector is described that provides a way to continuously monitor one or more digital signals and precisely define the b ehavior that the signals must exhibit in order to qualify as the sequence of events that the user wishes to detect or trigger on. A plurality of evaluation windows, all connected in parallel to the signal or signals to be examined, sequentially examine the behavior of the signal or signals, comparing this behavior with predefined criteria. Each of the evaluation windows are activated to begin their portion of the overall evaluation when they receive a match signal from the preceding window indicating that its criteria were met. Because each window is an independent process that activates the next process as soon as its own criteria are satisfied, the signals are continuously evaluated and there are no unintended "don't care" periods. Also, multiple evaluations of the signal or signals can be conducted concurrently by different evaluation windows, so that similar sequences of events arriving in close succession can still be effectively evaluated.
Inventors
- 👤 Benjamin A. Ward
- 👤 Mickael Seckora
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 18:41
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/30; G06F11/34; G06F11/3466; G06F11/348; G01; G01R; G01R31/00; G01R31/28; G01R31/317; G01R31/3177; G06F11/22; G06F11/25; G06F11/28
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
A method for detecting a sequence of events in serial digital data comprising the steps of: programming a plurality of evaluation windows with a desired behaviour of the serial digital data so that the plurality of evaluation windows continuously define the sequence of events to be recognized; enabling the first evaluation window; applying the serial digital data to the evaluation windows; matching the desired behavior of each enabled evaluation window with the sequence of events in the serial digital data to produce a match signal when the desired behavior occurs; enabling the next window in the series when a match signal is received from the preceding evaluation window; repeating the preceding three steps of applying, matching, and enabling the next window, until the last evaluation window is enabled; and generating an output signal when the last evaluation window produces a match signal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
142 words
A method for detecting a sequence of events in serial digital data comprising the steps of: programming a plurality of evaluation windows with a desired behaviour of the serial digital data so that the plurality of evaluation windows continuously define the sequence of events to be recognized; enabling the first evaluation window; applying the serial digital data to the evaluation windows; matching the desired behavior of each enabled evaluation window with the sequence of events in the serial digital data to produce a match signal when the desired behavior occurs; enabling the next window in the series when a match signal is received from the preceding evaluation window; repeating the preceding three steps of applying, matching, and enabling the next window, until the last evaluation window is enabled; and generating an output signal when the last evaluation window produces a match signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the programming step comprises the steps of: selecting a duration for each evaluation window; and choosing an event that is to occur within the duration of each evaluation window.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the choosing step comprises choosing among the following set of events: the signal staying high, the signal staying low, the signal transitioning from high to low, the signal transitioning from low to high, and don't care.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the matching step further comprises reporting a failure when it is determined that the programmed desired behavior will not occur.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the serial digital data comprises two separate signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as recited in claim 5 wherein the matching step further comprises reporting a failure when it is determined that the programmed desired behavior will not occur.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as recited in claim 6 wherein the enabling step is caused to occur by a report of a failure from a matching step.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the serial digital data comprises a plurality of separate signals.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method as recited in claim 5 wherein the choosing step comprises the steps of: deciding on a state of a Boolean combination of the two separate signals; and determining whether the event will consist of leaving the decided on state, or arriving at the decided on state or remaining in the decided on state.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
120 words
An apparatus for detecting a sequence of events in serial digital data, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of evaluation window circuits, each coupled to monitor the behavior of the digital data and each having a capability to perform an evaluation process by comparing the behavior of the digital data with a set of pre-programmed decision criteria, the evaluation process being activated within each evaluation window circuit by the receipt of a match signal from the preceding evaluation window circuit, and with each evaluation window circuit producing a match signal output for activating the next evaluation window circuit when the behavior of the digital data matches the set of pre-programmed decision criteria; and means for activating the first evaluation window circuit.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
120 words
An apparatus for detecting a sequence of events in serial digital data, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of evaluation window circuits, each coupled to monitor the behavior of the digital data and each having a capability to perform an evaluation process by comparing the behavior of the digital data with a set of pre-programmed decision criteria, the evaluation process being activated within each evaluation window circuit by the receipt of a match signal from the preceding evaluation window circuit, and with each evaluation window circuit producing a match signal output for activating the next evaluation window circuit when the behavior of the digital data matches the set of pre-programmed decision criteria; and means for activating the first evaluation window circuit.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein the means for activating is the application of control signals to one of the evaluation windows.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein the means for activating is a sequence start circuit coupled to activate the evaluation process of the first evaluation window circuit upon the receipt of an external command or upon the occurrence of a pre-selected behavior of the digital data.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein the plurality of evaluation windows have the additional capability of producing a fail signal if the behavior of the digital data does not match the set of pre-programmed decision criteria.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
48 words
An Apparatus as recited in claim 10 further comprises a trigger generating circuit coupled to the match signal outputs of all of the plurality of evaluation window circuits and having the capability of being programmed to select for output the match signal of a particular evaluation window circuit.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
An Apparatus as recited in claim 13 further comprising a trigger generation circuit coupled to the match signal outputs of all of the plurality of evaluation window circuits and having the capability of being programmed to select for output the match signal of a particular evaluation window circuit.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 15 wherein the trigger generation circuit has the further capability of being programmed to select for output the fail signal of one or more evaluation window circuits.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
140 words
An apparatus for detecting a sequence of events in serial digital data, the serial digital data including a first digital signal and a second digital signal, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of evaluation window circuits, each coupled to monitor the behavior of the first and second digital signals and each having a capability to perform an evaluation process by comparing the behavior of the first and second digital signals with a set of pre-programmed decision criteria, the evaluation process being activated within each evaluation window circuit by the receipt of a match signal from the preceding evaluation window circuit, and with each evaluation window circuit producing a match signal output for activating the next evaluation window circuit when the behavior of the digital data matches the set of pre-programmed decision criteria; and means for activating the first evaluation window circuit.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
140 words
An apparatus for detecting a sequence of events in serial digital data, the serial digital data including a first digital signal and a second digital signal, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of evaluation window circuits, each coupled to monitor the behavior of the first and second digital signals and each having a capability to perform an evaluation process by comparing the behavior of the first and second digital signals with a set of pre-programmed decision criteria, the evaluation process being activated within each evaluation window circuit by the receipt of a match signal from the preceding evaluation window circuit, and with each evaluation window circuit producing a match signal output for activating the next evaluation window circuit when the behavior of the digital data matches the set of pre-programmed decision criteria; and means for activating the first evaluation window circuit.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 17 wherein the means for activating is the application of control signals to any one of the evaluation windows.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 17 wherein the means for activating is a sequence start circuit coupled to activate the evaluation process of the first evaluation window circuit upon the receipt of an external command or upon the occurrence of a pre-selected behavior of the first and second digital signals.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 18 wherein the plurality of evaluation windows have the additional capability of producing a fail signal if the behavior of the digital data dows not match the set of pre-programmed decision criteria.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 17 further comprising a trigger generation circuit coupled to the match signal outputs of all of the plurality of evaluation window circuits and having the capability of being programmed to select for output the match signal of a particular evaluation window circuit.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 17 wherein the first and second digital signals are derived from monitoring a third signal at two different thresholds.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 20 wherein a control signal is a fail signal.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 20 further comprising a trigger generation circuit coupled to the match signal outputs of all of the plurality of evaluation window circuits and having the capability of being programmed to select for output the match signal of a particular evaluation window circuit.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 24 wherein the trigger generation circuit has the further capability of being programmed to select for output the fail signal of one or more evaluation window circuits.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
134 words
An apparatus for detecting a sequence of events in serial digital data, the serial digital data comprising a plurality of digital signals, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of evaluation window circuits, each coupled to monitor the behavior of the plurality of digital signals and each having a capability to perform an evaluation process by comparing the behavior of the plurality of digital signals with a set of pre-programmed decision criteria, the evaluation process being activated within each evaluation window circuit by the receipt of a match signal from the preceding evaluation window circuit, and with each evaluation window circuit producing a match signal output for activating the next evaluation window circuit when the behavior of the digital data matches the set of pre-programmed decision criteria; and means for activating the first evaluation window circuit.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
134 words
An apparatus for detecting a sequence of events in serial digital data, the serial digital data comprising a plurality of digital signals, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of evaluation window circuits, each coupled to monitor the behavior of the plurality of digital signals and each having a capability to perform an evaluation process by comparing the behavior of the plurality of digital signals with a set of pre-programmed decision criteria, the evaluation process being activated within each evaluation window circuit by the receipt of a match signal from the preceding evaluation window circuit, and with each evaluation window circuit producing a match signal output for activating the next evaluation window circuit when the behavior of the digital data matches the set of pre-programmed decision criteria; and means for activating the first evaluation window circuit.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 26 wherein the means for activating is the application of control signals to any one of the evaluation windows.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 26 wherein the means for activating is a sequence start circuit coupled to activate the evaluation process of the first evaluation window circuit upon the receipt of an external command or upon the occurrence of a pre-selected behavior of the plurality of digital signals.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 27 wherein the plurality of evaluation windows have the additional capability of producing a fail signal if the behavior of the digital data does not match the set of pre-programmed decision criteria.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 29 further comprising a trigger generation circuit coupled to the match signal outputs of all of the plurality of evaluation window circuits and having the capability of being programmed to select for output the match signal of a particular evaluation window circuit.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 30 wherein a control signal is a fail signal.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 31 wherein the trigger generation circuit has the further capability of being programmed to select for output the fail signal of one or more evaluation window circuits.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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