National Instruments Corporation

Charles G Schroeder

Kevin L Schultz

Ahsan Aziz

Daniel J Baker

Christopher Frederick Graf

B Keith Odom

Chen Chang

Ciro T Nishiguchi

Nigel G D'Souza

Paramjit S Banwait

Thomas D Magruder

Marcus K DaSilva

Cary Paul Butler

Brian M Johnson

James E Nicholson

Mike Hall

Dan Repich

Marcus K Dasilva

Testing devices such as integrated circuits (IC) with integrated antennas configured for millimeter wave (mmW) transmission and/or reception. A DUT may be mounted to an interface in a measurement fixture (e.g., a socket, anechoic chamber, etc.). Power and data connections of the DUT may be tested over the interface, which may also provide connections (e.g., wired) for input/output signals, power, and control and may also provide positioning. Radio frequency (RF) characteristics of the DUT may be tested over-the-air using an array of antennas or probes in the radiating Fresnel zone of the DUT's antennas. Each of the antennas or probes of the array may incorporate a power detector (e.g., a diode) so that the RF radiating pattern may be measured using DC voltage measurements. Measured voltage measurements may be compared to an ideal signature, e.g., voltage measurements expected from an ideal or model DUT.

Over-the-air testing of millimeter wave integrated circuits with integrated antennas

Various embodiments are presented of a system and method for testing (e.g., rapidly and cheaply) devices with antennas configured for radio frequency (RF) and/or millimeter wave (mmW) transmission and/or reception. A device to be tested (e.g., the device under test (DUT)) may be mounted to an interface in a measurement fixture (e.g., a socket, anechoic chamber, etc.). Power and data connections of the DUT may be tested over the interface, which may also provide connections for input/output signals, power, and control and may also provide positioning. RF characteristics (e.g., including transmission, reception, and/or beamforming) of the DUT may be tested over-the-air using an array of antennas or probes.

Over-the-air test fixture using antenna array

Customizing a test instrument. A plurality of pairs of code modules may be provided. Each pair of code modules may include a first code module having program instructions for execution by a processor of the test instrument and a second code module for implementation on a programmable hardware element of the test instrument. For each pair of code modules, the first code module and the second code module may collectively implement a function in the test instrument. User input may be received specifying modification of a second code module of at least one of the plurality of pairs of code modules. Accordingly, a hardware description may be generated for the programmable hardware element of the test instrument based on the modified second code module.

Customizing operation of a test instrument based on information from a system under test

Customizing code modules of software and programmable hardware for a test instrument

A system and method for acquiring images of variably sized objects. An object detector provides an indication of the presence or absence of objects as they pass by. An image sensing device acquires image data for the objects. An image acquisition device starts an activity counter, and initiates storage of image data for an object in response to detecting presence of the object. The image data is stored into an on-board memory. The activity counter counts a number of acquired scan lines for the object. In response to detecting absence of the object, the image acquisition device terminates the activity counter, and discontinues storage of the image data for the object. The final activity counter value, which reflects the number of scan lines acquired for the object, is recorded in an on-board FIFO. The image data is transferred to a system memory image buffer in a system memory. Host software routines may read the on-board FIFO. The image acquisition device is configured to rearm for acquisition of another object by resetting the activity counter, and initializing a write pointer to the on-board memory so that it points to the top of a next on-board memory buffer. After rearming, the image acquisition device may acquire image data for a second object in response to detecting presence of the second object.

Image acquisition system and method for acquiring variable sized objects

A system and method for multiplexing synchronous parallel digital data streams with different clock frequencies into a single data stream while preserving each data stream's timing integrity. A plurality of digital data inputs and corresponding clock inputs are coupled to corresponding FIFOs (First In First Out buffers), which are coupled to a data multiplexer (MUX). Each clock input is coupled to a clock MUX which couples to each FIFO and the data MUX. Finally, a transition state machine is coupled to the clock MUX, the data MUX, and the FIFOs. Each digital data input receives a data stream from a source, such as a digital video camera, while the corresponding clock input concurrently receives a corresponding clock signal. The transition state machine controls the selection of a data stream from the MUXed data streams and the selection of the corresponding clock signal from the MUXed clock signals. The transition state machine may receive a selection signal from an external source and transmit the selection signal to the data MUX and the clock MUX, as well as the FIFOs. Each clock input transmits its clock signal to the clock MUX which selects a clock signal based on the selection signal, and transmits the selected clock signal to the data MUX, the FIFOs, and the transition state machine. Each FIFO transmits its digital data stream to the data MUX which selects the data streams corresponding to the selected clock signal and outputs the selected stream, such as to an image acquisition device.

System and method for multiplexing synchronous digital data streams

A video capture system and method whereby video frames or images, which are received in one of a plurality of possible formats, are acquired and stored into on-board memory in an image format. The image data can then be transferred into system memory at an optimum rate. The video capture system comprises a host computer, including a video capture board, which is coupled to a video source, such as a video camera. The video source provides digital video data in a first format of a plurality of different possible formats. The video capture board includes a memory controller which receives the digital video data in the first format and selectively provides the digital video data to the buffer memory in an image format. The memory controller includes address generation logic for generating buffer memory addresses for storing the video data to the buffer memory in the image format. The address generation logic is programmable with configuration information corresponding to the first format and uses the configuration information to generate the addresses.

Video acquisition system including a virtual dual ported memory with adaptive bandwidth allocation

A data acquisition (DAQ) system and method which includes an improved event architecture. The DAQ device includes event logic coupled to receive one or more external or internal events from event sources. The event logic comprises one or more event selectors and one or more event mappers. The event selectors and event mappers receive event signals from event sources and selectively route the event signals to one or more destinations, also referred to as destination hardware elements. The destinations are operable to perform an action in response to receipt of the selected event signal. The event architecture of the present invention is designed to take advantage of both the flexibility of the traditional computer interrupt architecture and the speed of direct hardware mapping. At its essence, the hardware architecture comprises a mini, hardware, interrupt service routine. Hardware events or triggers are mapped to a set of board-level Events which are similar to the traditional idea of an interrupt. These hardware Events can then be mapped to cause a wide variety of direct hardware or software actions, similar to the traditional interrupt service routine, with the exception that the hardware events can be made to cause a wide variety of real-time or deterministic responses because no host processing is required.

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Cedar Park, TX, United States of America

Charles G Schroeder