Keysight Technologies, Inc.

Edward Vernon Brush

Kenneth William Johnson

Michael Thomas McTigue

Wen Zhang

Fei Wang

Jeffrey John Haeffele

Stephen B Tursich

Neil Martin Forcier

Zheyu Zhang

Paul Doyle

Jason Swaim

Alexander Oliva

An oscilloscope probe includes: a connector pod; a probe identification module disposed in the connector pod, the probe identification module having a cross-sectional area; and a resistor disposed in the connector pod, and in-line with the probe identification module and having a substantially identical cross-sectional area as the probe identification module.

Oscilloscope probe having probe identification module

A direct current (DC) power rail probe includes a single-ended probe tip, and a two-path circuit having an input coupled to the single-ended probe tip and an output configured for connection to measurement equipment such as an oscilloscope. The two-path circuit includes an alternating current (AC) path in parallel with a feed-forward (FF) path, the AC path including a capacitive element, and the FF path including a series connection of at least one resistive element and an amplifier. The probe tip and two-path circuit are selectively operable in a non-attenuating mode and an attenuating mode.

DC power rail probes and measurement methods

A deskew fixture includes first and second deskew probe points for contacting first and second probes, respectively, during deskew calibration, a signal generating circuit for generating a calibration signal provided to the first and second deskew probe points, and a feedback loop for automatically self-calibrating the deskew fixture. The feedback loop includes first and second analog to digital converters (ADCs) for digitizing the calibration signal at the first and second deskew probe points while contacting the first and second probes, respectively, to provide first and second digitized calibration signals, and a processing unit programmed to determine inherent skew of the deskew fixture between the first and second skew probe points using the first and second digitized calibration signals, and to provide the determined inherent skew to a test instrument for use in the deskew calibration of the first and second probes.

Self-calibrating deskew fixture

Oscilloscope probe identification

A probe is connectable to a test instrument for measuring signals of a DUT, where the probe includes a probe head that includes multiple leads configured to connect to signal probe points of the DUT, and a sensor connected between two of the leads; at least one probe output configured to connect to the test instrument; a current detection circuit configured to detect current of the DUT through the sensor, and to provide a detected current signal; a voltage detection circuit configured to detect voltage of the DUT between the sensor and ground, and to provide a detected voltage signal; a combiner configured to combine the detected current signal and the detected voltage signal, and to provide a power signal indicating power of the DUT; and switches configured to selectively output at least one of the detected current signal, the detected voltage signal, and the power signal.

Power probe including sensor for detecting current and voltage signals

The illustrative embodiments pertain to a test fixture having low insertion inductance for large bandwidth monitoring of current signals. In one exemplary embodiment, the test fixture includes a baseplate with each resistor of a set of resistors embedded inside a respective non-plated through slot in the baseplate. A first terminal of each resistor is soldered to a top metallic zone of the baseplate and a second terminal soldered to a first of two bottom metallic zones of the baseplate. The top metallic zone is connected by plated-through holes to a second of the two bottom metallic zones. When mounted upon a PCB, the test fixture allows current flow from the first bottom metallic zone, upwards through the set of resistors to the top metallic zone, and downwards to the second bottom metallic zone. An observation instrument may be coupled to a coaxial connector that is mounted on the baseplate.

Test fixture for observing current flow through a set of resistors

Generally, in accordance with the various illustrative embodiments disclosed herein, a current sensing probe includes a current-to-voltage conversion circuit that not only presents a desirable impedance into an inductive current sensing element of the current sensing probe, but also remains operationally stable over a wide range of frequencies when measuring a current flowing through a device-under-test. The wide frequency range can extend down to some low frequencies that can prove challenging to conventional current sensing probe circuits.

Current sensing probe incorporating a current-to-voltage conversion circuit

A high-voltage active measurement probe is for a measurement instrument such as an oscilloscope. The high voltage active measurement probe includes an input terminal configured to receive an input signal from a device under test (DUT), a first output terminal configured to transmit a first output signal to the measurement instrument for measurement and display of peak voltages, and a second output terminal configured to transmit a second output signal to the measurement instrument for high sensitivity measurement and display of low level voltages. A first probe signal path is between the input terminal and the first output terminal, and a second probe signal path between the input terminal and the second output terminal. A first amplifier is in the first probe signal path between the input terminal and the first output terminal, and a second amplifier is in the second probe signal path between the input terminal and the second output terminal. A first attenuator is in the first probe signal path between the input terminal and the first amplifier, and a second attenuator in the second probe signal path between the input terminal and the second amplifier. A clamping circuit is in the second signal path between the second amplifier and the second output terminal and configured to clamp an internal probe signal, e.g. between an upper clamping threshold and a lower clamping threshold, to produce the second output signal.

Dual output high voltage active probe with output clamping and associated methods

An oscilloscope system includes a current probe, a processing unit and a display unit. The current probe includes a high and low gain signal paths for receiving simultaneously a signal of interest from a device under test (DUT), and to output amplified small and large current portions of the signal of interest, respectively. The processing unit receives first and second digitized data corresponding to the amplified small and large current portions output by the high and low gain signal paths, respectively, and processes the first and second digitized data for display as zoomed-in and zoomed-out waveform data, respectively. The display unit displays simultaneously a zoomed-in waveform in a first display window, based on the zoomed-in waveform data, and a zoomed-out waveform in a second display window, based on the zoomed-out waveform data, using the same time scale. The small current portion is less than a predetermined threshold.

Oscilloscope system and method for simultaneously displaying zoomed-in and zoomed-out waveforms

A probe for a measurement instrument comprises an input terminal configured to receive an input signal from a device under test (DUT), an output terminal configured to transmit an output signal to a measurement instrument, and a clamping circuit disposed in a signal path between the input terminal and the output terminal and configured to clamp an internal probe signal between an upper clamping threshold and a lower clamping threshold to produce the output signal, wherein the clamping circuit operates with substantial gain and amplitude linearity throughout a range between the upper clamping threshold and the lower clamping threshold.

Oscilloscope probe having output clamping circuit

A measurement probe comprises at least one input port configured to receive an input signal generated in relation to a device under test (DUT), and an amplification unit configured to amplify the input signal with a first gain where the input signal has a first amplitude, and further configured to amplify the input signal with a second gain lower than the first gain where the input signal has a second amplitude greater than the first amplitude.

Measurement probe providing different levels of amplification for signals of different magnitude

An oscilloscope current probe system includes a probe amplifier unit, a probe head identifier, and first and second probe heads interchangeably connectable to the probe amplifier unit. Each probe head has a respective electrically-readable type identifier, a respective current input to receive a current to be measured, a respective internal sensing resistor in connected series with the current input, and a respective output at which a measurement voltage across the sensing resistor is output. The first and second probe heads differ in the resistance of their sensing resistors and the way their type identifiers read. The probe amplifier unit includes a differential amplifier to amplify the measurement voltage output by the probe head connected thereto. The probe head identifier is to read the type identifier of the probe head connected to the probe amplifier unit.

Growing community of inventors

Colorado Springs, CO, United States of America

Edward Vernon Brush