Method and apparatus for triggering

Abstract

A trigger circuit for detecting plural simultaneous input signals and generating a trigger signal in response thereto includes a word recognizer and a state machine. The word recognizer reconstructs eacg input signal in response to predetermined high and low threshold voltage logic levels and the input signal. The reconstructed signals indicate the input signal's logic level above the high threshold level, below the low threshold level, and transitionally between the high and low logic levels. The trigger circuit provides both clock-based and time-based trigger modes. The clock-based trigger modes include single event triggering, nested event triggering, and consecutive and exception event triggering. The time-based trigger modes include these modes and in addition setup and hold-time triggering, transition time triggering, and sliver pulse triggering.