Getting The Most Out Of Your Oscilloscope: Math Functions

Figure 1: Parameter math functions
provide a way to create custom
parameters

Parameter math functions are an important part of an oscilloscope's analysis capabilities. Using parameter math, you can create custom parameters based on simple arithmetic relationships between existing parameters. It allows you to add, subtract, multiply, divide, or rescale parameters (Figure 1).

Getting The Most Out Of Your Oscilloscope: Sequence and History Modes

Figure 1: Sequence mode grabs rare triggered events from
long captures and stores them in segments

When using an oscilloscope, there are bound to be instances in which you need to capture a large number of fast pulses in quick succession, or, conversely, a small number of events separated by long periods of time. Both are challenging for typical signal acquisition modes. But many Teledyne LeCroy oscilloscopes provide what's known as Sequence mode, which lets you capture these events while ignoring the long intervals between them.

Getting The Most Out Of Your Oscilloscope: WaveScan and XDEV Custom Parameters

Figure 1: Using WaveScan to search
for rare glitch events

In earlier posts about how to maximize your oscilloscope's utility, we've discussed how to properly capture a waveform, making measurements, and extracting more meaningful information from those measurements that might be readily apparent. Now we'll look at how to correlate anomalous behavior from a waveform with other waveforms we may have captured.

Getting The Most Out Of Your Oscilloscope: Tracks and Trends

Figure 1: The track math function
shows how data changes over time

Our discussion of cursors and parameters leads us neatly into the topics of tracks and trends, which are both means of extending parameter measurement into a more analytical direction. We can do this using math functions that are part of your Teledyne LeCroy oscilloscope's toolset.

Getting The Most Out Of Your Oscilloscope: Cursors and Parameters

Figure 1: Cursors (top) and parameter
measurements (bottom) are both
powerful tools in their own right

Oscilloscopes give us a wealth of tools with which to view, measure, and analyze the performance of a circuit. Broadly speaking, two classes of such tools are cursors and parameter measurements. Taken on their own, both classes afford the user a great deal of capability. Put them together, though, and you can really start to gain deep insights into what's going on with a waveform.

Getting The Most Out Of Your Oscilloscope: Documentation

Figure l: A LabNotebook entry quickly and easily saves
everything you need to later replicate your measurements

If we really want to get the most out of our oscilloscopes, we'd be remiss in overlooking the documentation capabilities that modern instruments provide. It's so important to document our working sessions so they're consistent and repeatable. Oscilloscope setups can be quite intricate for a given measurement or procedure. Why not let the instrument help us keep track of such things?

Getting The Most Out Of Your Oscilloscope: Trigger Delay

Figure 1: Pre-triggering, or trigger delay, is a useful tool for
debugging applications

Triggering is one of the most basic, yet most useful, tools your oscilloscope offers you. Say you want to see what led up to, and/or what follows, a trigger condition. You're looking at an interesting waveform such as that shown in Figure 1. You have the trigger's delay position set at 10% and 90%.