Are You Ready for Bluetooth 5?

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group, which is the body that oversees the protocol's specification, doesn't stand still but rather continues to develop and improve Bluetooth technology. With an eye toward building an accessible and interoperable Internet of Things (IoT), the next version of the Bluetooth specification—Bluetooth 5—is slated to appear by early in 2017 and as soon as this fall.

The Power Delivery 2.0 Protocol in Action

Figure 1: A high-level view of a PD 2.0 power
contract negotiation

The Power Delivery 2.0 protocol brings a boatload of intelligence to the process of establishing power relationships between partners in a USB Type-C link. In previous posts, we've examined the basics of the two standards, the workings of USB Type-C cable detection, how dual-role port devices are handled, and PD 2.0 messaging. Next, let's look at PD 2.0 in action by deconstructing the initialization of a Google Chromebook laptop, which was one of the first Power Delivery devices on the market.

Just the FAQs: Waveform Averaging

Figure 1: The upper grid displays raw samples directly from
the ADC; the lower grid displays the average of 1000
acquisitions.

If you've poked around the Teledyne LeCroy website, perhaps you've run across the extensive (and growing) collection of test-related tidbits we call our FAQ Knowledgebase. To highlight some of these helpful hints for making better use of your oscilloscopes, protocol analyzers, network analyzers, etc., we'll post some here on the Test Happens blog from time to time.

USB Type-C and Dual-Role Port Devices

Figure 1: This protocol analyzer capture
shows how a DRP alternates between
voltage source and sink until it sees one
or the other at the far end of a link

At this juncture in our ongoing series of posts about USB Type-C and power delivery, it's time to acknowledge that some Type-C devices are not strictly a power source or sink. Some are called out in the Power Delivery 2.0 specification as dual-role port (DRP) devices that may act as either a source or sink for power. Note that unlike in the original OTG spec, this applies only to a port's power role, not to being a USB host or connected device.

USB Type-C and Power Delivery Messaging

Figure 1: Power Delivery messaging comprises two types:
Control and Data

Continuing our review of USB Type-C and the associated Power Delivery 2.0 (PD) specification, let's now turn to PD message types. Whereas USB was originally conceived as primarily a serial-data interface with limited power-delivery capabilities, the proliferation of power-hungry mobile devices has forced a rethinking of that conception. With PD 2.0 came a much more flexible, and capable, power-delivery functionality for USB. PD messaging is a critical component in this regard.

The Evolving User Interface: Cursors, Triggers, and More

Figure 1: Need to reposition a
cursor? Touch, hold, and drag it

In our review of the evolving user interface as embodied in Teledyne LeCroy's MAUI with OneTouch gesture control, we've seen how touch, drag, swipe, pinch, and flick gestures have combined to transform the oscilloscope UI into something that enhances and encourages creativity. Here, we'll cover a few of the remaining features of OneTouch, showing how the concept permeates the MAUI UI in the recently launched WaveRunner 8000 series of instruments.

The Evolving User Interface: Add New

Figure 1: Dragging a channel, memory, math, or zoom trace
to the Add New box creates a new trace of the same type

In our ongoing exploration of the evolving user interface as embodied by Teledyne LeCroy's MAUI - Most Advanced User Interface, we've seen how the addition of OneTouch gesture control and features such as Copy Setup and Change Source have made the touchscreen UI even more powerful, flexible, and intuitive. These features let you get the most out of an oscilloscope's functionality at lightning speed without fussing with menus or dialogs.