Partitionable Memory for Simultaneous Independent Signal Measurements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current measurement instruments can only make a single measurement at a time, wasting time and potentially missing unpredictable or infrequent signal occurrences, as users must manually reconfigure the instrument for each measurement setup, and existing solutions do not allow for multiple independent measurements to be made simultaneously or stored independently.
Innovation Solution
A measurement instrument with partitionable memory that allows multiple independent measurements from different setups to be entered and stored simultaneously, using a DMA controller to manage data across separate memory partitions, enabling seamless switching and reconfiguration between measurements without user intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a single measurement setup is used at a time, then the measurement instrument can be operated and controlled easily, but the productivity is reduced due to manual reconfiguration time between measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The memory is divided into multiple partitions, each partition dedicated to storing data from a specific measurement setup. This segmentation allows the instrument to simultaneously store data from multiple different measurement configurations without interference, enabling rapid switching between setups while maintaining data integrity for each independent measurement
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple measurement setups are pre-configured and stored in the system before actual measurements begin. When a trigger event occurs, the instrument can immediately switch to the appropriate pre-configured setup and store data in the corresponding memory partition without requiring manual reconfiguration, thus eliminating setup time between measurements
2Adaptability or versatility
If the user is present to reconfigure the instrument for each measurement, then the measurement setup can be changed, but time is wasted during reconfiguration that could be used to capture additional signal occurrences
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement instrument automatically manages switching between different measurement setups based on trigger events without requiring user intervention. The system self-services by monitoring triggers, selecting appropriate pre-configured setups, and storing data in the correct memory partitions autonomously, eliminating the time loss associated with manual reconfiguration
3Productivity
If multiple independent measurements are made simultaneously, then the productivity increases, but the device complexity increases due to multiple memory partitions and management requirements
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple memory partitions are merged into a single unified memory structure that can be simultaneously accessed and managed. The DMA controller handles data transfer to multiple partitions in parallel, and the system combines the management of multiple measurement setups and their corresponding memory spaces into an integrated architecture, reducing the complexity that would otherwise arise from completely separate memory systems
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for making multiple independent measurements of events from multiple measurement setups entered at a single time. A measurement instrument receives N measurement setups to make N measurements of an input signal, where N is an integer greater than or equal to one. A memory is divided into N partitions, each of the N partitions corresponding to one of the N measurements. A first measurement is run on the input signal, the first measurement selected from the N measurements. The data from the first measurement is stored in a first partition selected from the N partitions.