State Machine Triggering for Protocol-Based Test Instruments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current triggering systems in test-and-measurement instruments face difficulties in establishing trigger conditions based on decoded data matching specific protocols, leading to complex and inefficient processing due to reliance on signal thresholds rather than data content analysis.
Innovation Solution
The development of state machines that can match and trigger on specific data patterns within bit streams, optimized to avoid look-ahead and backtracking, allowing for user-configurable trigger conditions using regular expressions and compound logic operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If triggering is based on signal threshold conditions, then the triggering system is simple to implement, but it cannot effectively trigger on decoded data matching specific protocols
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a state machine as an intermediary component between the signal processing and triggering functions. The state machine decodes protocol data and translates it into triggerable events, enabling protocol-based triggering without directly complicating the core triggering mechanism. This mediator handles the complexity of protocol interpretation while keeping the triggering system relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical threshold-based triggering with a software-based state machine approach. Instead of using hardware comparators and simple threshold logic, the system uses programmable state machines that can interpret complex protocol formats, enabling flexible protocol-based triggering while maintaining implementation simplicity through software abstraction.
2Productivity
If state machines are optimized to avoid look-ahead and backtracking, then processing efficiency improves, but the complexity of state machine design increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-compiling and optimizing state machines before actual triggering operations. The state machines are designed in advance to process protocol data efficiently without requiring look-ahead or backtracking during execution. This preliminary optimization of the state machine structure enables fast processing while managing design complexity through systematic pre-engineering.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the protocol decoding process into discrete state machine transitions, where each state represents a specific protocol element. This segmentation allows the complex protocol parsing to be broken down into simple, efficient transitions that avoid look-ahead and backtracking, improving processing efficiency while managing complexity through modular state definitions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If trigger conditions are made user-configurable with regular expressions, then adaptability improves, but the complexity of condition specification increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by using a single state machine framework that can handle multiple protocol types and trigger conditions through user configuration. The same state machine infrastructure supports both simple threshold triggering and complex protocol-based triggering with regular expressions, eliminating the need for separate handling mechanisms and reducing overall system complexity despite increased flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A test-and-measurement instrument is described. A state machine, corresponding to a regular expression, can be stored in the test-and-measurement instrument. The state machine can be modified to reflect a trigger condition received from a user. The modified state machine can then be used to invoke a trigger when the condition is met in the bits of a bit stream.