Continuous rf signal visualization with high resolution

Abstract

A method and apparatus for continuous RF signal visualization with high resolution acquires RF signal data within a specified frequency bandwidth seamlessly to produce digitized time domain data. The digitized time domain data is processed in both the frequency and time domains to form high resolution spectral and time traces which are stored. To match human visualization abilities, the high resolution traces are combined to form low resolution traces which are displayed. With the spectral traces, spectrum bitmaps may be generated and stored so that the spectrum bitmap for any displayed spectral trace may be recalled and displayed. The high resolution traces for any specified low resolution trace may be recalled for display. Finally multiple trigger event types may be generated and displayed with the displayed traces.

1 . A method of continuous RF signal visualization comprising the steps of:
 continuously acquiring an RF signal to produce seamless digital time domain data;   generating data traces from the seamless digital time domain data;   stacking the data traces in a raster map image memory to form a display frame; and   rendering the display frame on a display device to provide the continuous RF signal visualization.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the stacking step comprises the steps of:
 storing each data trace from the generating step as a high resolution data trace; 
 combining a plurality of the high resolution data traces from the generating step to produce low resolution data traces suitable for human visualization, the low resolution data traces being input to the stacking step as the data traces. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the generating step comprises the step of generating spectral traces from contiguous time blocks of the seamless digital time domain data as the data traces, each spectral trace having a plurality of frequency bins within a specified frequency bandwidth with a power value associated with each frequency bin. 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 3  further comprising the steps of:
 storing the spectral traces as high resolution spectral traces; and 
 combining the high resolution spectral traces to form low resolution spectral traces suitable for human visualization, the low resolution spectral traces being input to the stacking step as the data traces. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 3  wherein the rendering step comprises the step of displaying the display frame with color representing the power values along the spectral traces. 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 4  wherein the rendering step comprises the step of displaying the display frame with color representing the power values along the low resolution spectral traces. 
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the generating step comprises the step of generating time domain traces from contiguous time blocks of the seamless digital time domain data as the data traces, each time domain trace representing a specified period of time with a specified value associated with each increment of time within the specified period of time. 
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 7  further comprising the steps of:
 storing the time domain traces as high resolution time domain traces; and 
 combining the high resolution time domain traces to form low resolution time domain traces suitable for human visualization, the low resolution time domain traces being input to the stacking step as the data traces. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 7  wherein the rendering step comprises the step of displaying the display frame with color representing the specified value along the time domain traces. 
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 8  wherein the rendering step comprises the step of displaying the display frame with color representing the specified value along the time domain traces. 
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 11  wherein the specified value is selected from the group consisting of amplitude, frequency and phase. 
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising the steps of:
 generating a plurality of types of trigger signals from the seamless digital time domain data; and 
 displaying a location within the rendered display frame for each trigger event making up each of the types of trigger signals. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 3  further comprising the steps of:
 generating a spectrum bitmap for each spectral trace; and 
 storing the spectrum bitmap. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 14  further comprising the steps of:
 selecting one of the spectral traces from the display frame; and 
 displaying the stored spectrum bitmap corresponding to the selected one of the spectral traces. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising the steps of:
 stopping acquisition of the RF signal; and 
 displaying a selected portion of the seamless digital time domain data from the acquiring step as seamless high resolution data traces. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 2  further comprising the steps of:
 stopping acquisition of the RF signal; and 
 seamlessly displaying a selected portion of the high resolution data traces from the storing step.