Digitally programmable signal generator and method

Patent · 31 December 1988

OSTI ID:867181

Priatko, Gordon J ^[1]; Kaskey, Jeffrey A ^[2]

---

1. Oakland, CA
2. San Leandro, CA

A digitally programmable waveform generator for generating completely arbitrary digital or analog waveforms from very low frequencies to frequencies in the gigasample per second range. A memory array with multiple parallel outputs is addressed; then the parallel output data is latched into buffer storage from which it is serially multiplexed out at a data rate many times faster than the access time of the memory array itself. While data is being multiplexed out serially, the memory array is accessed with the next required address and presents its data to the buffer storage before the serial multiplexing of the last group of data is completed, allowing this new data to then be latched into the buffer storage for smooth continuous serial data output. In a preferred implementation, a plurality of these serial data outputs are paralleled to form the input to a digital to analog converter, providing a programmable analog output.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4881190
• OSTI ID: 867181
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/708/
access
accessed
address
addressed
allowing
analog
analog converter
analog output
arbitrary
array
buffer
completed
completely
continuous
converter
data
data output
data rate
digital
digitally
digitally programmable
faster
form
frequencies
generating
generator
gigasample
implementation
input
latched
memory
memory array
method
multiple
multiple parallel
multiplexed
multiplexing
output
output data
outputs
parallel
parallel output
paralleled
plurality
preferred
programmable
programmable waveform
providing
range
rate
required
serial
serial data
serially
signal
signal generator
smooth
storage
time
times
times faster
waveform
waveform generator
waveforms