MATLAB (.mat) File Format Specifications

When Infiniium saves waveforms to a .mat file, included are one variable for the frame and one variable for each waveform. The waveform variables are named according to the memory or channel the data was saved from, where spaces are replaced with underscores to abide by MATLAB variable naming guidelines.

You can see the structure of these variables when importing data from the saved .mat file into MATLAB.

The Frame Variable

The Frame variable contains basic information about the file. The fields are:

  • Model — The model number of the oscilloscope on which the file was saved
  • Serial — The serial number of the oscilloscope on which the file was saved
  • Date — The date and time the file was saved

The Waveform Variables

Waveform variables contain data header information and then the data itself.

The fields are:

  • NumWaveforms — Number of waveforms in the data.
  • NumPoints — Total number of points saved in the data field.
  • NumSegments — Number of segments (when the data is segmented).
  • SavedInterpFactor — The number of saved Sin(x)/x interpolation points in between individual acquired data points.
  • MaxBandwidth — An estimation of the maximum bandwidth of the waveform.
  • MinBandwidth — An estimation of the minimum bandwidth of the waveform.
  • IntrinsicJitter — An estimation of the intrinsic jitter associated with the waveform.
  • IntrinsicNoise — An estimation of the intrinsic noise associated with the waveform.
  • XDispOrigin — The X-axis value at the left edge of the display.
  • XDispRange — The X-axis duration of the waveform that is displayed.
  • XInc — The duration (typically time) between data points on the X axis.
  • XOrg — The X-axis value of the first data point in the data record.
  • XUnits — X unit type (generally seconds).
  • YDispOrigin — The Y-axis value at the center of the display.
  • YDispRange — The Y-axis duration of the waveform that is displayed.
  • YMax — The potential maximum Y-axis value outside of the display range.
  • YMin — The potential minimum Y-axis value outside of the display range.
  • YInc — The duration (typically voltage) between Y-axis levels.
  • YOrg — The Y-axis value at level zero.
  • YUnits — Y unit type (generally voltage).

  • Data — Single Y (typically voltage) only data.