BBG Marker Generation

Identifies whether the source for the markers will be embedded data from the waveform file or if the source is from a separate user-created marker file. Three marker positions (markers 1, 3, and 4) are read from the file. Marker 2 data is ignored. The marker file contains the same number of bytes as there are waveform points.

Embedded
This choice selects embedded marker data as the source for the waveform markers, i.e., waveforms generated using a Signal Studio application.

User File
This choice selects a separate user-created file as the marker source for the waveform. For an example of a user-created marker file, refer to Marker Files.

Marker Filename

Dependency: Displayed only when User Generated Marker Source is set to User File

Selects the file to be used for the marker data. Marker Filename allows you to identify a separate file, other than the waveform file, as the source of the marker data.

Marker "N" Setup

The PXB provides for three markers which are available at each point on the baseband generator waveform signal. The setup for the three markers are labeled Marker 1 Setup, Marker 3 Setup, and Marker 4 Setup. Marker 2 is reserved for internal use by the PXB.

Agilent Signal Studio software applications typically use markers 1, 3 and 4. They do not use marker 2. Therefore, Signal Studio markers which map one for one into the PXB:

Enabled

Turns on the individual marker. When Enabled is set to On, additional marker settings that are used for the marker setup are also displayed. When Enabled is set to Off, zero is the output.

Delay

Range: 0 s to Time Required to Play 1,024 Samples (Varies based on Sample Rate)
Default Value: 0 s
Resolution: 1/Sample Rate
Dependency: Displayed only when Enabled is set to On

Sets the amount of time that the marker is delayed. Once the waveform file has started playing, the marker will play after the delay period has been achieved. The maximum delay is the time required to play 1,024 samples, which may be calculated by the equation:

Polarity

Choices: Positive, Negative
Default Value: Positive
Dependency: Displayed only when Enabled is set to On

Positive
This choice sets the marker output signal to be High (1), when the marker points from the marker source are On. When the marker points from the source are Off, the marker output signal is set to Low (0).

Negative
This choice sets the marker output signal to be Low (0), when the marker points from the marker source are On. When the marker points from the source are Off, the marker output signal is set to High (1).

Source

Choices: Embedded, User File, Dynamic
Default Value: Embedded or User File depending on User Generated Marker Source selection
Dependency: Displayed only when Enabled is set to On

Embedded
When Embedded is selected as the User Generated Marker Source setting, this choice uses the marker information that is embedded in the baseband generators waveform source file specify the marker states. This selection provides the marker control afforded by the Signal Studio software creating the waveform file.

User File
When User File is selected as the User Generated Marker Source setting, this choice uses the marker source file specified in the Marker Filename to specify the marker states. This selection provides complete marker control for each waveform sample point.

Dynamic
This choice generates markers on the fly based on the waveform data or on periodic functions.

Type

Choices: Periodic, Range Detect, Zero Detect
Default Value: Periodic
Dependency: Displayed only when Source is set to Dynamic

Allows you to dynamically control the events that will turn the marker on and off.

Periodic
This choice sets the marker signal to be on and off at intervals defined by the Pulse Start (the number of samples to wait until the first marker pulse is started), Pulse Width (the number of samples that the marker pulse is turned on), and Pulse Period (the number of samples for one complete cycle of the marker pulse, which is number of samples of the pulse period plus the number of samples of off time between two pulses) settings. Closed

Examples…

This illustration provides three examples using the same waveform.

Range Detect
This choice identifies the marker signal to be on and off when the waveform signal meets specific criteria that you define. The criteria are defined by a variety of the settings listed below Type when Range Detect is selected. The Range Detect choice has an additional selection, Range Limit Relationship, which determines which of four additional range setting styles are used. The Range Limit Relationship choices are Equal, Less, Greater, and Range.

Zero Detect
This choice identifies the marker signal to be on while the waveform signal value equals zero and off at other times. While the waveform signal is at the zero value, the marker is turned on until the signal is no longer at zero. Note that the marker will be on while the waveform is exactly at zero which may be hard to control based on noise within the system. Closed

Example…

Note that this must really be zero. A marker is not generated for a zero crossing. For example, if sample A1 = –0.001 and sample A2 = 0.001, the output signal goes through zero but a marker is not generated because the digital data was never equal to zero.

Pulse Start

Range: 1 to 1099511627775 (2⁴⁰-1) Samples
Default Value: 1 Sample
Resolution: 1 Sample
Dependency: Displayed only when Type is set to Periodic

Sets the waveform sample number to turn on the first marker pulse. When this waveform sample point is played, the first marker pulse is turned on.

Pulse Width

Range: 1 to 4294967295 (2³²-1) Samples
Default Value: 1 Sample
Resolution: 1 Sample
Dependency: Displayed only when Type is set to Periodic

Sets the number of waveform samples as the width of the marker pulse. The pulse width is the number of samples that the marker pulse is turned on. If a valid integer is not entered, the entry is rounded up to the next valid integer.

Pulse Period

Range: 4 to 1099511627775 (2⁴⁰-1) Samples
Default Value: 4 Samples
Resolution: 1 Sample
Dependency: Displayed only when Type is set to Periodic

Sets the number of waveform samples used as the period for one marker cycle. This is the number of waveform samples of one complete pulse cycle, both the on and off periods. The pulse period may be set as an integer, greater than or equal to 4, representing the number of samples. If a valid integer is not entered, the entry is rounded up to the next valid integer.

Units

Choices: Integer, dB, %
Default Value: Integer
Dependency: Displayed only when Type is set to Range Detect

Sets the units of the waveform sample for which the range detection process checks when determining the marker state. The Unit values change depending on the Range Data selection.

Integer
This choice sets the range detection process to compare the DAC integer value of the waveform sample when determining the state of the marker.

dB
This choice sets the range detection process to compare the measured power of the waveform sample when determining the state of the marker.

%
This choice sets the range detection process to compare the percentage between the minimum and maximum values of the waveform sample when determining the state of the marker.

Range Limit Relationship

Choices: Equal, Less, Greater, Range
Default Value: Equal
Dependency: Displayed only when Type is set to Range Detect

Sets the relationship for the range limits that the range detection process uses to compare the waveform sample against when determining the marker state.

Equal
This choice sets the range detection process to turn the marker on when the waveform sample value is equal to the value that you specify with the Range Data and the Equal To parameters. Note that the marker will be on while the waveform is exactly at specified value which may be hard to control based on noise within the system. Closed

Example…

Note that this must really be the "Equal To" value. A marker is not generated when the signal crosses through the "Equal To" value. For example, if the "Equal To" value is 0.050V, and sample A1 = 0.049 and sample A2 = 0.051, the output signal goes through the "Equal To" value but a marker is not generated because the digital data was never equal to the "Equal To" value.

Less
This choice sets the range detection process to turn the marker on when the waveform sample value is less than the value that you specify with the Range Data and the Less Than parameters. Closed

Example…

Greater
This choice sets the range detection process to turn the marker on when the waveform sample value is greater than the value that you specify with the Range Data and the Greater Than parameters. Closed

Example…

Range
This choice sets the range detection process to turn the marker on when the waveform sample value is within the values that you specify with the Range Data, Upper Limit, and Lower Limit parameters. Closed

Example…

Range Data

Choices: I, Q, Power
Default Value: I
Dependency: Displayed only when Marker Type is set to Range Detect

Sets the type of data that the range detection process uses to compare the waveform sample against when determining the marker state. The maximum and minimum values change depending on this selection. Closed

Example…

This example shows the maximum and minimum allowable waveform values for the Range Data selection based on the Units that are selected.

I
This choice sets the range detection process to use the voltage of the I portion of the waveform sample value when determining the marker state.

Q
This choice sets the range detection process to use the voltage of the Q portion of the waveform sample value when determining the marker state.

Power
This choice sets the range detection process to use the power of the waveform sample value when determining the marker state.

Equal To

Range:
when Units is set to Integer and Range Data is set to I or Q: –32768 to 32767
when Units is set to Integer and Range Data is set to Power: 0 to 46340
when Units is set to dB and Range Data is set to I or Q: –Infinity (–96.3) to 0 dB
when Units is set to dB and Range Data is set to Power: –Infinity (–43.6) to 3 dB
when Units is set to % and Range Data is set to I or Q: 0 to 100 %
when Units is set to % and Range Data is set to Power: 0 to 100 %
Default Value:
when Range Data is set to I or Q: 32767 Integer, 0.0 dB, 100 %
when Range Data is set to Power: 32767 Integer, 1.5 dB, 70.7 %
Resolution: 1 Integer, 0.1 dB, 0.1 %
Dependency: Displayed only when Range Limit Relationship is set to Equal

Sets the limit value of the dynamic marker when the Range Limit Relationship is set to Equal. The marker is turned on while the waveform value is at the Equal To value.

Less Than

Sets the limit value of the dynamic marker when the Range Limit Relationship is set to Less. The marker is turned on whenever the waveform value decreases below the Less Than value.

Greater Than

Sets the limit value of the dynamic marker when the Range Limit Relationship is set to Greater. The marker is turned on whenever the waveform value increases above the Greater Than value.

Upper Limit

Sets the value of the upper range limit of the dynamic marker when the Range Limit Relationship is set to Range. The marker is on whenever the waveform value is less than the Upper Limit value and greater than the Lower Limit value.

Lower Limit

Range:
when Units is set to Integer and Range Data is set to I or Q: –32768 to 32767
when Units is set to Integer and Range Data is set to Power: 0 to 46340
when Units is set to dB and Range Data is set to I or Q: –Infinity (–96.3) to 0 dB
when Units is set to dB and Range Data is set to Power: –Infinity (–43.6) to 3 dB
when Units is set to % and Range Data is set to I or Q: 0 to 100 %
when Units is set to % and Range Data is set to Power: 0 to 100 %
Default Value:
when Range Data is set to I or Q: –32768 Integer, –Infinity (–96.3) dB, 0 %
when Range Data is set to Power: 0 Integer, –Infinity (–43.6) dB, 0 %
Resolution: 1 Integer, 0.1 dB, 0.1 %
Dependency: Displayed only when Range Limit Relationship is set to Range

Sets the value of the lower range limit of the dynamic marker when the Range Limit Relationship is set to Range. The marker is on whenever the waveform value is less than the Upper Limit value and greater than the Lower Limit value.

Marker Generation (BBG)

1. Basic Marker Settings

User Generated Marker Source

Marker Filename

Marker "N" Setup

Enabled

Delay

Polarity

Source

Type

Pulse Start

Pulse Width

Pulse Period

Units

Range Limit Relationship

Range Data

Equal To

Less Than

Greater Than

Upper Limit

Lower Limit

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