Spectrum analyzer with cascadable trace math functions

摘要

A spectrum analyzer is disclosed. The analyzer includes a detector, a trace memory, a controller, a trace math processor and a display. The controller generates a plurality of frequency selection signal values and records the measured amplitudes at each of the generated frequency selection values to form a measured trace that is stored in slots in the trace memory. The trace math processor performs trace mathematical operations on traces stored in the trace memory to generate a math trace that is stored in the trace memory. The controller stores a plurality of trace math programs, each program corresponding to one of the trace storage slots in the trace memory and specifies the trace mathematical operations that are to be performed to generate a new trace to be stored in that trace storage slot. The controller executes the stored trace math program for each trace slot in a predetermined order.