Digital data pattern detection methods and arrangements

摘要

Pattern detection methods and arrangements are provided for monitoring a Fibre Channel, a Gigabit Ethernet, or other like data stream for programmable trigger patterns. Upon detecting a trigger pattern, the pattern detection methods and arrangements will assert an output. The output is useful for triggering oscilloscopes to be able to properly display the signal and more importantly, for arming time interval analyzers and other like test instruments. The pattern detection methods and arrangements are capable of dealing with elasticity in the data transmission channel. For example, the trigger pattern can be uniquely configured to a frame header or frame contents and the test instrument can be set to limit its sampling to within the frame bounds. In this manner all of the variability of fill transmission words appearing or disappearing essentially becomes transparent to the test instrument.