Cursor measurement
Cursor measurement is a powerful feature used to measure specific parameters of waveforms on an oscilloscope screen. By moving the cursors, users can directly read the X-axis (time) and Y-axis (voltage or current) values of a waveform, providing precise measurements.
Functions and Applications of Cursor Measurement
- Accurate Positioning: Cursors allow for precise positioning on key points of the waveform, such as peaks, troughs, and zero crossings.
- Difference Measurement: Users can measure the difference between two cursors to obtain the time interval, amplitude difference, frequency, etc., of a waveform.
- Real-Time Analysis: Without relying on automatic measurement functions, cursors offer a manual measurement method for real-time analysis of complex waveforms.
- Multi-Parameter Support: All parameters supported by automatic measurement functions can be achieved through cursor measurement.
Specific Operations of Cursor Measurement
1. Select Cursor Mode: Choose the cursor measurement mode on the oscilloscope, typically including two types:
- Vertical Cursors: Used for time measurements, reading the time difference on the X-axis.
- Horizontal Cursors: Used for amplitude measurements, reading the voltage difference on the Y-axis.
2. Move Cursors: Move the cursors to the target position on the waveform using knobs or buttons.
3. Read Parameters: The oscilloscope display will show specific values at the cursor positions, including absolute and differential values of time and voltage.
4. Comprehensive Analysis: Use cursor measurement results to perform comprehensive waveform analysis, such as calculating rise time, pulse width, period, frequency, and other parameters.
Advantages of Cursor Measurement
- High Accuracy: Cursors directly read data from the oscilloscope's memory, providing highly accurate measurement results.
- Flexibility: Users can manually adjust cursor positions, flexibly selecting measurement points.
- Strong Applicability: Cursor measurement is suitable for various signals, including complex multi-cycle waveforms and signal superimpositions.
Cursor measurement is an essential tool for engineers and technicians in waveform analysis, offering more intuitive and precise measurement methods. It is widely applicable in product development, debugging, troubleshooting, and other use cases.
