Improving test & measurement system control and throughput using an independent system trigger controller

In test and measurement systems, software triggering commands are often used to initiate instrumentation actions. The Keithley Trigger Master, a PC-based system trigger controller card, controls and monitors the state of the measurement process through an external triggering bus called Trigger Link. Each triggering connection is assigned a unique Trigger Link channel, allowing trigger dependencies to be programmed totally through software. Once programmed, the Trigger Master carries out triggering operations independent of the host PC. The Trigger Master ensures maximum performance from the system, without sacrificing speed, flexibility, or control. The authors illustrate the improvement in speed and control achieved with the Trigger Master versus previous methods in real world applications.<>