Patent ID: 7285948

Claim:
A system for triggering a plurality of test and measurement instruments substantially simultaneously, comprising: a first test and measurement instrument having an input for receiving a signal under test, a trigger circuit for developing a trigger signal in response to said signal under test, and a transceiver for developing a trigger enable signal in response to said trigger signal and receiving a combined trigger signal; a second test and measurement instrument having an input for receiving a signal under test, a trigger circuit for developing a trigger signal in response to said signal under test, and a transceiver for developing a trigger enable signal in response to said trigger signal and receiving combined trigger signal; and circuitry for logically combining said trigger enable signals of said first and second test and measurement instruments to generate said combined trigger signal, the circuitry for combining having a first and second transceivers for receiving said trigger enable signals and transmitting said combined trigger signal; wherein each of said test and measurement instruments is coupled to said circuitry for combining via a cable, said trigger enable signal and said combined trigger signal being conveyed in mutually opposite directions through said cable; and said first and second test and measurement instruments acquire data samples of said signals under test in response to said combined trigger signal.