What is Digital Storage Oscilloscope (DSO)? Block Diagram

What is Digital Storage Oscilloscope (DSO)?

The Digital Storage Oscilloscope or DSO is a device that helps to see the waveforms as well as save the waveforms in a digital format in its digital storage unit or memory. The digital storage oscilloscope takes the input signal in the analog format and stores it in its memory. After that, it takes the data from its memory to display.  Generally, it stores the signal or data in a binary format such as 0 and 1. The DSO involves in waveform displaying, digital storage, signal processing, etc. The main feature of the DSO is it provides the function to analyze the signals or waveforms later as stored in its memory using the Digital Signal Processing or DSP Technique.

Digital Storage Oscilloscope(DSO) Block Diagram

Here, you can see each part and block diagram of DSO or Digital Storage Oscilloscope.

The main parts of the DSO are,

• Analog to Digital Converter and Digital to Analog converter
• Memory
• Logic Control Circuit
• Amplifier
• Time Base Circuit
• Cathode Ray Tube

Digital Storage Oscilloscope (DSO) Working Principle

As we know the DSO accepts the signal in the form of an analog signal. So, first of all, it takes the analog signal and amplifies it. After amplifying and removing the noise or filtering it starts the analog-to-digital conversion process. The maximum acceptance frequency for the input signal depends upon the sampling rate and nature of the converter. So, for the signal conversion, it starts sampling.

After converting the analog signal into a digital signal, it stores the signal in its memory in the form of a digital signal or binary form such as  0 and 1. During the waveform display, it takes the data from the memory.

Control Logic Circuit: It is a very important part of the whole circuit. Actually, it controls so many things. It takes the clock pulses and triggers pulses. It provides the output to the time base circuit. In a Digital Storage Oscilloscope (DSO), the Control Logic Circuit is responsible for managing the overall operation and control of the instrument. It plays a crucial role in coordinating various functions and features of the oscilloscope. The Control Logic Circuit in a DSO typically includes microprocessors or digital signal processors (DSPs) along with supporting components such as memory, input/output interfaces, and clock circuits.

Digital to Analog Converter(D/A): It comes into use when the DSO displays waveforms or analyzes the signal. The digital data or signal is stored in the memory and converted into an analog signal when required.

Waveform Construction: The analog signal converted from the digital signal stored in the memory is constructed in the form of waveform through this waveform construction circuit. It gives the actual shape of the waveform which is to be displayed in the CRT display. Basilaccy, it uses the interpolation technique for the visualization of final waves. There are two types of interpolation techniques,

1. Linear Interpolation
2. Sinusoidal Interpolation

The linear interpolation technique is used to construct pulse or square wave signals. Here dots are connected through straight lines. In the case of the sinusoidal waveform generation, the sinusoidal interpolation technique is used.

CRT(Cathode Ray Tube): The cathode ray tube display visualizes the waveforms on the screen. It has two plates Horizontal plate and a vertical plate. The horizontal plate is connected through the horizontal amplifier whereas the vertical plate is connected through the vertical amplifier. 

Nowadays in a Digital Storage Oscilloscope (DSO), the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) is not used as the display technology. Instead, DSOs typically utilize digital display technologies such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) or organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays. These digital displays offer several advantages over CRTs, including smaller sizes, lower power consumption, higher resolution, and the ability to capture and store waveforms for analysis.

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