Guess this signal
 

http://i49.tinypic.com/xe0w10.jpg
Can you guess what that signal is?

...OK, I give up, what is it?

vss?

I'm sorry, all I could think about when I read this was that new tv show "Big Bang". This could be one of the games they play: "Guess This Waveform".:D

No correct guesses yet. Please keep guessing.

heartbeat

Something to do with organic chemistry?

Technically, yes. But not really.

Me calling from what I think you on this planet call Mars ?

...hmm-m-m-m, that sorta points toward gasoline...maybe injector pulses?

...but, if true, then they're awfully "ratty" looking.

...I'd expect a 'drive' signal to be fairly "clean" looking, while a "return" signal could be "ratty" due to added noise.

I'm thinking it's from an O2 sensor.

...I didn't think the O2-sensor had a "dwell" state between it's "rich-vs-lean" voltage swings...just 'slam-bam' output.

seismic chart on some electronic machine

Lots of interesting (and funny!) guesses but still nothing correct. Keep on guessing!

Its about clue time Mike.

Hint: Many modern electronic devices have signals similar to it. Even some cars, such as the Prius, have such signals.

Something to do with a computer chip?

I can't think of a sensor on a car that operates in a range where 292mV is the high signal, and -300mV is the low... unless I'm mistakenly reading the scale in quadrants, in which case the low would be ~50mV

Also, that entire waveform occurred over 154ms, or is that time between peaks?

I know the answer, but I cheated. Am I the only one lurking over at cmpg?

Cheaters aren't allowed to play.;)

Cheaters can't even find the answer! I even went over to CMPG and didn't find it.

I did. Shutterbug.

Camera flash bulb capacitor?

The guesses are getting even wilder! Keep on going!

And remember, cheating doesn't count.

Is it Ernest Borgnine ?

Cheater :P

And wrong as well!

Al Gore's brainwaves? I'm Serial!

the effects of Palin Book Signing Events on Bald Eagle Sightings?

I can tell you're all about to give up. So here's another hint: I consider that waveform as very special to me.

I don't stand by this guess, but heart beat?

It does have a little to do with a heart. Not a real one, though, but a symbolic ("Valentine") one.

Signal from a Radar detector? (Valentine One) :P

Umm... I give up.

Looks like my attempt to mislead you worked. So another nice try.
Another hint: Notice how the high part of the signal initially is relatively flat, then it drops down and fluctuates wildly, rises and falls while still fluctuating, and then goes nearly flat again.

It is definitely possible to make a radar detector that outputs that kind of signal, but I'm not aware of any that do. (Same goes for fuel economy instrumentation equipment.) A modified version of that kind of signal was once used for Internet access a long time ago.

real time clock from a pc.

If you tell me how big the axes are, I'll take a guess. i.e. is that volts or mV, seconds or usec.

And a request for another hint: Does the signal typically repeat for seconds, hours, or years?

That kind of signal could potentially be used to synchronize computer clocks. Only it is much more common to use NTP now that 24/7 Internet access is popular.

It's voltage vs. time. The units are in the picture. It repeats many, many times a second.

..if it's in a computer, the shadow dynamic memory refresh cycle?

internet time beats?

The units may be there, but I can't read them. What's the frequency, Kenneth?

DC, 100mhz, M = 10usec, MPos = 154.2usec, 292mV