Real-time network analyzer and applications
AssigneeVayyar Imaging Ltd.
InventorYuval Lomnitz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In some applications network parameters vary over time in a manner that precludes the use of conventional swept frequency network analyzers. Swept measurements incur penalty both in terms of acquisition time, and in terms of registration between measurements taken at the beginning and at the end of a sweep. Disclosed is an architecture and method for real-time analysis of network parameters. Example applications are presented, ranging from thermal drift of amplifiers, to microwave imaging of moving objects, to characterizing materials on conveyors, to characterizing plasma buildup, and many more.
Claims16
A network analyzer, comprising:
- at least one generator configured and operable to produce a wideband time periodic signal;
- a plurality of receivers operably connected to the at least one generator to receive the wideband time periodic signal, wherein each of said plurality of receivers comprises:
- a wideband sampling data converter configured and operable to sample and convert the received wideband time periodic signal to digital data;
- a correlator unit configured to correlate the digital data with a template waveform;
- and
- an impulse response extraction unit connected to the correlator configured and operable to yield a time domain impulse response;
- a network parameters calculating unit configured and operable to process the time domain impulse responses of said plurality of receivers to yield network parameters, wherein the network parameters calculating unit is configured and operable to calculate Fourier coefficients of said time domain impulse responses.
A method for processing a wideband signal to determine network parameters, the method comprising:
- sampling and converting said wideband signal to digital data by a wideband sampling data converter;
- storing at least one period of said digital data in a non-transitory storage memory;
- correlating the digital data with a template waveform, yielding a time domain impulse response;
- calculating Fourier coefficients of said time domain impulse response;
- sampling at least two wideband signals of the network analyzer, the at least two wideband signals comprising a reference signal and one or more incoming sampled signals;
- and
- computing a ratio between the Fourier coefficients of the first signal and the Fourier coefficients of one or more incoming sampled signals to yield said network parameters.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.