Analog signal isolator
AssigneeTektronix, Inc.
InventorsJonathan S. Dandy, Daniel G. Knierim
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a signal isolating test instrument, such as an electronics test probe. The instrument includes an input to receive a floating analog signal. An upconverter is employed to modulate the floating analog signal to a microwave frequency analog signal. An isolation barrier in the instrument prevents coupling of the floating analog signal to an earth ground. The instrument employs a microwave structure to transmit the microwave frequency analog signal across the isolation barrier via electromagnetic coupling. A downconverter is then employed to demodulate the microwave frequency analog signal to obtain a ground referenced test signal corresponding to the floating analog signal.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a substrate including an input side and an output side;
- an isolation barrier of non-conductive material positioned between the input side and the output side;
- an input waveguide launch of conductive material extending from the input side toward the isolation barrier;
- an output waveguide launch of conductive material extending from the output side toward the isolation barrier;
- a waveguide coupled to the input waveguide launch and output waveguide launch, the waveguide positioned across the isolation barrier for electromagnetic coupling between the input waveguide launch and the output waveguide launch at microwave frequencies and isolation between the input waveguide launch and the output waveguide launch at sub-microwave frequencies;
- an input for receiving a floating analog signal;
- and
- an upconverter coupled between the input and the input waveguide launch, the upconverter to modulate the floating analog signal to a microwave frequency analog signal.
A method comprising:
- receiving a floating analog signal;
- amplifying the floating analog signal;
- modulating the amplified floating analog signal into a microwave frequency analog signal;
- and
- transmitting the microwave frequency analog signal across an isolation barrier through a waveguide, the waveguide positioned across the isolation barrier for electromagnetic coupling between an input side and an output side at microwave frequencies and isolation between the input side and the output side at sub-microwave frequencies.
A test network comprising:
- an isolated signal probe including
- an input for receiving a floating signal from a device under test,
- an output,
- a substrate including an input side and an output side,
- an isolation barrier of non-conductive material positioned between the input side and the output side,
- an input waveguide launch of conductive material extending from the input side toward the isolation barrier,
- an output waveguide launch of conductive material extending from the output side toward the isolation barrier, and
- a waveguide coupled to the input waveguide launch and output waveguide launch, the waveguide positioned across the isolation barrier for electromagnetic coupling between the input waveguide launch and the output waveguide launch at microwave frequencies and isolation between the input waveguide launch and the output waveguide launch at sub-microwave frequencies,
- wherein the input is coupled to the input waveguide launch, and the output is coupled to the output waveguide launch;
- and
- a ground referenced test system including an input port for receiving a ground referenced test signal representing the floating signal from the output of the probe, wherein the input port of the test system is galvanically isolated from the device under test.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.