Thermoelectric power meter
AssigneeKeysight Technologies, Inc.
InventorGhazali Bin Hussin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and a system measure electrical power with improved accuracy as a result of compensating for sources of thermal energy that are not caused by the electrical power of the electrical circuit under test. The apparatuses and systems provide a separate electrical signal source (e.g. RF electrical circuits under test) and DC sides. The apparatuses and systems include devices adapted to convert thermal energy into voltages having reversed polarities. The apparatuses and systems are adapted to compensate for temperature changes not caused by the electrical power of the electrical circuit under test (e.g., ambient temperature change and thermal energy transmitted through the signal transmission lines from sources in the electrical circuit).
Claims20
An apparatus for measuring electrical power, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a first device adapted to convert thermal energy into a first voltage, the first device comprising a first thermopile or a first thermocouple, the first device having a first input and a first output, the first device being disposed over the substrate adjacent to a first resistor;
- a second device adapted to convert thermal energy into a second voltage, the second device comprising a second thermopile or a second thermocouple, the second device having a second input and a second output, the second device being disposed over the substrate adjacent to a second resistor, wherein the first output and the second output have opposite polarities;
- and
- a source measurement unit comprising a direct current (DC) voltage source and a DC voltmeter connected to the second resistor, wherein the source measurement unit provides a third voltage to the second resistor to maintain a voltage between the first and second outputs at a balanced level.
A system for measuring electrical power of an electrical circuit, the system comprising:
- a controller comprising a processor;
- a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions;
- a substrate;
- a first device adapted to convert thermal energy into a first voltage, the first device comprising a first thermopile or a first thermocouple, the first device having a first input and a first output, the first device being disposed over the substrate adjacent to a first resistor;
- a second device adapted to convert thermal energy into a second voltage, the second device comprising a second thermopile or a second thermocouple, the second device having a second input and a second output, the second device being disposed over the substrate adjacent to a second resistor, wherein the first output and the second output have opposite polarities;
- and
- a source measurement unit comprising a direct current (DC) voltage source and a DC voltmeter connected to the second resistor, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor cause the source measurement unit to provide a third voltage to the second resistor to maintain a voltage between the first and second outputs at a balanced level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.