Vector network analyzer with integral processor
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorJohn T. Barr, IV
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A precision vector network analyzer which is suitable for a wide range of applications including both laboratory and automated production measurements and testing is disclosed. New measurement capabilities, greater ease of use, and nearly complete automation are provided. Contributions include fully coordinated communications between subsystem modules; real time, two channel, precision vector measurements with complete, internal error correction; wide frequency capability from RF to millimeter bands; combined time and frequency domain analysis and display; measurements either in the swept or step frequency modes; and user definable test functions and calibration device sets.
Claims9
A method for computing group delay over varying apertures in an RF device comprising the steps of:
- measuring the group delay of the RF device over a set of frequencies covering the spectrum of said varying apertures to provide a set of group delay data points;
- and
- smoothing subsets of the group delay data points to vary the equivalent apertures used for measuring the group delay to obtain a set of group delays corresponding to said varied apertures and to thereby alter the noise content of the measured group delay.
A method for computing group delay for a preselected aperture comprising the steps of:
- measuring the group delay of an RF device over a set of equally spaced frequency points covering said aperture to provide a set of group delay data points;
- and
- smoothing the group delay data points over a subset of said frequency points corresponding to said preselected aperture to obtain a linear average of said group delay data points, thereby obtaining the group delay for said preselected aperture and decreasing the noise content of the measured group delay over that of any one group delay data point.
A method for computing group delay for a preselected aperture in an RF device comprising the steps of:
- dividing the preselected aperture into a number of equal subapertures;
- measuring the group delay of the RF device to provide a group delay data point for each subaperture;
- computing the linear average of the group delay data points thereby obtaining the group delay for the preselected aperture.
A method of computing group delay for an RF device for a first and second aperture, comprising the steps of:
- measuring the group delay of the RF device over a set of equally spaced frequency points covering said first and second apertures to provide a set of group delay data points;
- smoothing the group delay data points over a first subset of said frequency points corresponding to said first aperture to obtain a linear average of said group delay data points equal to the group delay for the first aperture;
- smoothing the group delay data points over a second subset of said frequency points corresponding to said second aperture to obtain a linear average of said group delay data points equal to the group delay for the second aperture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.