Spectrum analyzer having means for displaying spectrum data together with power value thereof

Abstract: A directing section (105) substantially directs an input signal to first and second paths. A signal pro­ cessing section (101) outputs spectrum data correspond­ ing to the input signal directed to the first path. A power detecting section (106) detects a power value corresponding to the input signal directed to the second path. A display section (104) displays the power value together with spectrum data.

Description: This invention relates to a spectrum analyzer and, more particularly, to an improvement of a spectrum analyzer for analyzing an RF frequency or optical signal. As is well known, a spectrum analyzer measures the characteristics of a high-frequency signal within a relatively wide range; for example, within several tens of kHz to several hundred GHz, and displays the spectrum intensity at each frequency on a CRT display section, as a function of frequency. As is shown in Fig. 10, from which the preamble of Claim 1 has been derived, such a spectrum analyzer includes, for example, an RF section (high-frequency circuit) 1, an IF section (intermediate-frequency circuit) 2, a detecting section 3, an A/D converting section 4, a digital memory 5, a CRT display section 6, a sweep signal generating section 7, a data processing and control section 8, and the like. With the above circuit arrangement, a high-frequency input signal to be measured a , input from an input terminal 9, is input to the RF section 1 consisting of a mixer and a local oscillator. In the RF section 1, the input signal a is mixed with a local signal whose frequency is changed in accordance with the signal level of a sweep signal b output from the sweep signal generating section 7. Thus, the signal a is frequency-converted into an intermediate-frequency signal c which is output from the RF section 1 and input to the IF section 2 which incorporates a bandpass filter (BPF). Only a frequency component which coincides with the pass frequency of the bandpass filter passes through the IF section 2, is input to the detecting section 3, and output as a DC detection signal d corresponding in strength to the magnitude of the input frequency component. The detection signal d is then converted into digital data by the A/D converting section 4, in response to the period of a sampling signal e output from the data processing and control section 8 consisting of, for example, a microprocessor. Thereafter, the converted data is stored in the digital memory 5 consisting of, for example, a RAM. In response to a read signal f output at a predetermined period from the data processing and control section 8, digital data of the detection signal d for each sampling period, stored in the digital memory 5, is read out in a predetermined order, and supplied to the display section 6. The display section 6 includes an image memory for one frame which can displayed on a display screen at one time. After sequentially input data values are stored in the image memory, image data read out from the image memory for one frame is displayed on the display screen. Thus, spectrum distribution data is displayed on the display screen of the display section 6, as shown in Fig. 11. Each spectrum component shown in Fig. 11 has an ideal linear shape. However, a spectrum having a width corresponding to a bandwidth of the bandpass filter in the IF section 2 is actually displayed. The above-mentioned data processing and control section 8 controls the sweep interval and sweep speed of the sweep signal generating section 7, outputs the sampling signal e to the A/D converting section 4, and outputs the read signal f to the digital memory 5, so that spectrum distribution data as shown in Fig. 11 is displayed on the display section 6. In addition, the data processing and control section 8 executes a calculation required for display, on the display section 6, of the spectrum value corresponding to the desired frequency value. The spectrum analyzer having the above arrangement shown in Fig. 10 has, however, the following problems. In order to examine the characteristics of signal a , accurate distribution data relating to the spectrum values at every frequency contained in the signal a must be obtained, and the total value of the spectrum values, i.e., the power value of the input signal to be measured a must be simultaneously obtained, in many cases. When the input signal a contains spectrum components distributed over the bandwidth of the bandpass filter in the IF section 2, its power value is measured, as follows, using the conventional spectrum analyzer as shown in Fig. 10. Data values obtained for every period of the sampling signal e in the A/D converting section 4 during a period from the start to the finish of one sweep signal b can be integrated by, for example, the data processing and control section 8. Accurate integration to obtain the power value of the input signal a is based on the assumption that the spectrum values within the entire frequency range of signal a are accurately measured. However, it is generally difficult to predict in advance the distribution of the spectrum components contained in the input signal to be measured. In addition, as described above, when a deviation of the spectrum to be measured, corresponding to the bandwidth of the bandpass filter in the IF section 2, is corrected and the integration is performed, complicated correcting calculation is required. Therefore, it is practically impossible to accurately measure the power value by the above integration method. In such a spectrum analyzer, only signal components within the specific frequency sweep range selected and set by the data processing and control section 8 are displayed on the display section 6. Actually, high-level spectrum values (frequency components) are often present in a frequency region outside the frequency sweep range. Thus, an operator is often unaware of the high-level frequency components. In addition, saturation in the RF section 1 is neglected, and many measurement errors may be caused. Furthermore, the RF section 1 may be damaged due to excessive input. In particular, when a signal such as a noise signal and an RF pulse signal wherein spectrum components are distributed in a wide range is measured, the power value and pulse peak power are further increased as compared with each spectrum value. Therefore, the above-mentioned problems tend to occur. Even if all the spectrum components are present in the pass band of the bandpass filter in the IF section 2, as in the case of continuous-wave (CW) signal and the power value can be measured in principle, a considerable error is usually generated because the signal to be measured passes through the complicated signal circuits 7 in the RF and IF sections 1 and 2. Therefore, in an attempt to accurately measure the power value of the continuous-wave signal, a signal having well-known accurate power value is input in advance as a reference signal, and an indication value of the spectrum analyzer is calibrated for the frequency to be used. However, the calibration process is quite time-consuming and the efficiency of measurement operation is considerably degraded. In practice, it is almost impossible always to provide a signal source having a well-known accurate power value at a measurement frequency, and the power value must be measured with an insufficient measurement precision. The UK Patent Application GB-A-2 033 689 discloses a graphic equalizer combined with a spectrum analyzer. The equalizer has control knobs for adjusting the level of an input signal in a corresponding number of different frequency bands in the audio range. The spectrum analyzer has a display for displaying the level of the signal in each of the frequency bands. The signals are displayed digitally in the form of a bar graph indicating the level of the signal in question. While not explicitly disclosed in the GB application, it is also generally known to display on the same screen of an oscilloscope both an analog signal and, in a numerical value character data form, values related to this analog signal. An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved spectrum analyzer which distributes a signal to be measured between a signal processing section and a power detector through a signal branching section, in order to obtain an accurate reading of the power value of the signal, for display together with the usual spectrum distribution data. According to the present invention, a spectrum analyzer is provided as defined in claim 1. Embodiments of the invention are given in claims 2 to 6. These and other objects and features of the present invention can be understood through the following embodiments, by reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic general arrangement of a spectrum analyzer including features of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a spectrum analyzer according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a timing chart showing an operation performed by the spectrum analyzer according to the first embodiment; Fig. 4 is a view illustrating a display screen incorporated in the first embodiment; Figs. 5 and 6 are block diagrams showing a spectrum analyzer according to second and third embodiments of the present invention, respectively; Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing a typical power detector used in the above embodiments; Fig. 8 is a view illustrating a display screen in a case using the power detector in Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing an optical spectrum analyzer according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 10 is a block diagram showing a conventional spectrum analyzer; and Fig. 11 is a graph showing general spectrum distribution data displayed on a display section. A general description will be now be presented, prior to more detailed ones of the preferred embodiments thereof. As shown in Fig. 1, the present invention pertains to a spectrum analyzer comprising a signal processing section 101 for processing a signal to be measured input from an input terminal IN in response to a sweep signal input from a sweep signal generating section 100, and outputting a signal corresponding to the spectrum of the signal to be measured, a first A/D converting section 102 for converting the corresponding signal into first digital data, a first memory 103 for storing the first digital data, and a display section 104 for displaying the first digital data. According to the present invention, the spectrum analyzer comprises a power sensor 106 for detecting the power of the signal to be measured input through a signal branching circuit (or a signal switching circuit) 105 located between the input terminal IN and the signal processing section 101, a second A/D converting section 107 for converting an output from the power sensor 106 into second digital data, a second memory 108 for storing an output from the second A/D converting section 107. The second digital data is displayed on the screen of the display section 104 together with the first digital data. The spectrum analyzer also comprises a correction data detecting unit 109 for detecting, as correction data, a difference between the first digital data stored in the first memory 103 and the second digital data stored in the second memory 108, a third memory 110 for storing correction data, which represents the difference between the first and second digital data detected by the correction data detecting unit 109, and a correcting unit 111 for correcting the first digital data stored in the first memory on the basis of the correction data, and displaying the resultant corrected data on the display section 104. Referring to Fig. 1, the correction data detecting unit 109, the third memory 110, and the correcting unit 111 are arranged in a data processing and control section 112 similar to that shown in Fig. 10. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a common A/D converting section 102 is provided as the first and second A/D converting sections 102 and 107. A switching section 113 for switching and supplying a signal from the power sensor 106 to the common A/D converting section 102 is provided so as to control the switching section 113 in synchronism with a sweep period and a reset period of the sweep signal. The first and second memories, 103 and 108, should, incidently, be understood as being individual memory areas within a single memory. According to another embodiment the present invention, there is additionally provided a variable attenuator 114, arranged between the signal branching circuit 105 and the signal processing section 101, for varying an input level to control the attenuation value of the attenuator to be a desired value, on the basis of the second digital data. In this way, an excessive input level can be reduced to a proper level. Embodiments of the present invention based on the above general description will now be described hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic arrangement of a spectrum analyzer according to a first embodiment. The same reference numerals in Fig. 2 denote the same parts as in the conventional spectrum analyzer shown in Fig. 10. In this embodiment, a signal branching circuit 11 is arranged between an input terminal 9 and an RF section 1 including a mixer 1a and a local oscillator 1b. The RF section 1 is connected to one output terminal of the signal branching circuit 11, through the variable attenuator 114 and a power detector 12 is connected to the other output terminal thereof. The signal branching circuit 11 consists of a resistive power divider, for example, and distributes a signal to be measured a input from the input terminal 9 to the RF section 1 and the power detector 12, at a power distribution ratio (e.g. , 1 : 1) determined earlier in accordance with a voltage division ratio of the resistor components. The power detector 12 consists of a normal high-frequency power detector employing a thermocouple element, a diode element, an averaging circuit, and the like, or a power detector utilizing a wide-band amorphous power sensor technique. The power detector 12 can accurately detect the power value of a signal within a wide range of DC frequency to high frequency. As the latter amorphous power sensor, a power detector described in U.S. Patent Application No. 216,909, and EPC application No. 87906936.7 filed or assigned by the present applicant or assignee, can be used. A DC power value signal g output from the power detector 12 is input to an A/D converting section 4 via a switching circuit 13. The switching circuit 13 receives a detection signal d output from a detecting section 3. The switching circuit 13 switches to supply the detection signal d or the power value signal g to the A/D converting section in response to a switching signal h output from a data processing and control section 8′. A digital memory 5′ has first and second memory areas corresponding to the first and second memories 103 and 108 shown in Fig. 1. The arrangement of the RF section 1, IF section 2, detecting section 3, A/D converting section 4, display section 6, and sweep signal generating section 7 as shown in the embodiment of Fig. 2 is the same as that shown in Fig. 10. However, as will be described later, the control for each unit of the data processing and control section 8′ shown in Fig. 2 differs from that of Fig. 10. A variable attenuator 114 which is the same as that shown in Fig. 1 is controlled by the data processing and control section 8′. The operation of the spectrum analyzer having the above arrangement will now be described below, with reference to a timing chart of a general sweep signal b output from the sweep signal generating section 7, as shown in Fig. 3. Specifically, at time t0, the sweep signal b for sweeping the frequency of a local oscillation signal i , output from the local oscillator 1b in the RF section 1, starts an increase from a minimum value corresponding to the minimum measurement frequency. After a sweeping period A has elapsed, i.e., at time t1, and the signal b reaches a maximum value corresponding to the maximum measurement frequency, the signal level is decreased. After a reset period B has elapsed, i.e., at time t2, the signal b starts sweeping in the next sweeping period A from the minimum value corresponding to the original minimum measurement frequency. During the sweeping period A, the data processing and control section 8′ outputs the switching signal h to the switching circuit 13, to supply the detection signal d to the A/D converting section 4. During the reset period B, section 8′ outputs signal h to circuit 13, to supply the power value signal g to section 4. Thus, during the sweeping period A, the high-frequency signal to be measured a is input from the input terminal 9 to the mixer 1a in the RF section 1, is mixed with the local oscillation signal frequency-swept in response to the sweep signal b , and the resultant mixed signal is converted into an intermediate-frequency signal c . In the IF circuit 2, only a frequency component of the signal c output from the RF section 1, which coincides with the pass frequency of a bandpass filter (BPF) is extracted to be input to the detecting section 3, where it is converted into a DC detection signal d corresponding in strength to its magnitude, and input to the A/D converting section 4 via the switching circuit 13, is converted into digital data in accordance with a period of a sampling signal e output from the data processing and control section 8′ by the A/D converting section 4, and stored in the first memory area of the digital memory 5′. In response to a read signal f output from the data processing and control section 8′ at a predetermined period, the digital data for every sampling period of the detection signal d , stored in the first memory area of the digital memory 5′, are read out in a predetermined order, and supplied to the display section 6. As a result, as is shown in Fig. 4, the spectrum value at each frequency, i.e., spectrum distribution data D1, is displayed on the display section 6. Note that this spectrum distribution data is held until the next reset period B ends. During the reset period B, the power value signal output from the power detector 12 is converted to a digital value by the A/D converting section 4 via the switching circuit 13. The digital value is stored in a second memory area in the digital memory 5′, provided as an exclusive storing region of the power value. Thereafter, the value is read out from the digital memory 5′, and displayed in an empty area of the above-mentioned spectrum distribution data in the CRT display section 6 as a mean power value P1, in a numerical value character data form, as shown in Fig. 4. The numerical value character data of the power value is held until the next sweeping period A ends. In this manner, the spectrum distribution data and the power value are displayed on a single screen of the display section 6, as shown in Fig. 4. The signal branching circuit 11 and the power detector 12 are arranged so that a spectrum value at each frequency and a total power value of the signal to be measured a can be obtained at the same time. As described above, the signal branching circuit 11 and the power detector 12 of the present invention are simple in arrangement, and thus can be manufactured at low cost. In addition, they can have wide-range frequency characteristics. Therefore, a considerable increase in manufacturing cost can be suppressed, as compared with the conventional spectrum analyzer shown in Fig. 10. The measurement precision of the spectrum analyzer according to the present invention can be greatly improved as compared with the case wherein spectrum values are added to calculate the power value. In the first embodiment, shown in Fig. 2, the power value is measured by utilizing the reset period B of the sweep signal b . Therefore, upon the measurement of the power value, the total measuring time is not prolonged as compared with the conventional spectrum analyzer for obtaining only spectrum distribution data. In other words, the power value can also be measured within the conventional measuring time. Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing a spectrum analyzer according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The reference numerals in Fig. 5 denote the same parts as in the first embodiment shown in Fig. 2. In the second embodiment, an RF (high-frequency) switching circuit 11a is used as a signal branching circuit located between an input terminal 9 and an RF section 1. In response to a switching signal h output from a data processing and control section 8′, the RF switching circuit 11a can switch, when a signal to be measured a is supplied from the input terminal 9, to either the RF section 1 or to the power detector 12. This switching timing is synchronized with that of the switching circuit 13. More specifically, in a sweeping period A of a sweep signal b shown in Fig. 3, the data processing and control section 8′ switches the RF switching circuit 11a to the RF section 1 side and switches the switching circuit 13 to the detection signal d side by the switching signal h . During the reset period B, the data processing and control section 8′ similarly switches the RF switching circuit 11a to the power detector 12 side, and the switching circuit 13 to the power value signal g side. Each spectrum value is measured during the sweeping period A, and the power value is measured during the reset period B. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the spectrum distribution data and power value of the signal to be measured a can both be measured at the same time, and displayed on a single screen of the display section 6. As a result, the same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained. By using the RF switching circuit 11a as the signal branching circuit, the loss of the signal to be measured can be suppressed as compared with other signal branching circuits employing the above-mentioned resistive power divider or a directional coupler. As a result, a reduction in sensitivity of the entire spectrum analyzer caused by insertion of the signal branching circuit can be prevented. Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing a spectrum analyzer according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The reference numerals in Fig. 6 denote the same parts as in Fig. 2. In the third embodiment, a switching circuit 13 in Fig. 2 is eliminated, and a detection signal d output from a detecting section 3 is directly input to an A/D converter 4. In addition, a power value signal g output from a power detector 12 is input to another A/D converter, 4a. Digital data obtained by the A/D converters 4 and 4a are written in first and second memory areas in a digital memory 5′, respectively. It should be noted that although, in this embodiment, the same sampling signal e is input to the A/D converters 4 and 4a, it always need not be the same sampling signal e . With the above arrangement, the spectrum distribution data and the power value of the signal to be measured a also can be obtained. Therefore, the same effect as in the first embodiment in Fig. 2 can be obtained. In the third embodiment, since the detection signal d and the power value signal g are converted into digital data values by means of exclusive A/D converters 4 and 4a, respectively, the power value also can be measured during the sweeping period A as shown in Fig. 3. Therefore, even if the sweeping period A for measuring the spectrum is long, the power value of the input signal to be measured a can be monitored on the display screen of the display section 6 in real time. Thus, the power value of the signal to be measured a can be monitored not only during the reset period B, but also during sweeping period A, i.e., the power value can always be monitored. Therefore, when an overpower is input, an alarm output is immediately generated to produce an alarm display or an alarm sound. In addition, in the same manner as in Fig. 2, the power value signal a can be utilized to automatically adjust an attenuation level of an input attenuator 114 located at a previous portion of the RF section 1 and obtain a correct display value. In other words, this spectrum analyzer can be free from damage due to an excessive signal input. In the above embodiments shown in Figs. 2, 5, and 6, in accordance with a specific operation (calibration command CALIB) of an operation section OP, the data value can be calibrated by the data processing and control section 8′ in order to display a correct data value obtained from the signal to-be-measured a on the display section 6, by using a calibration signal for which an accurate relationship between the detection signal d and the power value g is obtained in advance. Note that, in this case, when a continuous-wave (CW) signal is used as the calibration signal, its power value need not be known in advance. In this case, the data processing and control section 8′ can perform calibration (correction) using the correction data detecting unit 109, the third memory 110, and the correcting unit 111 shown in Fig. 1. The above description is based on the assumption that an arrangement for detecting a mean value is employed, as the power detector 12. However, in particular, when a peak power need be detected in the measurement of the spectrum of a modulated pulse, a diode element 12a for detecting an input signal from the signal branching circuit 11 or the signal switching circuit 11a, and a peak hold circuit 12b for holding a peak value of the detected output of the diode element 12a may be arranged as the power detector 12, as shown in Fig. 7. The peak hold circuit 12b receives a reset signal from the data processing and control section 8′ upon every measuring periods. Note that a mean value circuit 12c is arranged in the power detector 12 shown in Fig. 7 to obtain a mean value of the detected outputs from the diode element 12a. In addition, the power detector 12 includes a switch 12d for switching outputs from the mean value circuit 12c and the peak hold circuit 12b in accordance with applications. Fig. 8 shows an example of display of the spectrum distribution data D2 and the peak value P2 of a modulated pulse. Fig. 9 shows a block arrangement applied to an optical spectrum analyzer, as a fourth embodiment. The same reference numerals in Fig. 9 denote the same parts as in Fig. 2, and a description thereof is omitted. More specifically, an optical signal to be measured a′ input to an optical signal input terminal 9′ is branched into two signals by an optical signal branching section 11′ including, e.g., a half mirror. One optical signal is input to a half mirror 1a′ of an RF section 1′. The half mirror 1a′ receives an optical local oscillation signal from an electrooptical converter 1b′ of, e.g., a light-emitting diode in response to an optical sweep signal from a sweep signal generating section 7. Therefore, the half mirror 1a′ performs a mixer operation equal to that of an electrical mixer to output an optical intermediate-frequency signal. The optical intermediate-frequency signal is converted into an electrical intermediate-frequency signal by a photoelectric converter 1c such as a photodiode. Therefore, the following steps are the same as those in Fig. 2. The other optical signal from the optical signal branching section 11′ is photoelectrically converted by an optical power sensor 12′ including a light-receiving element such as a photodiode. At the same time, the optical power of the optical signal is detected. Therefore, the following steps are the same as those in Fig. 2 except that an optical power value signal g in Fig. 9 replaces the power value signal g in Fig. 2. According to the fourth embodiment, therefore, the optical spectrum distribution data and the optical power value are displayed on a single screen in the same manner as in Figs. 4 and 8. In Figs. 5 to 7, an application to the optical spectrum analyzer can be performed in the same manner as in the fourth embodiment in Fig. 9. Note that reference numeral 1d in Fig. 9 denotes a programmable optical attenuator controlled by a data processing and control section 8. The optical attenuator 1d suppresses an excessive input level to be a proper level in the same manner as in the variable attenuator 114 in Fig. 1. As has been described above, according to the present invention, a signal to be measured is distributed to a signal processing section and a power detector through a signal branching section. Therefore, there is provided a spectrum analyzer which can easily and accurately display normal spectrum distribution data together with a power value, and can be applied to a wide range of signals including an electrical signal and an optical signal.

Claims: A spectrum analyzer comprising: a signal processing section (101) for obtaining the power value of an input signal to be measured and input from an input terminal (IN), for processing, in response to a sweep signal, the signal to be measured, the sweep signal having a sweeping period and a reset period, and outputting a signal corresponding to the magnitudes of the frequency components of the spectrum of the signal to be measured; a first A/D converting section (102) for converting the signal, which corresponds to the magnitudes of the frequency components of the spectrum of the signal to be measured, into first digital data; a first memory (103) for storing the first digital data; and a display section (104) for displaying the first digital data along frequency and level axes on a screen thereof in an analog manner, characterized in that a signal branching or switching circuit (105) is arranged between the input terminal (IN) and the signal processing section (101), so that one of the two outputs of the signal branching or switching circuit (105) is connected to the signal processing section (101), while the other output leads to a power sensor (106); in that the power sensor (106) is provided for detecting the power, represented by the sum of the magnitudes of the frequency components, of the signal of the other output of the signal branching or switching circuit (105); in that a second A/D converting section (107) is provided for converting the output signal from the power sensor (106) into second digital data; in that a second memory (108) is provided for storing the second digital data from the second A/D converting section (107), in that the display section (104) displays the second digital data on the same display screen thereof together with the first digital data displayed in the analog manner, the second digital data being displayed in a numerical value character manner; in that detecting means (109) are provided for detecting a difference between the first digital data stored in the first memory (103) and the second digital data stored in the second memory (108); in that a third memory (110) is provided for storing the difference between the digital data detected by the detecting means (109); in that correcting means (111) are provided for correcting the first digital data stored in the first memory (103) in accordance with the difference between the digital data; and in that the display section (104) displays the corrected data provided by the correcting means (111) by substituting the first digital data. The analyzer according to claim 1, characterized by a common A/D converting section (4) serving as the first and second A/D converting sections; switching means (13) for switching and supplying a signal from the signal processing section (101) or a signal from the power sensor (106) to the common A/D converting section (4); and a control section (8′) for controlling the switching means (13) in synchronism with the sweeping period and the reset period of the sweep signal. The analyzer according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by a variable attenuator (114), arranged between the signal branching or switching circuit (105) and the signal processing section (101), for varying the level of the output of the signal branching or switching circuit (105); and a control section (8′) for controlling the attenuation level of the variable attenuator (114) to a desired value, on the basis of the second digital data. The analyzer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the analyzer is either an electrical spectrum analyzer or an optical spectrum analyzer. The analyzer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the power sensor (106) comprises means for detecting at least one of a mean power value and a peak power value. The analyzer according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the signal processing section (101) comprises an RF section (1) for mixing a signal to be measured and a frequency-swept local oscillation signal, and outputting a frequency converted output signal; an IF section (2) for extracting a predetermined frequency component of the signal from the RF section (1); and a detecting section (3) for detecting the IF signal from the IF section (2).

Inventors: TANAKA KENJI, TODA HIROMICHI, TANAKA, KENJI, TODA, HIROMICHI
Applicants: ANRITSU CORP, ANRITSU CORPORATION
Application year: 1989
Main classification: G01R23
IPC codes: G01R23