Patent Abstract:
A measuring system comprises a noise source adapted to provide a noise signal to a device under test. Moreover, it comprises a measuring device adapt to measure a measuring signal generated by the device under test in reaction to the noise signal. The measuring device further comprises a signal splitter adapted to split the measuring signal into at least a first split measuring signal and a second split measuring signal. Moreover it comprises a correlator adapted to correlate a signal derived from the first split measuring signal and a signal derived from the second split measuring signal. Also the measuring device comprises a processor adapted to determine an amplification factor and/or a noise figure of the device under test based upon the correlated signal derived from the first split measuring signal and signal derived from the second split measuring signal.

Full Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the earlier filing date under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/217,800 (filed 2015 Sep. 11). 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The invention relates to a measuring system and method for measuring the amplification and noise figure of a device under test. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Spectrum analyzers can be used for determining a noise figure of components like amplifiers or mixers. A known method for determining the noise figure is the so called Y-method, which is for example shown in the document US 2005/0137814 A1. This method comprises connecting a diode, such as an Enhanced Noise Ratio diode (ENR-diode) to the device under test (DUT) and successively switching between a regular noise signal and an enhanced noise signal. The spectrum analyzer then measures the noise power level in both situations and can determine the noise figure and the amplification factor of the DUT therefrom. The accuracy of the measuring system though is strongly influenced by a noise figure of the employed measuring device (e.g., the employed spectrum analyzer). For reducing the noise figure of the measuring device, it is suggested to use a low noise pre-amplifier (LNA). It is thereby possible to significantly reduce the noise figure of the measuring system. This, however, also leads to a reduction of the available dynamic range. Especially in broadband applications, it is possible to overpower the first stage of the analyzer with the power of the pre-amplified measuring signal. 
         [0004]    What is needed, therefore, is a measuring system and measuring method that allow for a very accurate measurement of the noise figure and amplification of a device under test, independent of the power of the measuring signal. 
       SOME EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0005]    Embodiments of the present invention advantageously address the foregoing requirements and needs, as well as others, by providing a measuring system and measuring method that allow for a very accurate measurement of the noise figure and amplification of a device under test, independent of the power of the measuring signal. 
         [0006]    In accordance with example embodiments, a measuring system comprises a noise source configured to provide a noise signal to a device under test, and a measuring device configured to measure a measuring signal generated by the device under test in response to the noise signal. The measuring device comprises a signal splitter configured to split the measuring signal into at least a first split measuring signal and a second split measuring signal. The measuring device further comprises a correlator configured to correlate a signal derived from the first split measuring signal and a signal derived from the second split measuring signal. The measuring device further comprises a processor configured to determine one or more of an amplification factor and a noise figure of the device under test based on the correlated signal derived from the first split measuring signal and derived from the second split measuring signal. It is thereby possible to significantly reduce the noise generated by the measuring setup. 
         [0007]    According to a further embodiment, the measuring device further comprises a controller configured to control a noise temperature of the noise signal generated by the noise source. By way of example, the noise source comprises a diode, such as an ENR-diode. It is thereby very easily possible to set the desired noise level of the noise source. 
         [0008]    According to a further embodiment, the measuring system is configured to measure the one or more of the amplification factor and the noise figure of the device under test based on a Y-method. It is thereby possible to perform the measurements with minimal hardware effort. 
         [0009]    According to a further embodiment, the measuring system further comprises a controller configured to control the noise source to successively provide a first noise signal and a second noise signal to the device under test, wherein the first noise signal has a lower noise temperature than the second noise signal, and wherein the measuring device is configured to determine the one or more of the amplification factor and the noise figure of the device under test by successively measuring the measuring signal while the noise source provides the first noise signal to the device under test and while the noise source provides the second noise signal to the device under test. A specially accurate measurement of the amplification factor and the noise figure is thereby possible. 
         [0010]    According to a further embodiment, the measuring device further comprises a first local oscillator, a first mixer, and a second mixer. The first local oscillator is configured to provide a first local oscillator signal to the first mixer and to the second mixer. The signal splitter is configured to provide the first split measuring signal to the first mixer, and to provide the second split measuring signal to the second mixer. The first mixer is configured to mix the first split measuring signal with the first local oscillator signal to generate a first intermediate frequency signal. The second mixer is configured to mix the second split measuring signal with the first local oscillator signal to generate a second intermediate frequency signal. It is thereby possible to generate two intermediate frequency signals, which are identical except for noise added by the measuring setup. 
         [0011]    According to a further embodiment, the measuring device comprises an I/Q-demodulator, including a first I/Q-demodulator and a second I/Q-demodulator. The first I/Q-demodulator is configured to perform an I/Q-demodulation of the first intermediate frequency signal to generate a first demodulated signal, comprising a first demodulated I-signal and a first demodulated Q-signal. The second I/Q-demodulator is configured to perform an I/Q-demodulation of the second intermediate frequency signal to generate a second demodulated signal, comprising a second demodulated I-signal and a second demodulated Q-signal. By separately demodulating the intermediate frequency signals using the same second local oscillator signal, the resulting demodulated signals are kept identical except for the noise added by the measuring setup. 
         [0012]    According to a further embodiment, the I/Q-demodulator comprises a second local oscillator and a phase shifter, wherein the first I/Q-demodulator comprises a third mixer and a fourth mixer, and wherein the second I/Q-demodulator comprises a fifth mixer and a sixth mixer. The second local oscillator is configured to generate a second local oscillator signal and provide it to the phase shifter. The phase shifter is configured to provide a 0° phase shifted second oscillator signal to the third mixer and the fifth mixer. The phase shifter is configured to provide a −90° phase shifted second oscillator signal to the fourth mixer and the sixth mixer. The third mixer is configured to generate the first demodulated I-signal. The fourth mixer is configured to generate the first demodulated Q-signal. The fifth mixer is configured to generate the second demodulated I-signal. The sixth mixer is configured to generate the second demodulated Q-signal. It is thereby possible to further keep the signals of the two measuring branches identical except for the noise added by the measuring setup. 
         [0013]    According to a further embodiment, the measuring device comprises a first analog-digital-converter, a second analog-digital-converter, a third analog-digital-converter, and a fourth analog-digital-converter. The third mixer is configured to provide the first demodulated I-signal to the first analog-digital-converter. The fourth mixer is configured to provide the first demodulated Q-signal to the second analog-digital-converter. The fifth mixer is configured to provide the second demodulated I-signal to the third analog-digital-converter. The sixth mixer is configured to provide the second demodulated Q-signal to the fourth analog-digital-converter. The first analog-digital-converter is configured to digitize the first demodulated I-signal to generate a digital first demodulated I-signal. The second analog-digital-converter is configured to digitize the first demodulated Q-signal to generate a digital first demodulated Q-signal. The third analog-digital-converter is configured to digitize the second demodulated I-signal to generate a digital second demodulated I-signal. The fourth analog-digital-converter is adapted to digitize the second demodulated Q-signal to generate a digital second demodulated Q-signal. It is thereby further possible to keep the resulting signals of the two measuring paths identical except for the noise added by the measuring setup. 
         [0014]    According to a further embodiment, the measuring device further comprises a first adder and a second adder. The first adder is configured to add the digital first demodulated I-signal and the digital first demodulated Q-signal to generate the signal derived from the first split measuring signal. The second adder is configured to add the digital second demodulated I-signal and the digital second demodulated Q-signal to generate the signal derived from the second split measuring signal. 
         [0015]    In accordance with further example embodiments, a measuring method is provided. The measuring method comprises providing a noise signal to a device under test, by a noise source, and measuring a measuring signal generated by the device under test in reaction to the noise signal, by a measuring device. The method further comprises splitting the measuring signal into at least a first split measuring signal and a second split measuring signal, by the measuring device, correlating a signal derived from the first split measuring signal and a signal derived from the second split measuring signal, by the measuring device, and determining an amplification factor and/or a noise figure of the device under test based upon the correlated signal derived from the first split measuring signal and the signal derived from the second split measuring signal, by the measuring device. It is thereby possible to significantly reduce the effect of noise added by the measuring setup. A significantly increase in measured accuracy can thereby be reached. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    Embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements, and in which: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of a measuring system in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  depicts a flow chart illustrating a measurement process in accordance with example embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    Approaches for a measuring device and measuring method that allow for a very accurate measurement of the noise figure and amplification of a device under test, independent of the power of the measuring signal, are described. In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. The present invention is not intended to be limited based on the described embodiments, and various modifications will be readily apparent. It will be apparent that the invention may be practiced without the specific details of the following description and/or with equivalent arrangements. Additionally, well-known structures and devices may be shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Further, the specific applications discussed herein are provided only as representative examples, and the principles described herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the general scope of the present invention. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of a measuring system  1  in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention. According to the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the measuring system  1  comprises a noise source, such as diode  10  (e.g., an Enhanced Noise Ratio diode (ENR-diode)). The diode  10  is connected to a device under test (DUT)  11 , which is not a part of the measuring system. Further, the measuring system  1  comprises a switch  12  for bypassing the device under test  11 . 
         [0021]    The device under test  11  is connected to a measuring device  13 . By way of example, the device under test  11  is connected to a signal splitter  14 , which in turn is connected to a first mixer  15   a  and a second mixer  15   b . Each of the mixers  15   a ,  15   b  is connected to a first local oscillator  16 . An output of the mixer  15   a  is connected to one input of each of two further mixers  17   a ,  17   b , and an output of the mixer  15   b  is connected to one input of each of two further mixers  18   a ,  18   b . A second input of each of the mixers  17   a ,  17   b ,  18   a ,  18   b  is connected to a phase shifter  20 , which is connected to a second local oscillator  19 . The outputs of each of the mixers  17   a ,  17   b ,  18   a ,  18   b  is connected to the input of a respective one of the analog-to-digital (A/D) converters  21   a ,  21   b ,  22   a ,  22   b . The outputs of the A/D converters  21   a  and  22   a  are connected to an adder  23   a . The outputs of the A/D converters  21   b  and  22   b  are connected to an adder  23   b . The outputs of the adders  23   a  and  23   b  are connected to a correlator  24 , which in turn is connected to a processor  25 . The processor  25  is connected to a controller  26 , which is connected to the diode  10 . 
         [0022]    The mixers  17   a ,  18   a  constitute a first I/Q-demodulator, while the mixers  17   b ,  18   b  constitute a second I/Q-demodulator. The first and second I/Q-demodulators and the second local oscillator  19  and the phase shifter  20  constitute a I/Q-demodulator. 
         [0023]    For performing a measurement of one or more of an amplification factor and a noise figure of the device under test  11 , the controller  26  instructs the noise source  10  to successively emit a first noise signal and a second noise signal, the first noise signal having a lower noise temperature than the second noise signal. The device under test receives the noise signal and outputs a measuring signal in response. 
         [0024]    The measuring signal is split by the signal splitter  14  into a first split measuring signal, which is provided to the mixer  15   a  and a second split measuring signal which is provided to the mixer  15   b . The local oscillator  16  generates a first local oscillator signal LO 1  and provides it to the mixers  15   a  and  15   b . The mixers  15   a ,  15   b  mix the first and second split measuring signal with a first local oscillator signal LO 1  and thereby generate a first and second intermediate frequency signal IF 1 , IF 2 . 
         [0025]    The first intermediate frequency signal IF 1  is provided to the first I/Q-demodulator, and the second intermediate frequency signal IF 2  is provided to the second I/Q-demodulator. The phase shifter  20  provides a second local oscillator signal LO 2 , which is phase shifted by 0° degrees (e.g., is not phase shifted) to the mixers  17   a  and  17   b . The mixers  17   a ,  17   b  then mix the respective intermediate frequency signals IF 1 , IF 2  with the non-phase shifted second local oscillator signal LO 2 , resulting in a first demodulated I-signal  11  and a second demodulated I-signal  12 . Further, the phase shifter  20  provides second local oscillator signal LO 2 , which is phase shifted by −90° to the mixers  18   a ,  18   b . The mixers  18   a ,  18   b  mix the respective intermediate frequency signal IF 1 , IF 2  with the −90° phase shifted second local oscillator signal LO 2 , resulting in a first demodulated Q-signal Q 1  and a second demodulated Q-signal Q 2 . 
         [0026]    The resulting signals I 1 , I 2 , Q 1 , Q 2 , are each handed to an A/D converter  21   a ,  21   b ,  22   a ,  22   b , which digitize the signals. Output signals of the A/D converters  21   a ,  22   a  are handed to an adder  23   a  which adds the signals to form the signal derived from the first split measuring signal. The output signals of the A/D converters  21   b ,  22   b  are handed to adder  23   b , which adds the signals to a signal derived from the second split measuring signal. The output signals of the adders  23   a ,  23   b  are handed to the correlator  24 , which performs a correlation of these signals. Thereby, non-matching signal components, which correspond to noise added by the measuring setup (e.g., the measuring device  13 ) are thereby removed. After this, a single resulting measuring signal is handed to the processor  25 , which determines the amplification factor and/or noise figure of the device under test  11 . 
         [0027]    In this example embodiment, a splitting of the measuring signal into two measuring branches is shown. According to further embodiments, the measuring signal may be split into a larger number of measuring paths, whereby more than two signals are correlated. This can further reduce the noise components introduced by the measuring setup within the correlated signal. 
         [0028]    Moreover, since this measuring setup does not use a pre-amplifier, an ideal impedance matching at the output of the device under test  11  is possible, which significantly reduces the effect of the actual power level of the measuring signal. 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  depicts a flow chart illustrating a measurement process in accordance with example embodiments of the present invention. In a first step  100 , a noise temperature of a noise signal is set. By way of example, in a third step  102 , the noise temperature is set to a first lower noise temperature. In a second step  101 , the noise signal is supplied to a device under test. A resulting measuring signal is split into at least two split measuring signals. In a fourth step  103 , each of the split measuring signals is mixed with an identical first local oscillator signal resulting in at least two intermediate frequency signals. In a fifth step  104 , an I/Q-demodulation of the at least two intermediate frequency signals on the two measuring paths is performed. This results in at least two demodulated signals. In a sixth step  105 , the demodulated signals are correlated. By way of example, during the correlation step, signal components, which are not identical within the demodulated signals are removed. It is thereby possible, to remove noise components introduced by the measuring setup. According to a further embodiment, the demodulated signals are first digitized before being correlated. In a seventh step  106 , one or more of an amplification factor and a noise figure of the device under test is/are determined based upon the correlated signals. According to a further embodiment, after performing the sixth step, it is possible to return to the first step  100  and continue with a different noise temperature. 
         [0030]    The embodiments of the present invention can be implemented by hardware, software, or any combination thereof. Various embodiments of the present invention may be implemented by one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, or the like. 
         [0031]    While example embodiments of the present invention may provide for various implementations (e.g., including hardware, firmware and/or software components), and, unless stated otherwise, all functions are performed by a CPU or a processor executing computer executable program code stored in a non-transitory memory or computer-readable storage medium, the various components can be implemented in different configurations of hardware, firmware, software, and/or a combination thereof. Except as otherwise disclosed herein, the various components shown in outline or in block form in the figures are individually well known and their internal construction and operation are not critical either to the making or using of this invention or to a description of the best mode thereof. 
         [0032]    In the preceding specification, various embodiments have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will, however, be evident that various modifications may be made thereto, and additional embodiments may be implemented, without departing from the broader scope of the invention as set forth in the claims that follow. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7