Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
  • G01R21/00—Arrangements for measuring electric power or power factor
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
  • G01R31/00—Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere
  • G01R31/28—Testing of electronic circuits, e.g. by signal tracer
  • G01R31/2832—Specific tests of electronic circuits not provided for elsewhere
  • G01R31/2836—Fault-finding or characterising
  • G01R31/2839—Fault-finding or characterising using signal generators, power supplies or circuit analysers
  • G01R31/2841—Signal generators
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
  • G01R31/00—Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere
  • G01R31/28—Testing of electronic circuits, e.g. by signal tracer
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
  • G01R31/00—Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere
  • G01R31/28—Testing of electronic circuits, e.g. by signal tracer
  • G01R31/282—Testing of electronic circuits specially adapted for particular applications not provided for elsewhere
  • G01R31/2822—Testing of electronic circuits specially adapted for particular applications not provided for elsewhere of microwave or radiofrequency circuits

Definitions

• This invention relates to the generation and measurement of radio frequency (RF)
• sensing element from the measuring equipment, so that the sensing element can be
• the power sensing element can be made small
• Figure 1 shows a known example of this technique.
• a remote RF power sensing element which may be connected to a separate means of
• Such a system provides a signal source whose RF
• the power sensing element and coupling device may be large, the power sensing element and coupling device can be made small, and
• Figure 2 shows a known example of this technique.
• Radio communication equipment often has either a single RF connector for
• an RF power generation and measurement system for supplying RF power to, and measuring RF power transmitted by a unit under test via at least one RF connector of the unit, the system comprising, a main part, and a remote part connected to the main part by a link and being connectable to said RF connector of the unit under test, wherein said main part includes RF power generation means for supplying RF power to said unit under test via said link, said remote part and said RF connector, said remote part includes sensor means for sensing RF power received from said unit under test via said RF connector and for sensing RF power indicative of said RF power supplied to the unit under test at said RF connector, and said RF power generation means is controlled in response to an output of said sensor means whereby RF power supplied to the unit under test at said RF connector has a predetermined value.
• Embodiments of the invention enable both measurement of RF power transmitted by the unit under test at the RF connector and setting of the RF power received by the unit under test at the RF connector.
• Those components of the system which need to be near the RF connector or connectors are fitted in a small remote assembly. The majority of the system components are in a larger main assembly, allowing freedom in the location of this part.
• the two parts of the system are connected by a link, preferably a flexible link.
• the system comprises a main assembly part 1 including an RF power generator 9 and power meters 8,13, and a remote assembly part 2 connectable to the RF connector of a unit under test 4 (which may be a mobile communications terminal, for example).
• the main and remote assembly parts are interconnected by a flexible link 3.
• RF power is supplied to, and received from the unit under test by a duplexer 6 in the remote assembly part 2.
• the remote assembly part 2 also includes a first RF power sensor 5 connected to duplexer 2 via an attenuator 7 and a second RF power-sensor 11 connected to an RF coupling device 10, for example a directional coupler or a power splitter, which is also connected to duplexer 6 via a fixed or settable attenuator 12.
• a first RF power sensor 5 connected to duplexer 2 via an attenuator 7
• a second RF power-sensor 11 connected to an RF coupling device 10, for example a directional coupler or a power splitter, which is also connected to duplexer 6 via a fixed or settable attenuator 12.
• RF power transmitted by the unit under test 4 is measured using the first RF power sensor 5.
• the duplexer 6 directs at least some of the power transmitted by the unit under test 4 to the power sensor 5 via the attenuator 7.
• the attenuator 7 is chosen so that the power sensor 5 receives RF power within its measurement range.
• the duplexer 6, the attenuator 7 and the power sensor 5 are all fitted within the remote assembly 2, to allow them to be connected close to the RF connector of the unit under test 4.
• the electrical output of the power sensor 5 is connected via the flexible link 3 to the power meter 8 fitted within the main assembly part 1. Transmission loss through the duplexer 6 and the attenuator 7 can be characterised, and is used by power meter 8 to give a measurement of RF power transmitted by the unit under test 4 at its RF connector.
• the signal to be received by the unit under test is supplied by the RF power generator 9 in the main assembly part 1. It passes through the flexible link 3, and into the coupling device 10.
• the coupling device 10 allows a predetermined fraction of the RF power to reach the power sensor 11, and another predetermined fraction to reach the RF connector of the unit under test 4 via the attenuator 12 and the duplexer 6.
• the coupling device 10, the attenuator 12 and the power sensor 11 are all fitted within the remote assembly part 2, to allow them to be connected close to the RF connector of the unit under test 4.
• the electrical output of the power sensor 11 is connected via the flexible link 3 to the power meter 13 fitted within the main assembly part 1.
• the RF transmission characteristics of the coupling device 10, and loss through the attenuator 12 and the duplexer 6 can be characterised and used by power meter 13 to give a measurement of RF power received by the unit under test 4 at its RF connector.
• the value reported by power meter 13 is used to correct the output level of the RF power generator 9 via a feedback path 14.
• the characteristics of the duplexer 6 and the coupling device 10, and the value of the attenuator 12, are chosen so that the power sensor 11 is not significantly affected by the RF power transmitted by the unit under test 4.
• the characteristics of the duplexer 6 and the value of the attenuator 7 are chosen so that the power sensor 5 is not significantly affected by the RF power transmitted by the RF power generator 9.
• the electrical outputs of one or both power sensors 5,11 need not necessarily be supplied to power meters located in the main assembly part 1. Alternatively, these outputs could be supplied to separate metering apparatus remote from the main assembly part 1. In an alternative implementation, a single power sensor means may be used to perform the functions of power sensor 5 and power sensor 11, for example by being switched between the output of attenuator 7 and the coupling device 10.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Power Engineering (AREA)
• Arrangements For Transmission Of Measured Signals (AREA)
• Developing Agents For Electrophotography (AREA)
• Diaphragms For Electromechanical Transducers (AREA)
• Eye Examination Apparatus (AREA)
• Testing Electric Properties And Detecting Electric Faults (AREA)

Priority Applications (6)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=9931444

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (10)

Cited By (3)

Families Citing this family (6)

Citations (2)

Family Cites Families (11)

• 2002
  • 2002-02-20 GB GB0204013A patent/GB2385674B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2003
  • 2003-02-18 EP EP03702775A patent/EP1476765B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2003-02-18 ES ES03702775T patent/ES2258215T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2003-02-18 AT AT03702775T patent/ATE323887T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2003-02-18 DE DE60304684T patent/DE60304684T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2003-02-18 AU AU2003205897A patent/AU2003205897A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-02-18 WO PCT/GB2003/000701 patent/WO2003071296A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2003-02-18 JP JP2003570146A patent/JP2005517964A/ja active Pending
  • 2003-02-18 KR KR1020047012842A patent/KR100794877B1/ko not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2003-02-18 US US10/504,682 patent/US7098646B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (2)

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