A method and system for testing the electrical performance of flexible signal cables

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of electrical performance testing technology, specifically to a method and system for testing the electrical performance of flexible signal cables. The method includes: acquiring the signal attenuation and actual transmission rate at different preset output frequencies and transmission rates of a signal generator during the performance testing of the flexible signal cable; determining transmission rate anomalies based on the changes in the preset and actual transmission rates of the signal generator, and the degree of deviation between these changes; obtaining a signal transmission evaluation factor by combining the attenuation anomaly characteristic value and the transmission rate anomaly value; obtaining a relationship anomaly characteristic coefficient based on the correlation between the signal attenuation and actual transmission rate at different preset output frequencies, and the rate of change of signal attenuation at adjacent actual transmission rates; and evaluating cable performance by comprehensively considering the signal transmission evaluation factor and the relationship anomaly characteristic coefficient. This invention improves the accuracy of cable performance testing results.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electrical performance testing technology, and specifically to a method and system for testing the electrical performance of flexible signal cables. Background Technology

[0002] Flexible signal cables are cables used for signal transmission. They have good flexibility and can stably transmit signals in dynamic environments such as bending and torsion. They are the preferred cable for signal transmission in cable chain motion systems. They mostly use multi-strand fine copper wires as conductors, have high flexibility, are wear-resistant, oil-resistant, corrosion-resistant, lightweight, and have good signal transmission performance. They are widely used in industrial automation, electronic equipment, transportation and other application fields.

[0003] When conducting electrical performance tests on flexible signal cables, traditional testing methods often focus on key electrical parameters such as resistance and capacitance. This is because flexible signal cables are mainly used for signal transmission, and their core function is to ensure that signals are transmitted accurately and efficiently from one end to the other. The quality of signal transmission directly affects the operation of the entire system. Evaluating electrical performance solely based on electrical parameters such as resistance and capacitance is not comprehensive enough, leading to a certain deviation between the electrical performance evaluation results of flexible signal cables and the actual situation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the issue of discrepancies between existing methods and actual performance when evaluating the electrical performance of flexible signal cables, this invention aims to provide a method and system for testing the electrical performance of flexible signal cables. The specific technical solution adopted is as follows:

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method for testing the electrical performance of a flexible signal cable, the method comprising the following steps:

[0006] During the performance testing of flexible signal cables, the signal attenuation and actual transmission rate are obtained under different preset output frequencies and different set transmission rates of the signal generator.

[0007] Based on the characteristics of signal attenuation variation with preset output frequency, the attenuation anomaly characteristic value of flexible signal cable is determined; based on the changes in the set transmission rate and actual transmission rate of the signal generator, and the degree of deviation between the set transmission rate and the actual transmission rate, the transmission rate anomaly value is determined; combining the attenuation anomaly characteristic value and the transmission rate anomaly value, the signal transmission evaluation factor is obtained.

[0008] Based on the correlation between signal attenuation and actual transmission rate at different preset output frequencies, and the rate of change of signal attenuation between adjacent actual transmission rates, anomaly characteristic coefficients are obtained; the performance of flexible signal cables is evaluated by combining signal transmission evaluation factors and anomaly characteristic coefficients.

[0009] Preferably, determining the attenuation anomaly characteristic value of the flexible signal cable based on the variation characteristics of signal attenuation with a preset output frequency includes:

[0010] Obtain the average slope of all points on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency; the horizontal axis of the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency is the preset output frequency, and the vertical axis is the signal attenuation.

[0011] Based on the difference between the average signal attenuation in the high-frequency stage and the average signal attenuation in the low-frequency stage, the signal attenuation at the first point on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency, and the average slope, a signal attenuation characteristic value is obtained. The low-frequency stage and the high-frequency stage are divided based on the magnitude of the preset output frequency. The difference between the average signal attenuation, the signal attenuation at the first point, and the average slope are all positively correlated with the signal attenuation characteristic value.

[0012] Based on the difference in signal attenuation between peaks and troughs on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency, the total number of peaks and troughs on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency, and the signal attenuation characteristic value, the attenuation anomaly characteristic value of the flexible signal cable is obtained.

[0013] Preferably, obtaining the attenuation anomaly characteristic value of the flexible signal cable based on the difference in signal attenuation between peaks and troughs on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency, the total number of peaks and troughs on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency, and the signal attenuation characteristic value includes:

[0014] Obtain the maximum difference in signal attenuation between all peaks and all troughs on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency;

[0015] The product of the maximum difference, the total number of peaks and troughs on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency, and the signal attenuation characteristic value is taken as the attenuation anomaly characteristic value of the flexible signal cable.

[0016] Preferably, determining abnormal transmission rate values ​​based on the changes in the set transmission rate and the actual transmission rate of the signal generator, and the degree of deviation between the set transmission rate and the actual transmission rate, includes:

[0017] A straight line is fitted to the set sequence and the detection sequence to obtain the slope of the fitted line. The set sequence consists of all set transmission rates, and the detection sequence consists of all actual transmission rates.

[0018] The difference between each set transmission rate and the corresponding actual transmission rate is obtained and recorded as the deviation between each set transmission rate and the actual transmission rate; if the deviation is greater than the corresponding deviation threshold, the corresponding set transmission rate is regarded as an abnormal deviation point.

[0019] Transmission rate anomalies are obtained based on the slope of the fitted line, the number of outliers, the mean of the deviations corresponding to all outliers, and the mean of the bit error rate for all detections. The slope of the fitted line is negatively correlated with the transmission rate anomalies, while the number of outliers, the mean of the deviations corresponding to all outliers, and the mean of the bit error rate for all detections are all positively correlated with the transmission rate anomalies.

[0020] Preferably, the step of combining attenuation anomaly characteristic values ​​and transmission rate anomaly values ​​to obtain the signal transmission evaluation factor includes:

[0021] The negative correlation normalization result of the product of the attenuation anomaly characteristic value and the transmission rate anomaly value is used as the signal transmission evaluation factor.

[0022] Preferably, obtaining the rate of change of signal attenuation between adjacent actual transmission rates includes:

[0023] Calculate the first difference between two adjacent signal attenuation values ​​in the signal attenuation sequence and the second difference between two adjacent actual transmission rates in the actual transmission rate sequence; based on the change of the first difference with the second difference, obtain the rate of change of signal attenuation between adjacent actual transmission rates.

[0024] The signal attenuation sequence is composed of all signal attenuation values, and the actual transmission rate sequence is composed of all actual transmission rates.

[0025] Preferably, the step of obtaining the abnormal relationship characteristic coefficient based on the correlation between signal attenuation and actual transmission rate at different preset output frequencies and the rate of change of signal attenuation between adjacent actual transmission rates includes:

[0026] Based on the correlation coefficient between the signal attenuation sequence and the actual transmission rate sequence, the number of extreme points in the rate of change curve, and the maximum value of the rate of change of signal attenuation between all adjacent actual transmission rates, the abnormal relationship characteristic coefficient is obtained.

[0027] The correlation coefficient is used to reflect the correlation between signal attenuation and actual transmission rate at different preset output frequencies. The rate of change curve is obtained by curve fitting of the rate of change of signal attenuation between all adjacent actual transmission rates. The correlation coefficient is negatively correlated with the abnormal relationship characteristic coefficient. The number of extreme points in the rate of change curve and the maximum value of the rate of change of signal attenuation are both positively correlated with the abnormal relationship characteristic coefficient.

[0028] Preferably, the comprehensive signal transmission evaluation factor and relationship anomaly characteristic coefficient are used to evaluate the performance of the flexible signal cable, including:

[0029] A performance evaluation value is obtained based on the signal transmission evaluation factor and the relationship anomaly characteristic coefficient. The signal transmission evaluation factor is positively correlated with the performance evaluation value, and the relationship anomaly characteristic coefficient is negatively correlated with the performance evaluation value.

[0030] The performance of the flexible signal cable is evaluated based on the aforementioned performance evaluation values.

[0031] Preferably, evaluating the performance of the flexible signal cable based on the performance evaluation value includes:

[0032] If the performance evaluation value is greater than the preset performance threshold, the performance of the flexible signal cable is determined to meet the requirements.

[0033] If the performance evaluation value is less than or equal to the preset performance threshold, the performance of the flexible signal cable is determined to be unacceptable.

[0034] Secondly, the present invention provides a flexible signal cable electrical performance testing system, the system being used to perform the above-described method, the system comprising:

[0035] The data acquisition module is used to acquire the signal attenuation and actual transmission rate of the signal generator at different preset output frequencies and different set transmission rates during the performance test of the flexible signal cable.

[0036] The first evaluation module is used to determine the attenuation anomaly characteristic value of the flexible signal cable based on the variation characteristics of signal attenuation with the preset output frequency; to determine the transmission rate anomaly value based on the changes in the set transmission rate and the actual transmission rate of the signal generator, as well as the degree of deviation between the set transmission rate and the actual transmission rate; and to obtain the signal transmission evaluation factor by combining the attenuation anomaly characteristic value and the transmission rate anomaly value.

[0037] The comprehensive evaluation module is used to obtain the relationship anomaly characteristic coefficient based on the correlation between signal attenuation and actual transmission rate at different preset output frequencies and the rate of change of signal attenuation between adjacent actual transmission rates; and to evaluate the performance of flexible signal cables by combining the signal transmission evaluation factor and the relationship anomaly characteristic coefficient.

[0038] The present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0039] This invention first derives a signal transmission evaluation factor based on the characteristics of signal attenuation variation with a preset output frequency during the performance testing of flexible signal cables, the changes in the set and actual transmission rates of the signal generator, and the degree of deviation between the set and actual transmission rates. This signal transmission evaluation factor reflects the signal transmission quality of the flexible signal cable. In other words, this invention comprehensively evaluates signal transmission quality by considering both signal transmission rate and signal attenuation, directly reflecting the cable's performance in practical applications. Good signal transmission quality ensures stable signal transmission at a stable rate with signal attenuation within an acceptable range. It is a concentrated manifestation of the cable's electrical performance in practical applications and a key indicator for evaluating the quality of cable electrical performance. Then… Based on the relationship between signal attenuation and actual transmission rate at different preset output frequencies, and the rate of change of signal attenuation between adjacent actual transmission rates, anomalies in the relationship between signal attenuation and transmission rate were analyzed, and anomaly characteristic coefficients were obtained. Then, combined with signal transmission evaluation factors and anomaly characteristic coefficients, the performance of the flexible signal cable was comprehensively evaluated. This invention can assess the electrical performance of the cable from the dimension of signal transmission quality, overcoming the limitations of traditional testing methods that only focus on parameters such as resistance and capacitance. It enables a comprehensive evaluation of the electrical performance of the flexible signal cable from multiple perspectives, ensuring a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of the cable's performance in actual signal transmission applications, thereby improving the accuracy of the electrical performance test results for the flexible signal cable. Attached Figure Description

[0040] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions and advantages in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0041] Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating a method for testing the electrical performance of a flexible signal cable, as provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 2This is a structural block diagram of a flexible signal cable electrical performance testing system provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0043] To further illustrate the technical means and effects adopted by the present invention to achieve the intended purpose, the following detailed description of a method and system for testing the electrical performance of a flexible signal cable according to the present invention is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments.

[0044] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains.

[0045] The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, details the specific scheme of the electrical performance testing method and system for flexible signal cables provided by this invention.

[0046] An example of a method for testing the electrical performance of flexible signal cables:

[0047] This embodiment proposes a method for testing the electrical performance of flexible signal cables, such as... Figure 1 As shown, a method for testing the electrical performance of a flexible signal cable according to this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0048] Step S1: Obtain the signal attenuation and actual transmission rate at different preset output frequencies and different set transmission rates of the signal generator during the performance test of the flexible signal cable.

[0049] To determine the electrical performance of the flexible signal cable in terms of data transmission quality, this embodiment will first collect data such as signal attenuation and transmission rate of the flexible signal cable. Specifically, a signal generator capable of generating a wide frequency range sine wave signal will be selected to ensure that its frequency accuracy and stability meet the test requirements, and a spectrum analyzer with high sensitivity and a wide frequency range will be used to accurately measure the amplitude of signals of different frequencies after transmission through the cable. The equipment will also be calibrated to ensure measurement accuracy. Connect the devices according to the following connection method: signal generator → cable under test → bit error rate tester. Establish the test link, turn on the signal generator and bit error rate tester, and allow the signal generator to send data signals at the set initial transmission rate. Wait for the bit error rate tester reading to stabilize, generally for 1-2 minutes, to ensure that the measured bit error rate reflects the stable transmission state. In this embodiment, wait two minutes. In specific applications, the implementer can set the waiting time according to specific circumstances. Record the transmission rate and corresponding bit error rate at this time in the data acquisition software. Gradually increase the transmission rate of the signal generator according to the performance of the cable under test. Again, record the new transmission rate and corresponding bit error rate after the bit error rate tester reading stabilizes. Repeat this step until the bit error rate exceeds the preset acceptable bit error rate threshold. Record the actual transmission rate under different set transmission rates. In this embodiment, the first set transmission rate is 10 Mbps. The increment of the subsequent set transmission rates is set by the implementer according to specific circumstances. Connect the equipment using the sequence "signal generator → cable under test → spectrum analyzer". Set the signal generator to its lowest frequency point, such as 1kHz, and ensure the amplitude of the output signal is constant, guaranteeing a sine wave output. Start the signal generator and allow it to continuously output a sine wave signal at the set frequency and amplitude. Wait 1-2 minutes for the signal to fully transmit through the cable and reach a stable state to obtain stable signal attenuation measurement results. Adjust the center frequency of the spectrum analyzer to the output frequency of the signal generator, set an appropriate scanning bandwidth, and record the amplitude and corresponding output frequency. Gradually increase the output frequency of the signal generator, such as 1kHz, 10kHz, 100kHz, ..., 1GHz, i.e., the preset output frequencies are 1kHz, 10kHz, 100kHz, ..., 1GHz. Repeat the above steps. After the transmission stabilizes, use the spectrum analyzer to measure and record the signal amplitude and actual transmission rate after transmission through the cable at each preset output frequency. In specific applications, the implementer will set the preset output frequency and transmission rate according to the specific circumstances.

[0050] According to the formula Calculate the signal attenuation at different preset output frequencies, where, Indicates the amount of signal attenuation. This indicates the original signal amplitude output by the signal generator. This represents the signal amplitude after transmission through the cable. The method for calculating signal attenuation is existing technology and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0051] Thus, this embodiment has collected the signal attenuation and actual transmission rate at different preset output frequencies and different set transmission rates of the signal generator during the performance test of the flexible signal cable.

[0052] Step S2: Determine the attenuation anomaly characteristic value of the flexible signal cable based on the variation characteristics of signal attenuation with the preset output frequency; determine the transmission rate anomaly value based on the variation of the set transmission rate and the actual transmission rate of the signal generator, as well as the degree of deviation between the set transmission rate and the actual transmission rate; and obtain the signal transmission evaluation factor by combining the attenuation anomaly characteristic value and the transmission rate anomaly value.

[0053] The electrical performance of flexible signal cables affects the signal attenuation during signal transmission. For high-performance cables, the signal attenuation increases relatively gradually with frequency, and the rate of change is relatively small. In the low-frequency range, due to the good performance of the conductor and insulation materials, the signal attenuation is relatively low, and a certain signal transmission capability can still be maintained in the high-frequency range. However, the signal attenuation of poor-performance cables increases rapidly with frequency, and the rate of change is large. In the low-frequency range, due to high conductor resistance and high insulation material loss, the signal attenuation is relatively high even at low frequencies. In the high-frequency range, excessive signal attenuation may lead to ineffective signal transmission, resulting in signal loss, extremely high bit error rate, and other problems, which seriously affect its use in high-frequency application scenarios. Therefore, the loss characteristics of the cable under test should be determined first based on the signal attenuation at different preset output frequencies.

[0054] Specifically, the horizontal axis is set to the preset output frequency, and the vertical axis is set to the signal attenuation. The signal attenuation at all preset output frequencies is mapped to a rectangular coordinate system to obtain multiple data points. Curve fitting is performed on these data points, and the fitted curve obtained at this time is recorded as the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency. Curve fitting is an existing technology and will not be elaborated on here.

[0055] Obtain the average slope of all points on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency. This average slope represents the rate of change of signal attenuation with frequency. The larger the average slope, the more drastic the change in loss with frequency. This may be because the influence of external electromagnetic interference on the signal increases rapidly, resulting in a larger slope on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency and a sharp increase in loss. In this case, the cable may have performance problems. The smaller the average slope, the more gradual the change in loss with frequency, and the more stable the cable performance.

[0056] In this embodiment, 10MHz is used as the dividing point between the high-frequency stage and the low-frequency stage. The fitted curve is divided to obtain the low-frequency stage and the high-frequency stage. In this embodiment, the low-frequency stage is 1kHz-10MHz and the high-frequency stage is 10MHz-1GHz. In specific implementations, the implementer can set the dividing point according to the specific situation.

[0057] The signal attenuation characteristic value is obtained by considering the difference between the average signal attenuation in the high-frequency stage and the average signal attenuation in the low-frequency stage, the signal attenuation at the first point on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency, and the average slope of all points on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency. The difference between the average signal attenuation, the signal attenuation at the first point, and the average slope are all positively correlated with the signal attenuation characteristic value.

[0058] Among them, a positive correlation means that the dependent variable increases as the independent variable increases, and the dependent variable decreases as the independent variable decreases. It can be an additive relationship, a multiplicative relationship, etc., which is determined by the actual application.

[0059] As a specific example, the product of the difference between the average signal attenuation in the high-frequency stage and the average signal attenuation in the low-frequency stage, the signal attenuation at the first point on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency, and the average slope of all points on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency is used as the signal attenuation characteristic value of the flexible signal cable. The smaller the signal attenuation at the first point on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency, the better the cable performance. Conversely, the larger the signal attenuation at the first point on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency, the more likely the cable has high signal attenuation even at low frequencies due to high conductor resistance, high insulation material loss, or other reasons. The difference between the average signal attenuation in the high-frequency stage and the average signal attenuation in the low-frequency stage reflects the overall difference in signal attenuation between the two stages. The larger the value, the more attenuation occurs in the high-frequency stage and the less attenuation occurs in the low-frequency stage, indicating a poorer signal transmission capability of the cable and a greater signal attenuation characteristic based on frequency response. The method for obtaining the difference between the average signal attenuation in the high-frequency stage and the average signal attenuation in the low-frequency stage is as follows: the difference between the average signal attenuation at all points in the high-frequency stage and the average signal attenuation at all points in the low-frequency stage is obtained by subtracting the average signal attenuation at all points in the low-frequency stage from the average signal attenuation at all points in the high-frequency stage on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency.

[0060] Calculate the absolute value of the difference between the signal attenuation value at each peak and the signal attenuation value at each trough on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency. Use this absolute value as the difference in signal attenuation between the corresponding peak and the corresponding trough. There is a difference in signal attenuation between each peak and each trough on the fitted curve. Obtain the maximum difference in signal attenuation between all peaks and all troughs on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency. The larger the maximum difference, the greater the fluctuation of the curve. Moreover, the more peaks and troughs there are, the more unstable the signal transmission is, and the greater the abnormal signal attenuation characteristics are.

[0061] Obtain the total number of peaks and troughs on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency. This total number reflects the fluctuation of the fitted curve; a larger total number indicates more points of fluctuation and a more pronounced degree of fluctuation. Fluctuations in the curve mean that the signal attenuation changes irregularly with frequency, indicating that the cable cannot provide a stable transmission environment for the signal. Sudden changes in signal attenuation at certain frequency points may lead to unstable signal strength, thus affecting accurate signal transmission and reducing the cable's reliable signal transmission capability.

[0062] Based on the above characteristics, the product of the maximum difference, the total number of peaks and troughs on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency, and the signal attenuation characteristic value is taken as the attenuation anomaly characteristic value of the flexible signal cable.

[0063] Besides signal attenuation, the signal transmission quality of a cable is also closely related to its signal transmission rate. During the signal transmission process, the signal transmission rate directly affects the transmission delay from the sending end to the receiving end. The higher the signal transmission rate, the greater the amount of data transmitted per unit time. A higher signal transmission rate can effectively reduce transmission delay, ensure that the signal is accurately transmitted to the receiving end in a short time, meet real-time requirements, and improve signal transmission quality. Therefore, it is necessary to combine the detected signal propagation rate to determine the transmission quality of the cable under test.

[0064] Specifically, firstly, all set transmission rates are arranged in ascending order, and the resulting sequence is recorded as the set sequence. Then, the actual transmission rates corresponding to each set transmission rate are recorded as the detection sequence. When the electrical performance of the cable under test is good, the detected transmission rate is approximately equal to each set transmission rate value, meaning the set sequence and the detection sequence are highly consistent. Furthermore, as the set transmission rate gradually increases, the detected transmission rate also rises steadily, with both showing almost identical upward trends. However, if there are significant and irregular differences between the set sequence and the detection sequence, or if the detection sequence does not show a significant increase as the data in the set sequence increases, it indicates that the cable cannot accurately transmit signals at the set rate. This may indicate electrical performance problems such as excessive conductor resistance, decreased insulation performance, or poor electromagnetic shielding, making it unable to maintain the set transmission rate and reflecting performance defects in electrical transmission rate. Based on this, a straight line is fitted to the set sequence and the detection sequence to obtain the slope of the fitted line. The closer the slope of the fitted line is to 1, the better the transmission rate of the cable, and the actual transmission rate changes synchronously with the set transmission rate. If the slope of the fitted line is less than 1, it indicates that the transmission rate of the cable increases slowly with the increase of the set transmission rate, and there are certain problems with the cable in terms of speed improvement.

[0065] The difference between each set transmission rate and its corresponding actual transmission rate is obtained and recorded as the deviation between the set and actual transmission rates. For any set transmission rate, 10% of that set transmission rate is taken as the corresponding deviation threshold. Using this method, a deviation threshold can be obtained for each set transmission rate, and each set transmission rate has its corresponding deviation threshold. For any set transmission rate, if the deviation between the set transmission rate and the actual transmission rate is greater than the deviation threshold corresponding to that set transmission rate, then that set transmission rate is considered a deviation anomaly. Using this method, multiple deviation anomalies can be screened out; the more deviation anomalies there are, the better they reflect the cable's transmission rate problem.

[0066] Furthermore, based on the slope of the fitted line, the number of outliers, the mean of the deviations corresponding to all outliers, and the mean of the bit error rate for all detections, transmission rate anomalies are obtained. The slope of the fitted line is negatively correlated with the transmission rate anomalies, while the number of outliers, the mean of the deviations corresponding to all outliers, and the mean of the bit error rate for all detections are all positively correlated with the transmission rate anomalies.

[0067] Among them, a positive correlation means that the dependent variable increases as the independent variable increases, and the dependent variable decreases as the independent variable decreases. It can be an additive relationship, a multiplicative relationship, etc., which is determined by practical application. A negative correlation means that the dependent variable decreases as the independent variable increases, and the dependent variable increases as the independent variable decreases. It can be a subtractive relationship, a division relationship, etc., which is determined by practical application.

[0068] As a specific example, the slope of the fitted line is calculated as the sum of the preset adjustment parameter. The product of the reciprocal of this sum, the number of outliers, the mean of the deviations corresponding to all outliers, and the mean of the bit error rate of all detections is taken as the transmission rate anomaly value. The preset adjustment parameter is introduced when calculating the sum of the slope of the fitted line and the preset adjustment parameter to prevent the denominator from being 0. In this embodiment, the preset adjustment parameter is 0.01. In specific applications, the implementer can set it according to the specific situation. The slope of the fitted line is corrected by using the number of outliers and the mean of the deviations corresponding to all outliers. The smaller the slope of the fitted line, the more outliers, and the larger the transmission rate deviation of the outliers, the more it indicates that there is an anomaly in the transmission rate of the tested cable. Moreover, the higher the bit error rate, the larger the transmission rate anomaly value.

[0069] Furthermore, based on the abnormal signal attenuation characteristics and abnormal signal transmission rate characteristics of the tested cable, the signal transmission quality of the tested cable is determined. Specifically, the negative correlation normalization result of the product of the abnormal attenuation characteristic value and the abnormal transmission rate value is used as the signal transmission evaluation factor. The larger the signal attenuation characteristic value and the abnormal transmission rate value, the worse the signal transmission quality of the cable, and the smaller the value of the signal transmission evaluation factor. In this embodiment, the specific process of negative correlation normalization of the product is as follows: the value of the exponential function with the natural constant as the base and the negative exponent of the product is used as the negative correlation normalization result of the product.

[0070] Thus, the signal transmission evaluation factor was obtained using the above method.

[0071] Step S3: Based on the correlation between signal attenuation and actual transmission rate at different preset output frequencies and the rate of change of signal attenuation between adjacent actual transmission rates, obtain the relationship anomaly characteristic coefficient; evaluate the performance of the flexible signal cable by combining the signal transmission evaluation factor and the relationship anomaly characteristic coefficient.

[0072] During cable signal transmission, signal attenuation and signal transmission rate are closely related and influence each other. The two together determine the signal transmission quality of the cable. The signal transmission quality obtained above ignores the relationship between the two during cable use, so further adjustments are needed.

[0073] During cable signal transmission, an increase in transmission rate is often accompanied by an increase in signal frequency. As the transmission rate increases, the signal attenuation will increase to some extent. Since the electrical parameters inside the cable are relatively stable, and various loss mechanisms change with frequency according to their inherent characteristics, this increase is relatively regular, which means that the signal attenuation will gradually increase as the frequency corresponding to the transmission rate increases. When the electrical performance is abnormal, the relationship between the two may fluctuate abnormally. For example, at certain transmission rates, the attenuation may suddenly increase significantly instead of changing according to the normal pattern.

[0074] Based on the above characteristics, the signal attenuation values ​​at all preset output frequencies are arranged in ascending order to obtain a signal attenuation value sequence; similarly, the actual transmission rates at all preset output frequencies are arranged in ascending order to obtain an actual transmission rate sequence. The difference between any two adjacent signal attenuation values ​​in the signal attenuation value sequence is calculated and recorded as the first difference; a first difference exists between every two adjacent elements in the signal attenuation value sequence. Similarly, the difference between any two adjacent actual transmission rates in the actual transmission rate sequence is calculated and recorded as the second difference; a second difference exists between every two adjacent elements in the actual transmission rate sequence. It should be noted that both the first and second differences between adjacent elements are obtained by subtracting the preceding element from the following element in the corresponding pair of adjacent elements.

[0075] Next, based on the change of the first difference with the second difference, the rate of change of signal attenuation between adjacent actual transmission rates will be obtained. In this embodiment, a specific calculation method for the rate of change of signal attenuation between adjacent actual transmission rates is given: the ratio between each first difference and its corresponding second difference is taken as the rate of change of signal attenuation between adjacent actual transmission rates. For any first difference, if the first difference is the difference between the first signal attenuation and the second signal attenuation in the signal attenuation sequence, then its corresponding second difference is the difference between the first actual transmission rate and the second actual transmission rate in the actual transmission rate sequence; if the first difference is the difference between the second signal attenuation and the third signal attenuation in the signal attenuation sequence, then its corresponding second difference is the difference between the second actual transmission rate and the third actual transmission rate in the actual transmission rate sequence; and so on. It should be noted that if the second difference is 0, the sum of the second difference and the preset zero-prevention parameter is calculated. The ratio between the first difference and this sum is taken as the signal attenuation change rate between adjacent actual transmission rates. To reduce the influence of the zero-prevention parameter on the calculation results, the zero-prevention parameter should be set sufficiently small. In this embodiment, the zero-prevention parameter is 0.00001. In specific applications, the implementer can set it according to the specific situation. Using the above method, multiple signal attenuation change rates can be obtained.

[0076] When the electrical performance of the cable under test is good, the rate of change of signal attenuation is relatively stable. If the rate of change of signal attenuation fluctuates greatly, has no obvious pattern, or suddenly increases or decreases, it indicates that the change of signal attenuation with the transmission rate is abnormal, reflecting poor electrical performance of the cable.

[0077] The Pearson correlation coefficient between the signal attenuation sequence and the actual transmission rate sequence is calculated. This Pearson correlation coefficient is used as the correlation coefficient between the signal attenuation sequence and the actual transmission rate sequence at different preset output frequencies. The larger the correlation coefficient, the stronger the correlation between the signal attenuation sequence and the actual transmission rate sequence. A rate of change curve is obtained by curve fitting the rate of change of signal attenuation between all adjacent actual transmission rates. The horizontal axis of the rate of change curve represents the order value, and the vertical axis represents the rate of change of signal attenuation. The number of extreme points in the rate of change curve is obtained. Curve fitting is a prior art technique and will not be elaborated further here.

[0078] Furthermore, based on the correlation coefficient between the signal attenuation sequence and the actual transmission rate sequence, the number of extreme points in the rate of change curve, and the maximum value of the rate of change of signal attenuation between all adjacent actual transmission rates, anomaly characteristic coefficients are obtained; the correlation coefficient is negatively correlated with the anomaly characteristic coefficients, and the number of extreme points in the rate of change curve and the maximum value of the rate of change of signal attenuation are both positively correlated with the anomaly characteristic coefficients.

[0079] As a concrete example, the correlation coefficient is calculated by summing it with a preset first parameter. The product of this sum, the number of extreme points in the rate of change curve, and the maximum value of the rate of change of signal attenuation between all adjacent actual transmission rates is used as the anomaly characteristic coefficient. The preset first parameter is introduced in the calculation of the anomaly characteristic coefficient to prevent the denominator from being 0. The preset first parameter is 1.01; in specific applications, implementers can set it according to specific circumstances.

[0080] Next, a performance evaluation value is obtained based on the signal transmission evaluation factor and the relationship anomaly characteristic coefficient. The signal transmission evaluation factor is positively correlated with the performance evaluation value, and the relationship anomaly characteristic coefficient is negatively correlated with the performance evaluation value.

[0081] As a specific example, the ratio between the signal transmission evaluation factor and the anomaly coefficient is calculated, and the normalized result of this ratio is used as the performance evaluation value. There are many methods for normalizing the data, and implementers can choose the existing data normalization method according to the specific situation to process the data so that the normalized result of the ratio takes the value of (0, 1). The larger the signal transmission evaluation factor and the smaller the anomaly coefficient, the better the signal transmission quality and performance of the current flexible signal cable, and the larger the corresponding adjusted transmission quality evaluation value and performance evaluation value.

[0082] A higher performance evaluation value indicates better overall performance of the flexible signal cable. Therefore, if the performance evaluation value is greater than the preset performance threshold, the flexible signal cable is deemed to meet the performance requirements; if the performance evaluation value is less than or equal to the preset performance threshold, the flexible signal cable is deemed to fail to meet the performance requirements. In this embodiment, the preset performance threshold is 0.7. In specific applications, the implementer can set it according to the specific circumstances.

[0083] Thus, the method provided in this embodiment has been used to complete the testing of the electrical performance of the flexible signal cable.

[0084] This embodiment first obtains a signal transmission evaluation factor based on the characteristics of signal attenuation with preset output frequency during the performance test of the flexible signal cable, the changes in the set transmission rate and actual transmission rate of the signal generator, and the degree of deviation between the set transmission rate and the actual transmission rate. The signal transmission evaluation factor reflects the signal transmission quality of the flexible signal cable. In other words, this embodiment comprehensively evaluates the signal transmission quality by considering both signal transmission rate and signal attenuation, directly reflecting the cable's performance in practical applications. Good signal transmission quality ensures that the signal is transmitted at a stable rate and that the signal attenuation is within an acceptable range. It is a concentrated manifestation of the cable's electrical performance in practical applications and a key indicator for measuring the quality of the cable's electrical performance. Then, based on... The relationship between signal attenuation and actual transmission rate at different preset output frequencies, and the rate of change of signal attenuation between adjacent actual transmission rates were analyzed to identify abnormal situations in the relationship between signal attenuation and transmission rate. Anomaly characteristic coefficients were obtained, and then, combined with signal transmission evaluation factors and anomaly characteristic coefficients, the performance of flexible signal cables was comprehensively evaluated. The method provided in this embodiment can evaluate the electrical performance of cables from the dimension of signal transmission quality, overcoming the limitations of traditional testing methods that only focus on parameters such as resistance and capacitance. This allows for a comprehensive evaluation of the electrical performance of flexible signal cables from multiple aspects, ensuring a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of the cable's performance in actual signal transmission applications, thereby improving the accuracy of the electrical performance test results of flexible signal cables.

[0085] An example of a flexible signal cable electrical performance testing system:

[0086] See Figure 2 The diagram illustrates a structural block diagram of an electrical performance testing system for flexible signal cables according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system may include a data acquisition module, a first evaluation module, and a comprehensive evaluation module.

[0087] The data acquisition module is used to acquire the signal attenuation and actual transmission rate of the signal generator at different preset output frequencies and different set transmission rates during the performance test of the flexible signal cable.

[0088] The first evaluation module is used to determine the attenuation anomaly characteristic value of the flexible signal cable based on the variation characteristics of signal attenuation with the preset output frequency; to determine the transmission rate anomaly value based on the changes in the set transmission rate and the actual transmission rate of the signal generator, as well as the degree of deviation between the set transmission rate and the actual transmission rate; and to obtain the signal transmission evaluation factor by combining the attenuation anomaly characteristic value and the transmission rate anomaly value.

[0089] The comprehensive evaluation module is used to obtain the relationship anomaly characteristic coefficient based on the correlation between signal attenuation and actual transmission rate at different preset output frequencies and the rate of change of signal attenuation between adjacent actual transmission rates; and to evaluate the performance of flexible signal cables by combining the signal transmission evaluation factor and the relationship anomaly characteristic coefficient.

[0090] It should be understood that Figure 2 The structural block diagram and modules of the flexible signal cable electrical performance testing system shown can be implemented in various ways. For example, in some embodiments, the system and its modules can be implemented by hardware, software, or a combination of both. The hardware portion can be implemented using dedicated logic; the software portion can be stored in memory and executed by an appropriate instruction execution system, such as a microprocessor or dedicated hardware. Those skilled in the art will understand that the above-described methods and systems can be implemented using computer-executable instructions and / or included in processor control code, for example, on a carrier medium such as a disk, CD, or DVD-ROM, a programmable memory such as read-only memory (firmware), or a data carrier such as an optical or electronic signal carrier. The systems and modules of this specification can be implemented not only by hardware circuits such as very large-scale integrated circuits or gate arrays, semiconductors such as logic chips, transistors, or programmable hardware devices such as field-programmable gate arrays, programmable logic devices, etc., but also by software executed by various types of processors, or by a combination of the above-described hardware circuits and software (e.g., firmware).

[0091] For more details about the above modules, please refer to other parts of this manual; they will not be repeated here.

[0092] In other embodiments, a flexible signal cable electrical performance testing device is also provided, including a memory and a processor. The memory stores executable program code, and the processor calls and runs the executable program code from the memory, causing the device to perform the aforementioned flexible signal cable electrical performance testing method. Specifically, the device may be a chip, component, or module. The chip may include a connected processor and memory; wherein the memory stores instructions, and when the processor calls and executes the instructions, the chip can perform the flexible signal cable electrical performance testing method provided in the above embodiments.

[0093] In other embodiments, a computer program product is also provided, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the aforementioned steps to implement the flexible signal cable electrical performance testing method provided in the above embodiments.

[0094] In other embodiments, a computer-readable storage medium is also provided, which stores computer program code. When the computer program code is run on a computer, it causes the computer to perform the above-described method steps to implement the electrical performance testing method for flexible signal cables provided in the above embodiments.

[0095] The systems, electronic devices, computer program products, and computer-readable storage media provided are all used to execute the corresponding methods provided above. Therefore, the beneficial effects they can achieve can be referred to the beneficial effects of the corresponding methods provided above, and will not be repeated here.

[0096] It should be noted that the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for testing the electrical performance of a flexible signal cable, characterized in that, The method includes the following steps: During the performance testing of flexible signal cables, the signal attenuation and actual transmission rate are obtained under different preset output frequencies and different set transmission rates of the signal generator. Based on the characteristics of signal attenuation variation with preset output frequency, the attenuation anomaly characteristic value of flexible signal cable is determined; based on the changes in the set transmission rate and actual transmission rate of the signal generator, and the degree of deviation between the set transmission rate and the actual transmission rate, the transmission rate anomaly value is determined; combining the attenuation anomaly characteristic value and the transmission rate anomaly value, the signal transmission evaluation factor is obtained. Based on the correlation between signal attenuation and actual transmission rate at different preset output frequencies, and the rate of change of signal attenuation between adjacent actual transmission rates, the relationship anomaly characteristic coefficient is obtained; the performance of the flexible signal cable is evaluated by combining the signal transmission evaluation factor and the relationship anomaly characteristic coefficient. The method of combining attenuation anomaly characteristic values ​​and transmission rate anomaly values ​​to obtain signal transmission evaluation factors includes: The negative correlation normalization result of the product of the attenuation anomaly characteristic value and the transmission rate anomaly value is used as the signal transmission evaluation factor. The acquisition of the rate of change of signal attenuation between adjacent actual transmission rates includes: Calculate the first difference between two adjacent signal attenuation values ​​in the signal attenuation sequence and the second difference between two adjacent actual transmission rates in the actual transmission rate sequence; based on the change of the first difference with the second difference, obtain the rate of change of signal attenuation between adjacent actual transmission rates. The signal attenuation sequence is composed of all signal attenuation values, and the actual transmission rate sequence is composed of all actual transmission rates. The process of obtaining anomaly characteristic coefficients based on the correlation between signal attenuation and actual transmission rate at different preset output frequencies, and the rate of change of signal attenuation between adjacent actual transmission rates, includes: Based on the correlation coefficient between the signal attenuation sequence and the actual transmission rate sequence, the number of extreme points in the rate of change curve, and the maximum value of the rate of change of signal attenuation between all adjacent actual transmission rates, the abnormal relationship characteristic coefficient is obtained. The correlation coefficient is used to reflect the correlation between signal attenuation and actual transmission rate at different preset output frequencies. The rate of change curve is obtained by curve fitting of the rate of change of signal attenuation between all adjacent actual transmission rates. The correlation coefficient is negatively correlated with the abnormal relationship characteristic coefficient. The number of extreme points in the rate of change curve and the maximum value of the rate of change of signal attenuation are both positively correlated with the abnormal relationship characteristic coefficient.

2. The method for testing the electrical performance of a flexible signal cable according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining the attenuation anomaly characteristic value of the flexible signal cable based on the variation characteristics of signal attenuation with a preset output frequency includes: Obtain the average slope of all points on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency; the horizontal axis of the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency is the preset output frequency, and the vertical axis is the signal attenuation. Based on the difference between the average signal attenuation in the high-frequency stage and the average signal attenuation in the low-frequency stage, the signal attenuation at the first point on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency, and the average slope, a signal attenuation characteristic value is obtained. The low-frequency stage and the high-frequency stage are divided based on the magnitude of the preset output frequency. The difference between the average signal attenuation, the signal attenuation at the first point, and the average slope are all positively correlated with the signal attenuation characteristic value. Based on the difference in signal attenuation between peaks and troughs on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency, the total number of peaks and troughs on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency, and the signal attenuation characteristic value, the attenuation anomaly characteristic value of the flexible signal cable is obtained.

3. The method for testing the electrical performance of a flexible signal cable according to claim 2, characterized in that, The process of obtaining the attenuation anomaly characteristic value of the flexible signal cable based on the difference in signal attenuation between peaks and troughs on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency, the total number of peaks and troughs on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency, and the signal attenuation characteristic value includes: Obtain the maximum difference in signal attenuation between all peaks and all troughs on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency; The product of the maximum difference, the total number of peaks and troughs on the fitted curve of signal attenuation with respect to frequency, and the signal attenuation characteristic value is taken as the attenuation anomaly characteristic value of the flexible signal cable.

4. The method for testing the electrical performance of a flexible signal cable according to claim 1, characterized in that, The determination of abnormal transmission rate values ​​based on the changes in the set transmission rate and the actual transmission rate of the signal generator, and the degree of deviation between the set transmission rate and the actual transmission rate, includes: A straight line is fitted to the set sequence and the detection sequence to obtain the slope of the fitted line. The set sequence consists of all set transmission rates, and the detection sequence consists of all actual transmission rates. The difference between each set transmission rate and the corresponding actual transmission rate is obtained and recorded as the deviation between each set transmission rate and the actual transmission rate; if the deviation is greater than the corresponding deviation threshold, the corresponding set transmission rate is regarded as an abnormal deviation point. Transmission rate anomalies are obtained based on the slope of the fitted line, the number of outliers, the mean of the deviations corresponding to all outliers, and the mean of the bit error rate for all detections. The slope of the fitted line is negatively correlated with the transmission rate anomalies, while the number of outliers, the mean of the deviations corresponding to all outliers, and the mean of the bit error rate for all detections are all positively correlated with the transmission rate anomalies.

5. The method for testing the electrical performance of a flexible signal cable according to claim 1, characterized in that, The comprehensive signal transmission evaluation factor and relationship anomaly characteristic coefficient are used to evaluate the performance of flexible signal cables, including: A performance evaluation value is obtained based on the signal transmission evaluation factor and the relationship anomaly characteristic coefficient. The signal transmission evaluation factor is positively correlated with the performance evaluation value, and the relationship anomaly characteristic coefficient is negatively correlated with the performance evaluation value. The performance of the flexible signal cable is evaluated based on the aforementioned performance evaluation values.

6. The method for testing the electrical performance of a flexible signal cable according to claim 5, characterized in that, The evaluation of the performance of the flexible signal cable based on the performance evaluation value includes: If the performance evaluation value is greater than the preset performance threshold, the performance of the flexible signal cable is determined to meet the requirements. If the performance evaluation value is less than or equal to the preset performance threshold, the performance of the flexible signal cable is determined to be unacceptable.

7. A flexible signal cable electrical performance testing system, said system being used to perform the method of claim 1, characterized in that, The system includes: The data acquisition module is used to acquire the signal attenuation and actual transmission rate of the signal generator at different preset output frequencies and different set transmission rates during the performance test of the flexible signal cable. The first evaluation module is used to determine the attenuation anomaly characteristic value of the flexible signal cable based on the variation characteristics of signal attenuation with the preset output frequency; to determine the transmission rate anomaly value based on the changes in the set transmission rate and the actual transmission rate of the signal generator, as well as the degree of deviation between the set transmission rate and the actual transmission rate; and to obtain the signal transmission evaluation factor by combining the attenuation anomaly characteristic value and the transmission rate anomaly value. The comprehensive evaluation module is used to obtain the relationship anomaly characteristic coefficient based on the correlation between signal attenuation and actual transmission rate at different preset output frequencies and the rate of change of signal attenuation between adjacent actual transmission rates; and to evaluate the performance of flexible signal cables by combining the signal transmission evaluation factor and the relationship anomaly characteristic coefficient.

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