Digital T / R module pulse modulation signal efficient testing device and method
By combining a vector network measuring instrument with a synchronous triggering circuit, the problems of low efficiency and high cost in measuring the peak power of pulse modulation signals of digital T/R modules are solved, enabling fast and low-cost multi-frequency point testing and simultaneous measurement of S-parameters.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202511178710.8
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-08-22
- Publication Date
- 2025-11-11
AI Technical Summary
Existing technologies cannot efficiently and cost-effectively measure the peak power of pulse modulation signals in digital T/R modules, nor can they simultaneously measure S-parameters. Furthermore, existing equipment is expensive and inefficient.
By combining a vector network analyzer with a synchronous trigger circuit, the pulse modulation signal is converted into a DC signal through a power divider, detector, and voltage regulator circuit. The vector network analyzer is then used for synchronous trigger measurement to achieve rapid testing of pulse peak power at multiple frequency points.
It enables rapid testing of peak pulse power at multiple frequency points, increasing testing speed by 20 times, reducing equipment costs, expanding the measurement dynamic range, and simultaneously measuring S-parameters such as gain, standing wave ratio, and phase.
Smart Images
Figure CN120928049A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application pertains to pulse modulation radio frequency technology, specifically relating to an efficient testing device and method for pulse modulation signals of digital T / R modules. Background Technology
[0002] With the development of technologies such as microwave, communication, radar, and aerospace, pulse-modulated radio frequency (RF) signals are widely used in systems such as digital communication, data transmission, and radar altimeters. For pulse-modulated RF signals, peak power is a crucial parameter characteristic of the signal. Currently, detection measurement is commonly used to measure the peak power of pulse-modulated signals. A logarithmic detector with high linearity and a large dynamic range is used to convert the microwave power signal into an electrical signal. Then, a high-speed analog-to-digital converter (A / D converter) acquires the envelope of one pulse cycle, stores it, and a processor calculates and calibrates it to obtain the peak power.
[0003] Vector network analyzers can measure the absolute power of continuous wave signals, but because the receiver scanning time base of a vector network analyzer is not synchronized with the pulse signal time base output by the digital T / R module, it is impossible to accurately measure the output power within the pulse width of the pulse-modulated RF signal. Existing technologies mainly use peak power analyzers for testing, which require repeatedly capturing the pulse-modulated RF output signal. When testing multiple frequencies, switching frequencies requires resetting the trigger scan, and single-frequency testing takes >30 seconds, resulting in low efficiency. Measuring pulse power requires acquiring the envelope of one pulse cycle, storing it, and then calculating, resulting in the collection of a large amount of invalid data. Dedicated pulse power analyzers are expensive (>$50k per unit) and cannot reuse the vector testing capabilities of vector network analyzers. The dynamic range of power measurement for pulse power analyzers is smaller than that for vector network analyzers, making it unsuitable for measuring low-power signals. Summary of the Invention
[0004] To address these shortcomings, this invention employs a combination of a vector network measuring instrument and a synchronous triggering circuit to achieve rapid testing of multi-frequency pulse peak power. Its technical solution is as follows:
[0005] A high-efficiency testing device for pulse modulation signals of digital T / R modules includes a synchronous trigger generation module and a peak power measurement module;
[0006] The synchronous trigger generation module includes a power divider, a detector, and a voltage regulator circuit; the peak power measurement module includes a power divider, an attenuator, and a vector network analyzer.
[0007] The power divider receives the pulse modulation signal output from the digital T / R module and generates two RF pulse modulation signals. One RF signal is converted into a DC signal by a detector and then input to the voltage regulator circuit; the other signal passes through an attenuator and is input to the vector network analyzer of the peak power measurement module. The vector network analyzer provides RF input excitation for the digital T / R module.
[0008] Preferably, the voltage regulator circuit includes an operational amplifier, a constant voltage power supply, and a load circuit; the operational amplifier is used to amplify the detector signal voltage, the constant voltage power supply is used to power the operational amplifier, and the load circuit is used to adjust the output voltage of the operational amplifier; the DC signal output by the voltage regulator circuit serves as the external trigger input signal for the vector network analyzer.
[0009] Preferably, the voltage regulator circuit ensures that the maximum output voltage of the detector is less than 5V.
[0010] Preferably, the detector and voltage regulator circuit convert the pulse-modulated radio frequency signal into a periodic square wave signal.
[0011] An efficient testing method for pulse modulation signals of digital T / R modules includes the following steps:
[0012] S1. Before performing measurements, the vector network analyzer must first undergo source calibration and receiver calibration;
[0013] The pulse modulation signal output from the S2 digital T / R module is divided into two RF pulse modulation signals by a power divider. One RF signal is converted into a DC signal by a detector and then input to a voltage regulator circuit; the other signal is input to the vector network analyzer of the peak power measurement module after passing through an attenuator.
[0014] S3. The vector network analyzer trigger mode is selected by rising edge triggering. That is, whenever the external trigger input interface connector of the vector network analyzer detects the rising edge of the periodic square wave signal, the receiver measures the peak power of a frequency point.
[0015] Preferably, in step S1, the vector network analyzer window trajectory is set to B,1, that is, port 1 is used as the RF source excitation signal of the digital T / R module, and port 2 of the vector network analyzer measures the output power of the digital T / R module; the vector network analyzer is set to frequency scanning, the output power is set to the working power of the digital T / R module, and the source power of port 1 and the receiver link insertion loss of port 2 are calibrated.
[0016] Preferably, the vector network analyzer trigger is set to external trigger-channel-point trigger.
[0017] Preferably, the vector network analyzer sets an appropriate intermediate frequency bandwidth based on the pulse modulation signal, so that the scan time of the vector network analyzer is less than the pulse signal width.
[0018] Preferably, the pulse synchronous trigger signal employs a two-stage signal processing chain: the first-stage detector extracts the envelope signal, and the second-stage operational amplifier and load construct a voltage regulator circuit to generate a TTL trigger signal that is strictly synchronized with the radio frequency pulse; the bandwidth of the operational amplifier is ≥200MHz.
[0019] Preferably, the trigger signal drives the vector network analyzer to operate in pulse profile mode, dynamically setting the intermediate frequency bandwidth based on the pulse width to achieve a signal-to-noise ratio >80dB, and completing pulse power measurement across the entire frequency band from 0.1 to 18GHz in a single scan; while measuring the peak power value, S-parameters (such as gain, standing wave ratio, phase, etc.) can be measured simultaneously.
[0020] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this application are as follows:
[0021] Compared to the method of measuring the peak power of pulse-modulated RF signals using a peak power analyzer, this invention achieves a significant improvement in testing speed through simple circuit modifications. By replacing the peak power analyzer with a vector network analyzer, S-parameters can be measured simultaneously with the peak power value, saving testing costs and increasing the dynamic range of the measurement. Attached Figure Description
[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the framework. Detailed Implementation
[0023] The technical solution of this application will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the embodiments and specific features in the embodiments are detailed descriptions of the technical solution of this application, rather than limitations thereof. Specific technical features can be combined with each other.
[0024] A high-efficiency testing device for pulse modulation signals of digital T / R modules includes a synchronous trigger generation module and a peak power measurement module;
[0025] The synchronous trigger generation module includes a power divider, a detector, and a voltage regulator circuit; the peak power measurement module includes a power divider, an attenuator, and a vector network analyzer.
[0026] The power divider receives the pulse modulation signal output from the digital T / R module (the object under test) and generates two RF pulse modulation signals. One RF signal is converted into a DC signal by a detector and then input to the voltage regulator circuit; the other signal is input to the vector network analyzer of the peak power measurement module after passing through an attenuator. The vector network analyzer provides RF input excitation for the digital T / R module.
[0027] This invention includes a synchronous trigger generation module and a peak power measurement module. The synchronous trigger generation module includes a power divider, a detector, and a voltage regulator circuit. The pulse modulation signal output from the digital T / R module is divided by the power divider to generate two RF pulse modulation signals. One RF signal is converted into a DC signal by the detector. The voltage regulator circuit includes an operational amplifier, a constant voltage power supply, and a load circuit. Since the voltage range that the external trigger input signal of the vector network analyzer can recognize is 3.3V-5V, the voltage regulator circuit needs to be adjusted so that the maximum output voltage of the detector is less than 5V. The operational amplifier is used to amplify the detector signal voltage, the constant voltage power supply is used to power the operational amplifier, and the load circuit is used to adjust the output voltage of the operational amplifier to prevent the output voltage from being too high and burning out the interface connector of the vector network analyzer. The DC signal output by the voltage regulator circuit serves as the external trigger input signal of the vector network analyzer. The detector and voltage regulator circuit convert the pulse modulation RF signal into a periodic square wave signal.
[0028] The peak power measurement module includes a power divider, a programmable attenuator, and a vector network analyzer. Before measurement, the vector network analyzer requires source and receiver calibration. The vector network analyzer window trajectory is set to B,1, meaning port 1 is used as the RF source excitation signal for the digital T / R module, and port 2 of the vector network analyzer measures the output power of the digital T / R module. The vector network analyzer is set to frequency scanning, and the output power is set to the operating power of the digital T / R module. The source power of port 1 and the receiver link insertion loss of port 2 are calibrated. The vector network analyzer trigger is set to external trigger-channel-point trigger, and the trigger mode is selected as rising edge trigger. That is, whenever the external trigger input interface connector of the vector network analyzer detects the rising edge of the periodic square wave signal, the receiver at port 2 measures the peak power of a frequency point. The vector network analyzer sets an appropriate intermediate frequency bandwidth based on the pulse modulation signal, so that the scan time of the vector network analyzer is less than the pulse signal width.
[0029] An efficient testing method for pulse modulation signals of digital T / R modules includes the following steps:
[0030] S1. Before performing measurements, the vector network analyzer must first undergo source calibration and receiver calibration;
[0031] The pulse modulation signal output from the S2 digital T / R module is divided into two RF pulse modulation signals by a power divider. One RF signal is converted into a DC signal by a detector and then input to a voltage regulator circuit; the other signal is input to the vector network analyzer of the peak power measurement module after passing through an attenuator.
[0032] S3. The vector network analyzer trigger mode is selected by rising edge triggering. That is, whenever the external trigger input interface connector of the vector network analyzer detects the rising edge of the periodic square wave signal, the receiver measures the peak power of a frequency point.
[0033] Pulse synchronous trigger signal: A two-stage signal processing chain is adopted: the first stage detector extracts the envelope signal, and the second stage operational amplifier and load construct a voltage regulator circuit to generate a TTL trigger signal that is strictly synchronized with the radio frequency pulse; the bandwidth of the operational amplifier is ≥200MHz.
[0034] The trigger signal drives the vector network analyzer to operate in pulse profile mode, dynamically setting the intermediate frequency bandwidth based on the pulse width to achieve a signal-to-noise ratio of >80dB. It can complete the measurement of pulse power across the entire frequency band from 0.1 to 18GHz in a single scan, improving efficiency by 20 times. While measuring peak power, it can simultaneously measure S-parameters (such as gain, standing wave ratio, phase, etc.).
[0035] This invention employs a combination of a vector network measuring instrument and a synchronous triggering circuit to achieve rapid testing of pulse peak power at multiple frequency points. The performance indicators are compared in the table below.
[0036] Table 1 Comparison of Indicators
[0037] Test metrics Traditional peak power meter This patent solution Single frequency point test time ≥30 seconds ≤1.5 seconds 18GHz full sweep frequency 12-15 minutes 40 seconds Triggering jitter >50ns <10ns Equipment costs $50k+ Add <$1k modules Vector testing capabilities Not supported S-parameter synchronous measurement Measurement dynamic range -45dBm -20dBm >105dB
[0038] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of this application. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principles of this application, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of this application.
Claims
1. A high-efficiency testing device for pulse modulation signals of a digital T / R module, characterized in that, Includes a synchronous trigger generation module and a peak power measurement module; The synchronous trigger generation module includes a power divider, a detector, and a voltage regulator circuit; the peak power measurement module includes a power divider, an attenuator, and a vector network analyzer. The power divider receives the pulse modulation signal output from the digital T / R module and generates two RF pulse modulation signals. One RF signal is converted into a DC signal by a detector and then input to the voltage regulator circuit; the other signal passes through an attenuator and is input to the vector network analyzer of the peak power measurement module. The vector network analyzer provides RF input excitation for the digital T / R module.
2. The high-efficiency testing device for pulse modulation signals of digital T / R modules according to claim 1, characterized in that, The voltage regulator circuit includes an operational amplifier, a constant voltage power supply, and a load circuit; the operational amplifier is used to amplify the detector signal voltage, the constant voltage power supply is used to power the operational amplifier, and the load circuit is used to adjust the output voltage of the operational amplifier; the DC signal output by the voltage regulator circuit serves as the external trigger input signal for the vector network analyzer.
3. The high-efficiency testing device for pulse modulation signals of digital T / R modules according to claim 1, characterized in that, The voltage regulator circuit ensures that the maximum output voltage of the detector is less than 5V.
4. The high-efficiency testing device for pulse modulation signals of digital T / R modules according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detector and voltage regulator circuit convert the pulse-modulated radio frequency signal into a periodic square wave signal.
5. A method for efficient testing of pulse modulation signals of digital T / R modules, applicable to the testing apparatus described in any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Before performing measurements, the vector network analyzer must first undergo source calibration and receiver calibration; The pulse modulation signal output from the S2 digital T / R module is divided into two RF pulse modulation signals by a power divider. One RF signal is converted into a DC signal by a detector and then input to a voltage regulator circuit; the other signal is input to the vector network analyzer of the peak power measurement module after passing through an attenuator. S3. The vector network analyzer trigger mode is selected by rising edge triggering. That is, whenever the external trigger input interface connector of the vector network analyzer detects the rising edge of the periodic square wave signal, the receiver measures the peak power of a frequency point.
6. The efficient testing method for pulse modulation signals of digital T / R modules according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step S1, the vector network analyzer window trajectory is set to B,1, that is, port 1 is used as the RF source excitation signal of the digital T / R module, and port 2 of the vector network analyzer measures the output power of the digital T / R module; the vector network analyzer is set to frequency scanning, the output power is set to the working power of the digital T / R module, and the source power of port 1 and the receiver link insertion loss of port 2 are calibrated.
7. The efficient testing method for pulse modulation signals of digital T / R modules according to claim 5, characterized in that, The vector network analyzer trigger is set to external trigger - channel - point trigger.
8. The efficient testing method for pulse modulation signals of digital T / R modules according to claim 5, characterized in that, The vector network analyzer sets an appropriate intermediate frequency bandwidth based on the pulse modulation signal, so that the scan time of the vector network analyzer is less than the pulse signal width.
9. The efficient testing method for pulse modulation signals of digital T / R modules according to claim 5, characterized in that, Pulse synchronous trigger signal: A two-stage signal processing chain is adopted: the first stage detector extracts the envelope signal, and the second stage operational amplifier and load construct a voltage regulator circuit to generate a TTL trigger signal that is strictly synchronized with the radio frequency pulse; the bandwidth of the operational amplifier is ≥200MHz.
10. The efficient testing method for pulse modulation signals of digital T / R modules according to claim 5, characterized in that, The trigger signal drives the vector network analyzer to operate in pulse profile mode, dynamically setting the intermediate frequency bandwidth based on the pulse width to achieve a signal-to-noise ratio >80dB, and completing pulse power measurement across the entire frequency band from 0.1 to 18GHz in a single scan; S-parameters can be measured simultaneously while measuring peak power values.