Cable Connection Quality Assessment via Impulse Response Echo Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual inspection of cable connections in radio frequency test setups is time-consuming and prone to overlooking defects, especially those not visible, which can cause reflections or attenuations, affecting test performance.
Innovation Solution
A test system comprising a signal generator, measurement device, analyzing device, transformation device, and processing device that transmits test signals through the cable connection, measures signal strength, determines the transfer function, transforms it into an impulse response, and identifies relative echo power to assess the connection's quality objectively and automatically.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual inspection of cable connections is performed, then visual defects can be identified, but the process is time-consuming and may overlook non-visible defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection with an automated electronic measurement system. A signal generator transmits test signals through the cable connection, and a measurement device captures the transmitted signals. This automated system objectively measures transmission characteristics without relying on human visual inspection, thereby improving both reliability of defect detection and reducing inspection time.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable connection undergoes self-testing by transmitting and receiving test signals through itself. The system measures its own transmission characteristics (transfer function, impulse response, echo power) without requiring external manual intervention, enabling automated quality assessment that is both rapid and reliable.
2Reliability
If automated signal transmission testing is performed, then objective and reliable evaluation of cable connections is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The test system uses universal signal transmission and measurement techniques that can evaluate multiple cable connection parameters (transfer function, impulse response, echo power) through a single integrated process. The signal generator and measurement device serve multiple functions: generating test signals, transmitting them through the cable, measuring the transmitted signals, and deriving multiple quality metrics from the same measurement data, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
3Device complexity
If visual inspection is used, then simple equipment is required, but non-visible defects such as internal cable damage or improper connections cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces test signals as an intermediary medium to indirectly assess cable connection quality. Instead of directly observing the cable physically, the system uses transmitted signals as a mediator to reveal internal defects. The signal transmission characteristics (attenuation, reflections, echo power) serve as indirect indicators of cable integrity, enabling detection of non-visible defects without requiring complex physical inspection equipment.
Data Source
AI summary
A testing of a transmission path of a cable connection between a first position and a second position is provided. Test signals are transmitted via the transmission path, and a transfer function is determined by evaluating the test signals. In order to assess the properties of the transmission path, the transfer function is transformed to an impulse response and the echo power of the transmission path is evaluated by analyzing the impulse response.