Dual-Detector Spectrum Analyzer for Simultaneous FFT and Spectrogram Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing real-time spectrum analyzers face limitations in efficiently processing and displaying FFT plots and spectrograms due to high computational demands, often resulting in information loss when trying to display both simultaneously, as they are typically synced to the video frame rate and have limited capacity for simultaneous plotting.
Innovation Solution
A real-time spectrum analyzer (RTSA) is designed with an analog-to-digital converter, fast Fourier transform (FFT) units, and detectors that thin and compress FFT data streams to match the processing capacity of plotters, allowing for simultaneous display of FFT plots and spectrograms without losing statistical distribution information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the FFT unit generates FFTs for every first time slice at high rate, then the frequency domain representation is detailed and accurate, but the processing capacity of plotters is exceeded and information is lost when displaying both FFT plots and spectrograms simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the FFT data stream processing into two separate segmentation paths: one path processes FFTs for FFT plots using a first detector, and another path processes FFTs for spectrograms using a second detector. This segmentation allows each plotter to receive appropriately thinned data streams without overwhelming processing demands, while both representations remain simultaneously available.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic thinning ratios for the two detector paths, allowing the system to adaptively adjust the number of FFTs per unit time based on the specific processing capacity requirements of each plotter. The first detector applies a first thinning ratio and the second detector applies a second thinning ratio, enabling flexible optimization of processing throughput for each display type.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the system displays both FFT plots and spectrograms simultaneously, then comprehensive signal analysis is achieved, but the computational demand exceeds the processing capacity of existing plotters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the single FFT data stream into two separate processing channels, each with its own detector and plotter configuration. This allows simultaneous display of both FFT plots and spectrograms by distributing the computational load across independent processing paths, thereby achieving comprehensive signal analysis without overwhelming a single processing unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional processing architecture where the FFT unit serves both FFT plot and spectrogram display functions simultaneously. By implementing universal FFT generation that feeds both specialized detector paths, the system achieves multiple analysis capabilities from a single core processing unit, enhancing versatility without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
3Productivity
If the number of FFTs per unit time is reduced to match plotter capacity, then processing efficiency is improved, but the detail and resolution of frequency domain representations are degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the FFT data stream into two separate paths with different thinning ratios, allowing each path to be optimized for its specific display purpose. The first detector path can use a lower thinning ratio to preserve more detail for FFT plots, while the second detector path can use a higher thinning ratio optimized for spectrogram display, thereby maintaining frequency domain detail where needed while improving overall processing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different quality levels of processing to different output streams. The first detector path maintains higher processing fidelity with a first thinning ratio suitable for detailed FFT plot analysis, while the second detector path uses a second thinning ratio optimized for the different requirements of spectrogram display. This local quality differentiation ensures that each representation receives appropriate processing detail without unnecessarily burdening the system.
Data Source
AI summary
A real-time spectrum analyzer (RSTA) includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to convert in an input analog signal into a digital input data stream, a fast Fourier transform (FFT) unit configured to generate FFTs of the digital input data stream for successive time slices of the input analog signal, wherein the FFTs of each time slice are grouped into FFT bins, each FFT bin including the FFTs of a given frequency band, a first detector configured to reduce a number of FFTs per bin generated by the FFT unit and output a corresponding thinned FFT data stream for each of the successive time slices, a second detector configured to compress the thinned FFT data stream output by the first detector and output a compressed FFT data stream for each of the successive time slices, an FFT plotter configured to generate first display data representing an FFT plot of a given time slice of the input analog signal from the thinned FFT data stream output by the first detector, and a spectrogram plotter configured to generate second display data of a spectrogram of the given time slice and previous time slices of the input analog signal from the compressed FFT data stream output by the second detector.