IQ-Based Time-Domain Trace Search for RF Event Isolation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Real Time Spectrum Analyzers (RTSAs) face difficulties in searching and isolating time-domain events within stored RF signal data, lacking effective methods to retrieve relevant time-domain phenomena.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus and method involve receiving and digitizing RF signals to produce I and Q baseband components, storing these in acquisition memory, generating IQ-based time-domain traces, and using a search unit to locate and mark time-domain events such as runts, setup-and-hold events, or slew rate events within these traces, while displaying intervals of interest around the marked events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional RTSAs store RF signal data, then data recording capability is improved, but the ability to search and isolate time-domain events deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the stored RF signal data into individual trace components (I and Q baseband signals) that can be independently processed and searched. By dividing the complex RF signal into separable time-domain traces, the system enables targeted searching of specific signal characteristics without having to analyze the entire composite signal, thus resolving the contradiction between storing large quantities of data and efficiently searching for specific time-domain events.
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive RF signal analysis is performed, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-processing RF signals into I and Q baseband components during the acquisition phase, organizing the data into structured traces before analysis is needed. This preliminary organization of signal data into searchable formats (amplitude, frequency, phase traces) reduces the complexity of subsequent analysis operations, as the search unit can directly examine pre-processed traces rather than performing complex real-time signal processing, thus maintaining high measurement precision while reducing device complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
Embodiments of the invention include devices and methods for searching IQ-based time-domain traces for events, marking the events, and analyzing intervals of interest at or around the events on a display unit of a test and measurement instrument. The test and measurement instrument (100) can include an input terminal (110) to receive an RF signal, an ADC (108) to digitize the RF signal, a digital downconverter (115) to produce I (in-phase) and Q (quadrature) baseband component information from the digitized RF signal, an acquisition memory (130) to acquire and store a record, a trace generation section (145) to generate one or more IQ-based time-domain traces, and a search unit (147) to scan the IQ-based time-domain traces for one or more events. The search unit can locate and mark the events for display on a display unit of the test and measurement instrument.