Signal Generator Attenuation Control for Cable Loss Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional signal generators fail to account for cable losses, resulting in varying signal intensities across devices under test, which affects test accuracy and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A signal generator with a signal generation unit, first and second attenuators, a distributor, an attenuation amount setting unit, and a cable loss storage unit that adjusts attenuation amounts to account for cable losses, ensuring consistent signal intensity across multiple devices under test.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If cable losses are not taken into consideration in conventional signal generators, then the device complexity is reduced, but the signal intensity variation across multiple devices under test increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cable loss storage unit stores loss information for each cable in advance, and the attenuation amount setting unit pre-calculates the appropriate attenuation amounts based on this stored information before signal distribution, eliminating the need for real-time measurement and adjustment
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the attenuation amounts of the first and second attenuators based on the specific cable loss characteristics, allowing the signal generator to adapt to different cable configurations and maintain uniform signal intensity across all output ports
2Ease of operation
If cable losses are not compensated, then the attenuation control is simplified, but the test accuracy decreases due to varying signal intensities
Solution Approach 1:
The signal generator automatically performs the attenuation adjustment based on the cable loss information stored in the cable loss storage unit, eliminating the need for manual calculation and adjustment by the operator while ensuring accurate signal intensity uniformity
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the stored cable loss information as feedback to automatically adjust the attenuation amounts, creating a closed-loop control mechanism that ensures accurate signal distribution without requiring manual intervention
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple devices under test are connected through cables with different losses, then the system versatility is improved, but the signal intensity consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different attenuation amounts to different output ports based on their specific cable loss characteristics, allowing each channel to be optimized independently for its connected device while maintaining overall system versatility
Solution Approach 2:
The attenuation amount setting unit changes the attenuation parameters of the first and second attenuators based on the cable loss information, adjusting the signal characteristics for each output port to compensate for different cable losses and achieve consistent signal intensity across all devices
Data Source
AI summary
A signal generator and a method for controlling the signal generator, capable of suppressing variation in the intensity of signals inputted to multiple devices under test are provided. An attenuation amount setting unit 15 sets a reference attenuation amount, obtained by subtracting the maximum amount of the losses stored in the cable loss storage unit 16 with respect to the cables 4a to 4f connected to the output ports 12a to 12f from a target attenuation amount, to the first attenuator 11, and sets an output attenuation amount, obtained by subtracting the losses stored in the cable loss storage unit 16 with respect to each of the cables 4a to 4f connected to the output ports 12a to 12f, from the maximum amount of the losses, to each of the second attenuators 14a to 14f.