Methods and systems for automated emissions measuring

• US 6,529,020 B1
• Filed: 11/15/2000
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GE Fanuc Automation North America Incorporated
• Original Assignee: GE Fanuc Automation North America Incorporated
• Inventors: Terrell, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Oda, Christine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Vincent Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/713,625
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 250/363.01, 250/370.06, 250/354.1, 250/328, 324/750, 324/96, 324/95, 324/627, 324/332, 324/501, 324/529, 600/409
• US Class Current: 324/750.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 29/0814 Field measurements related to measuring influence on or from apparatus, components or humans EMC, EMI and similar testing in general G01R31/001, e.g. in ESD, EMI, EMC, EMP testing, measuring radiation leakage; detecting presence of micro- or radiowave emitters; dosimetry; testing shielding; measurements related to lightning
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/001 Measuring interference from external sources to, or emission from, the device under test, e.g. EMC, EMI, EMP or ESD testing measuring electromagnetic fields G01R29/08; circuits for generating HV pulses in dielectric strength testing G01R31/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/15 Performance testing

Abstract

A system for measuring electromagnetic emissions from electronic devices includes an semi-anechoic chamber, a computer, an EMI receiver, and a multi-device controller. The chamber houses devices being tested and test equipment for automated emissions scanning. The computer receives emissions data from test equipment housed within and outside the chamber and operates a multi-device controller which controls the test equipment. The method includes wide-band measurements of emissions, narrow-band measurements of emissions chosen from the wide-band measurement, determining a maximum quasi-peak value for optimal cable and wiring position, and communicating results to a word-processing program to report measured values against testing limits.

Claims

1. An automated emissions measuring system comprising:

a semi-anechoic chamber configured to house an electronic device being tested;

at least one piece of testing equipment positioned within said semi-anechoic chamber, said testing equipment comprising at least one of an electromechanical turntable, a two-position rotating boom, and an electromechanical antenna tower;

a multi-device controller coupled to said testing equipment; and

a computer system coupled to at least one of said multi-device controller and said testing equipment and configured to perform wide-band measurements of conducted and radiated emissions across frequency spectrums of interest for at least one cable placement within said semi-anechoic chamber, determine cable manipulation strategies to maximize emissions, perform narrow-band measurements of conducted and radiated emissions at frequencies which had emission peaks in the wide-band measurement, determine maximum quasi-peak value for optimal cable and wiring positioning and to produce reports of measured emissions values and measured quasi-peak values.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said computer system configured to automatically verify performance of said system by measuring a large number of harmonics from a comb generator and contrasting measured values with historical data.

3. A system according to claim 1 wherein said emissions measuring system configured to measure cable loss.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein said electromechanical turntable configured for self-calibration.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein said computer system configured to recognize an optimal cable positioning placement based on received data regarding measured emission values, measured quasi-peak values and associated test conditions.

6. A system according to claim 1 wherein said multi-device controller configured to automatically control at least one of said electromechanical turntable, said two-position rotating boom and said electromechanical antenna tower housed inside said semi-anechoic chamber.

7. A system according to claim 1 wherein said antenna tower configured to have both a vertical and a horizontal antenna polarity.

8. A system according to claim 7 wherein said antenna tower configured for self-calibration.

9. A system according to claim 7 wherein said antenna tower further configured for manual selection of antenna polarity.