High-frequency measuring system having spatially separated high-frequency modules

• US 7,756,516 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2004
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Steffen, Roland, Plaumann, Ralf
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): AKINYEMI, AJIBOLA A
• Application Number:
  US10/563,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20060258293A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,238 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.11, 455/423, 455/67.13, 455/67.3, 455/456, 455/63, 455/431, 455/315, 455/425
• US Class Current: 455/425
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 23/00 Arrangements for measuring frequencies; Arrangements for analysing frequency spectra

Abstract

A high-frequency measuring system is provided for measuring a test device with a measuring device unit and at least one high-frequency module connected to the measuring device unit. Each high-frequency module is located spatially separated from the measuring device unit and is connected to the measuring device unit via a digital interface.

Claims

1. A high-frequency measuring system for measuring a device under test, comprising:

a measuring-device unit; and

a first high-frequency module including a transmitter device configured to communicate with the device under test and a second high-frequency module including a receiver device configured to communicate with the device under test, wherein each high-frequency module is placed spatially separated from the measuring-device unit and each high-frequency module is connected to the measuring-device unit via a digital interface,

wherein the measuring-device unit is configured to process input data input into the measuring-device unit to form a bitstream for transmission via the digital interface to the first high-frequency module, and the first high-frequency module is configured to subsequently forward the bitstream to the device under test using the transmitter device, the processing of the input data including assigning symbols to states in a state diagram of an I-Q (in phase-quadrature phase) level in the measuring-device unit,

wherein one or more of the first high-frequency module and the second high-frequency module includes a local oscillator, and wherein the one or more high-frequency module including the local oscillator is provided in a housing that is separate from a housing of the measuring-device unit.

2. A high-frequency measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the digital interface is a serial interface.

3. A high-frequency measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the digital interface is a parallel interface.

4. A high-frequency measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the digital interface is an optical interface.

5. A high-frequency measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the digital interface is an electrical interface.

6. A high-frequency measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one high-frequency module is supplied with electrical energy via a power-supply unit independent from the measuring-device unit.

7. A high-frequency measuring system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of identical ports are provided on the measuring-device unit for the digital interface.

8. A high-frequency measuring system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of different ports are provided on the measuring-device unit for the digital interface.

9. A high-frequency measuring system according to claim 1, wherein control data or user data is transmitted in a standardized form via the digital interface, and wherein the first high-frequency module comprises means for processing a high-frequency signal with regard to the transmission of data in standardized form via the digital interface or for processing the data transmitted in standardized form with regard to at least one predetermined transmission standard for the high-frequency signal.

10. A high-frequency measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the input data is manually input by any one of operating keys, a rotary knob, or arrow keys.

11. A high-frequency measuring system for measuring a device under test, comprising:

a measuring-device unit for receiving input data from a user; and

a first high-frequency module including a transmitter device configured to communicate with the device under test and a second high-frequency module including a receiver device configured to communicate with the device under test, wherein each high-frequency module is placed spatially separated from the measuring-device unit and each high-frequency module is connected to the measuring-device unit via a digital interface,

wherein the receiver device is configured to receive a message comprising a high-frequency signal originating from the device under test, the second high-frequency module being configured to process the high-frequency signal to form a first bitstream for transmission via the digital interface to the measuring-device unit, the processing, by the second high-frequency module, including converting the high-frequency signal to an intermediate-frequency signal and digitizing the intermediate-frequency signal for transmission via the digital interface to the measuring-device unit for evaluation of the message,

wherein the measuring-device unit is configured to process the input data to form a second bitstream for transmission via the digital interface to the first high-frequency module, and the first high-frequency module is configured to subsequently forward the second bitstream to the device under test using the transmitter device,

wherein one or more of the first high-frequency module and the second high-frequency module includes a local oscillator, and wherein the one or more high-frequency module including the local oscillator is provided in a housing that is separate from a housing of the measuring-device unit.

12. A high-frequency measuring system according to claim 11, wherein the conversion of the high-frequency signal to an intermediate-frequency signal includes receiving the high-frequency signal at the receiver device and subsequently mixing the high-frequency signal with a signal generated by the local oscillator, which is included as part of the second high-frequency module.

13. A high-frequency measuring system according to claim 12, wherein the intermediate-frequency signal is subdivided into an in-phase branch and a quadrature-phase branch and mixed in the in-phase branch with a signal generated by a second local oscillator.

14. A method for testing a device under test, comprising:

receiving input data from a user using a measuring-device unit;

forming, based on the input data, a first bitstream for transmission via a digital interface to a first high-frequency module, the first high-frequency module including a transmitter configured to communicate with the device under test to subsequently forward the first bitstream to the device under test, wherein the first bitstream forming includes assigning symbols to states relating to an I-Q (in phase-quadrature phase) level; and

receiving a second bitstream representative of high-frequency signal messages originating from the device under test via a second high-frequency module including a receiver configured to communicate with the device under test, the second high-frequency module processing the high-frequency signal messages to form the second bitstream, the processing, by the second high-frequency module, including converting the high-frequency signal messages to intermediate-frequency signals and digitizing the intermediate-frequency signals,

wherein one or more of the first high-frequency module and the second high-frequency module includes a local oscillator, and wherein the one or more high-frequency module including the local oscillator is provided in a housing that is separate from a housing of the measuring-device unit.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising:

determining a specific bit sequence to be transmitted to the device under test.

16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

generating one or more control signals in the bit sequence to control the first high-frequency module.

17. A method according to claim 14, wherein the input data is input by the user using any one of operating keys, a rotary knob, or arrow keys.