Method for implementing continuous radio frequency (RF) alignment in advanced electronic warfare (EW) signal stimulation systems

• US 7,801,502 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2006
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AAI Corporation (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: AAI Corporation (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Jaklitsch, James J., Markey, Jay, McGrath, Thomas P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Thanh C
• Application Number:
  US11/640,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20090237295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.11, 455/67.13, 455/67.14, 455/115.1, 4552261-2263, 375/222, 375/224, 702/106, 702/107, 342/169, 342/174
• US Class Current: 455/226.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2841 Signal generators
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 35/005 Calibrating; Standards or reference devices, e.g. voltage or resistance standards, "golden" references G01R33/0035, G01R35/002 take precedence

Abstract

A method of providing an integrated approach to automated system alignment is set forth, which may include in an exemplary embodiment: providing amplifier compression alignment, (which may include characterizing and/or compensating for a parasitic effect); providing continuous internal alignment of phase and amplitude of a synthetic stimulus instrument (SSI) output signal; providing external measurement port alignment; and providing transfer alignment of internal measurement paths. According to another exemplary embodiment, a receiver apparatus may include: a dual-channel coherent measurement receiver which may include at least one internal channel operative to measure time-division-multiplexed (TDM) feedback signals from each signal source of a synthetic stimulus instrument (SSI); and at least one external channel operative to make direct measurement at an external alignment port output.

Claims

1. A method of providing an integrated approach to automated system alignment, comprising:

providing amplifier compression alignment;

providing continuous internal alignment of phase and amplitude of a synthetic stimulus instrument (SSI) output signal;

providing external measurement port alignment; and

providing transfer alignment of internal measurement paths,

wherein said providing continuous internal alignment, comprises;

a foreground process, wherein said foreground process comprises

characterizing one or more parameters that are most sensitive to fluctuation with at least one of time and/or temperature, and

updating said parameters for all frequency at a high refresh rate; and

a background process, wherein said background process comprises

characterizing one or more parameters that are less sensitive to fluctuation with at least one of time and/or temperature, and

updating said parameters for all frequency at a lower refresh rate.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing power leveling to improve accuracy.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing time angle of arrival alignment.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing pulse width alignment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said parameters comprise at least one of base state phase and/or amplitude.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

a parametrically extendible measurement cycle comprising

matched-filter coherent measurement processing comprising

making back-to-back elementary measurements, wherein each of said measurements are phase offset by 180 degrees, to cancel a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) error of a VSWR cancellation technique.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing amplifier compression alignment comprises:

characterizing the effect of amplifier compression on phase and amplitude comprising;

driving an attenuation control as required to achieve actual attenuation states in octave increments of decibel (dB), for each applicable range of step attenuation; and

measuring a super-attenuation and a saturation induced phase contribution (SIPC) at each of said attenuation states, in each of said ranges of step attenuation.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said driving said attenuation control as required to achieve actual attenuation states in said octave increments comprises:

driving said attenuation control as required to achieve actual attenuation states in said octave increments of dB comprising at least one of 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 8.0, and/or 16.0.

9. A method of providing an integrated approach to automated system alignment, comprising:

providing amplifier compression alignment;

providing continuous internal alignment of phase and amplitude of a synthetic stimulus instrument (SSI) output signal;

providing external measurement port alignment; and

providing transfer alignment of internal measurement paths,

wherein said providing amplifier compression alignment comprises;

characterizing the effect of amplifier compression on phase and amplitude comprising;

driving an attenuation control as required to achieve actual attenuation states in octave increments of decibel (dB), for each applicable range of step attenuation; and

measuring a super-attenuation and a saturation induced phase contribution (SIPC) at each of said attenuation states, in each of said ranges of step attenuation.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing power leveling to improve accuracy.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing time angle of arrival alignment.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing pulse width alignment.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said providing continuous internal alignment, comprises:

a foreground process, wherein said foreground process comprises

characterizing one or more parameters that are most sensitive to fluctuation with at least one of time and/or temperature, and

updating said parameters for all frequency at a high refresh rate; and

a background process, wherein said background process comprises

characterizing one or more parameters that are less sensitive to fluctuation with at least one of time and/or temperature, and

updating said parameters for all frequency at a lower refresh rate.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said parameters comprise at least one of base state phase and/or amplitude.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

a parametrically extendible measurement cycle comprising

matched-filter coherent measurement processing comprising

making back-to-back elementary measurements, wherein each of said measurements are phase offset by 180 degrees, to cancel a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) error of a VSWR cancellation technique.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein said driving said attenuation control as required to achieve actual attenuation states in said octave increments comprises:

driving said attenuation control as required to achieve actual attenuation states in said octave increments of dB comprising at least one of 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 8.0, and/or 16.0.