Abstract: Circuits, methods, and apparatus that can provide oscillator circuits that have reduced phase noise. An example can provide a yttrium-iron-garnet oscillator in a loop with a loop amplifier and a phase-shift circuit. The yttrium-iron-garnet oscillator can act as a resonator. Quadrature outputs of the yttrium-iron-garnet oscillator can drive a phase detector that can provide a control signal to the phase-shift circuit. The phase-shift circuit can then reduce or cancel phase noise in the loop, thereby enabling the loop to provide a reference signal having reduced phase noise.

Abstract: Circuits, methods, and apparatus that can sort and prioritize anomalies and errors in a wireless communication system. An example can collect transaction data over a network for a first duration. A detection analysis using a detection algorithm can be run on the collected data to detect a number of events. Parameters can be provided and used to generate a trend moving average and a long-term moving average based on the number of detected events determined by the detection algorithm. For each of a number of sets of parameters, a trend moving average can be compared to a long-term moving average. Cases where the trend moving average exceeds the long-term moving average can be identified. For each identified case, a determination as to whether the case is long enough to be used can be made, and a severity score can be determined for each used case. The used cases can then be classified into several severity levels based on their severity scores.

Abstract: Circuits, methods, and apparatus that can provide in-phase and quadrature LO signals having an accurate phase relationship and matching amplitudes. An example can provide a quadrature modulator having phase-correction circuitry and amplitude-correction circuitry. The quadrature modulator can include a quadrature hybrid to receive an LO signal from a phase-locked loop or other clock source. The quadrature hybrid can provide in-phase and quadrature LO signals to phase-correction circuitry, which can accurately align a difference in the phase of the in-phase and quadrature signals to 90 degrees. The amplitudes of the resulting signals can be adjusted to have a desired amplitude using amplitude-correction circuitry. The amplitude-and-phase-corrected LO signals can be used to modulate in-phase and quadrature components of a baseband signal. The modulated products can be combined, gained, and filtered as necessary for wireless transmission, device testing, or other purpose.

Abstract: Circuits, methods, and apparatus that can reduce or suppress phase noise in a frequency synthesizer. A phase-noise-suppression system can detect phase noise in an input signal, amplify the detected phase noise, subtract the detected phase noise from the input signal, and provide an output signal having reduced phase noise.

Abstract: Systems and methods for incorporating multiple single-port vector network analyzer modules where the modules can be located at significant distances from each other. Systems and methods are provided for synchronizing source signals with remote receivers, calibration, operation, bandwidth reduction, high isolation, and reliable solar power or remote sites whereby the VNA module s may be used for characterization of a DUT as if they were incorporated into a single vector network analyzer chassis with access to a common clock.

Abstract: RF receivers having self-tuning capabilities. An example can provide self-tuning by detecting a first envelope of a first demodulated output signal and a second envelope of a second demodulated output signal. A difference between the detected envelopes can be filtered to generate a control signal. The control signal can be applied to a voltage-controlled crystal oscillator. In-phase and quadrature outputs of the voltage-controlled crystal oscillator can be used to demodulate a received signal to demodulate in-phase and quadrature signals. Loop gain dependency on input signal amplitude can be reduced by using logarithmic amplifiers after the envelope detectors, or by replacing the envelope detectors and logarithmic amplifiers with demodulating logarithmic amplifiers.

Abstract: Frequency synthesizers having reduced phase noise and a small step size. One example can provide frequency synthesizers having low phase noise by eliminating dividers in a feedback path and instead employing frequency converters, such as mixers. Step size can be further reduced by providing frequency converters in a reference signal feedforward path. Acquisition time can be decreased by employing a fast-acquisition phase-locked loop that is switched out after acquisition in favor of a low phase-noise phase-locked loop. Another example can reduce phase noise by employing a YIG oscillator. To improve acquisition time, a first, faster phase-locked loop can be used to lock to a signal before switching to a second, slower phase-locked loop that includes the YIG oscillator. Another example can provide low noise by including phase-locked loops that operate in a frequency range having low thermal noise while a frequency of an output signal varies over a wide range.

Abstract: Systems and methods for configuring and interconnecting VNA modules in daisy chains or via hubs are disclosed which overcome the constraints on the arrangement of the VNA modules in a system and the limitations on the flexibility and performance of the system present in the prior art. The VNA modules have ports which can be configured as input or output ports. In embodiments, configurable optical ports allow for long distance interconnection of VNA modules and hubs without loss of synchronization.

Abstract: Improved coaxial connectors and methods which have enhanced characteristics, reliability, strength, and durability. This coaxial connector system uses a flange mating system and a single slot male pin center conductor contact. The flanges use precision guiding pins and screws to axially align and secure the mating flanges together. The coaxial center conductors are electrically connected to each other by a resilient, single slotted, formed male pin and a female receptacle as center conductor assemblies. When the two flanges are fastened together, the center conductor assemblies (formed male pin and a female receptacle) mate to form an electrically conducting connection.

Abstract: Systems and methods for calibrating VNA modules which dynamically assigns match utilization to improve overall calibration accuracy and reduce problems from a non-optimal set of calibration components and simplify user input requirements during calibration.

Abstract: A method for measuring electrical response of a DUT includes using a measurement instrument, generating a radio frequency (RF) test signal via the measurement instrument at one or more initial frequencies, propagating the RF test signal at the one or more initial frequencies to the DUT, measuring a response of the DUT at the one or more initial frequencies and aggregating the measured response of the DUT at the one or more initial frequencies as response measurement data.

Abstract: Frequency synthesizers having reduced phase noise and a small step size. One example can provide frequency synthesizers having low phase noise by eliminating dividers in a feedback path and instead employing frequency converters, such as mixers. Step size can be further reduced by providing frequency converters in a reference signal feedforward path. Acquisition time can be decreased by employing a fast-acquisition phase-locked loop that is switched out after acquisition in favor of a low phase-noise phase-locked loop. Another example can reduce phase noise by employing a YIG oscillator. To improve acquisition time, a first, faster phase-locked loop can be used to lock to a signal before switching to a second, slower phase-locked loop that includes the YIG oscillator. Another example can provide low noise by including phase-locked loops that operate in a frequency range having low thermal noise while a frequency of an output signal varies over a wide range.

Abstract: A system and method for making improved measurements of integrated antenna arrays utilizes vector network analyzer (VNA) and a calibrated receive-side system comprising two antennae, dual reflectometers coupled to the two antennae for match correction, a wide band intermediate frequency (IF) strip which connects the receive-side system to the input ports of the VNA, an air gap which separates the receive-side system form the DUT, and a stepmotion baffle configure to be inserted into the air gap to modify antenna coupling. The system and method enable measurement of noise characteristics of the DUT including nonlinear effects of transmitter element coupling between the plurality of transmitter elements within an antenna array.

Abstract: A coaxial connector system is provided suitable for connection of high-frequency components such as high-band test modules and probes. The coaxial connector system uses a flange mating element aligned using precession guiding pins. A center conductor assembly is captive in a center bore of the flange and includes elastomer contacts which are compressed against the coaxial center conductors of the high=frequency components. The flange mount coaxial connector system provides a robust, mechanically stable mount which minimizes electrical performance changes with mechanical torque as compared to screw on connectors.

Abstract: A system for measuring noise characteristics of a device under test (DUT) includes one or more computers and memory, a first receiver connected to a first port of the DUT, a second receiver connected to a second port of the DUT, the second receiver being synchronized with the first receiver and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions thereon that when read and executed by the one or more computers causes the system to transmit signals to the DUT, receive signals from the DUT, and characterize noise associated with the DUT within the received signals.

Abstract: A system for measuring an electrical response of a device under test (DUT) includes a reflectometer with reduced heat dissipation used with a vector network analyzer (VNA). The reflectometer is tethered to the VNA using a tether of scalable length which carries low frequencies. The reflectometer has a distributed harmonic generator including a non-linear transmission line (NLTL) for multiplying a frequency of an RF signal received from the VNA to generate a test signal having a frequency in the millimeter wave range at a test port connected to the DUT. A sampler in the reflectometer receives a local oscillator (LO) signal from the VNA and includes another NLTL for receiving the LO signal and generating pulses at a frequency in the millimeter wave range. When the test signal is transmitted to the DUT, the sampler outputs intermediate frequency signals which are transmitted to the VNA for characterization of the DUT.

Abstract: A spectrum analyzer for measuring an electrical response of a device under test (DUT) includes a test port for receiving radio frequency (RF) signals from the DUT in response to a test signal transmitted to the DUT, a local oscillator (LO) for generating a LO signal, a sampler connected with the LO to receive the LO signal and a receiver connected with the sampler. The sampler includes a non-linear transmission line that generates a sampler signal having a frequency that is a multiple of a frequency of the LO signal, and an input for receiving a RF signal from the test port. When a RF signal from an RF input source is received the sampler outputs an intermediate frequency (IF) signal. The receiver receives the IF signal output of the sampler.

Abstract: A method of network extraction based on phase localization using a test setup including a standard includes measuring frequency data using a measuring instrument connected with the test setup by performing a frequency sweep across an identified bandwidth, correlating filter functions as required against the measured frequency domain data to localize phase across the test setup, removing excess phase rotation and solving for inner plane match of the test setup based on known composite measurement and previously identified components of the test setup.

Abstract: An apparatus to detect interference in wireless signals, comprising an antenna for receiving a wireless signal; and wherein the apparatus is operable to identify a dominant waveform in the received signal; subtract the dominant waveform from the received signal to create a modified received signal; and repeat the above steps, recursively substituting the modified received signal for the received signal, until all adjusted reference waveforms have been subtracted.

Abstract: A system includes a plurality of mobile monitor setups, each mobile monitor setup connected with a vehicle. Each mobile monitor setup includes an omnidirectional antenna, a global positioning system (GPS) signal antenna configured to receive GPS signals and a receiver configured to obtain a plurality of radio frequency (RF) measurements. The plurality of RF measurements are swept across one or more frequency bands and each RF measurement is time stamped and location stamped based on received GPS signals.