Patents Assigned to National Instruments
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Patent number: 11959945Abstract: Embodiments are presented herein of an open-loop test system for testing vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). A high-speed pulse generator may be used to produce nanoseconds pulses provided to the VCSEL device. A high-speed oscilloscope may be used to measure the resultant nanoseconds pulses across the VCSEL device. The VCSEL device voltage and VCSEL device current may be obtained from the measured nanosecond pulses according to compensation data derived from the system. A pre-test compensation procedure may be used to obtain the compensation data, which may include representative characteristics of each system component.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2020Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: National Instruments CorporationInventors: Jun Lu, John George Banaska, Matthew Tate Dougan, Jeffrey Allan Cornell, Wendi Song, Xuechen Han, Kunal Harsad Patel
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Patent number: 11933848Abstract: In a measurement system, a signal probing circuit may provide probed signals by probing voltages and currents and/or incident and reflected waves at a port of a device under test (DUT). A multi-channel receiver structure may include receivers that receive two probed signals from the signal probing hardware circuit, each receiver having its own sample clock derived from a master clock and further having a respective digitizer for digitizing a corresponding one of the two probed signals. A synchronization block, external to the receivers and including a reference clock derived from the master clock, may enable the two probed signals to be phase coherently digitized across the receivers by synchronizing the respective sample clocks of the receivers while the reference clock is being shared with the receivers. A signal processing circuit may then process the phase coherently digitized probed signals.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2023Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: National Instruments Ireland Resources LimitedInventor: Marc Vanden Bossche
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Patent number: 11901636Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems for verifying alignment of a compact antenna test range (CATR) are presented. A radio frequency (RF) profile may be generated based on test signals received by a reference antenna at a plurality of orientations. Phase and amplitude data of the RF profile may be used to determine whether the CATR is aligned properly.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2020Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: National Instruments CorporationInventors: Gerardo Orozco Valdes, Dong Chen
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Patent number: 11901927Abstract: Dynamic range of radio frequency transmitters and receivers may be improved via a multiple-channel phasor configuration in which channels are phased in a manner that distributes the local oscillator phases over ?/2 radians. A multiple-channel phasing receiver may include a power splitter to split an input signal into multiple signals, and may further include multiple single-channel receivers providing intermediate signals. Each single-channel receiver may have an input that receives a respective signal of the multiple signals, and may further have an output to provide a respective intermediate signal as a function of the respective input signal, a total gain applied to the respective input signal, a signal frequency of the local oscillator signal, and a respective phase of the local oscillator signal. The multiple-channel receiver may include a digital signal processor that combines the plurality of intermediate signals into a single output signal.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2022Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: National Instruments CorporationInventors: Nikhil Ashok Deshmukh, Michael Loehning
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Patent number: 11803456Abstract: Methods and computing devices for allocating test pods to a distributed computing system for executing a test plan on a device-under-test (DUT). Each test pod may include a test microservice including one or more test steps and an event microservice specifying function relations between the test microservice and other test microservices. The test pods are allocated to different servers to perform a distributed execution of the test plan on the DUT through one or more test interfaces.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2021Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: National Instruments CorporationInventors: Sundeep Chandhoke, Gururaja Kasanadi Ramachandra, Rajaramm Chokkalingam Malarvizhy, Varun Mehra, Bjoern Bachmann
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Patent number: 11796621Abstract: Techniques are disclosed related to determining a modulation quality measurement of a device-under-test (DUT). A modulated signal is received from a source a plurality of times, and each received modulated signal is transmitted to each of a first vector signal analyzer (VSA) and a second VSA. The first VSA and the second VSA demodulate the received modulated signals to produce first error vectors and second error vectors, respectively. A cross-correlation calculation is performed on the first error vectors and second error vectors of respective received modulated signals to produce a complex-valued cross-correlation measurement, and a real component of the cross-correlation measurement is averaged over the plurality of received modulated signals. A modulation quality measurement is determined based on the averaged cross-correlation measurement.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2021Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: National Instruments CorporationInventor: Sartaj Chaudhary
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Patent number: 11789074Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and other techniques for identifying redundant parameters and reducing parameters for testing a device. A set of test values and limits for a set of parameters are received. A set of simulated test values for the set of parameters are determined based on one or more probabilistic representations for the set of parameters. The one or more probabilistic representations are constructed based on the set of test values. A set of cumulative probabilities of passing for the set of parameters are calculated based on the set of simulated test values and the limits. A reduced set of parameters are determined from the set of parameters based on the set of cumulative probabilities of passing. The reduced set of parameters are deployed for testing the device.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2021Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATIONInventors: James C. Nagle, Stephen Thung, Sergey Kizunov, Shaul Teplinsky
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Patent number: 11778768Abstract: A connector gap between a module connector mating surface and the backplane connector of a chassis may be eliminated through a mechanism that forcefully pushes (or pulls) the module towards the backplane and/or forcefully pushes (or pulls) the backplane toward the module. A spring-loaded or resilient element may be used to fasten the module in a way that effectively fills any designed-in and tolerance-induced gap in the connector interface, allowing the connector to fully seat. In addition, a gasket or other compressible member may be included at the connector mating interface. The gap in the connector interface may be reduced by introducing adjustable card cage members that are capable of being set during the assembly or manufacturing process using special alignment fixtures. The gap in the connector interface may also be reduced by introducing a higher tolerance capable manufacturing process, such as machining, to the card cage sub-assembly.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2021Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: National Instruments CorporationInventors: Richard G. Baldwin, Jr., Dennis Vance Toth
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Patent number: 11774475Abstract: A reflectometer may include two directional couplers in a parallel configuration, sharing the same section of a signal line or through-line. For example, two directional couplers may be disposed across from each other on opposite sides of the shared through-line. One of the directional couplers may couple, to a first port of the reflectometer, a portion of the signal power of a first signal flowing from the first end of the shared through-line to the second end of the shared through-line, and the other directional coupler may couple, to a second port of the reflectometer, a portion of the signal power of a second signal flowing from the second end of the shared through-line to the first end of the shared through-line. The reflectometer benefits from reduced size and signal loss with respect to reflectometers having a serial configuration. When used in vector network analyzer (VNA) systems, this results in higher output power and higher dynamic range of the VNA.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2021Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: National Instruments CorporationInventors: Justin Regis Magers, Michael Joseph Seibel, Marcus Kieling daSilva
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SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EFFICIENT DATA MOVEMENT IN AN ORCHESTRATED DISTRIBUTED MEASUREMENT APPLICATION
Publication number: 20230283516Abstract: A method of orchestrating measurements in a measurement system includes configuring a first service with a first configuration for acquiring measurement data by an orchestrator. The method also includes receiving a moniker generated by the first service in response to being configured that represents the first configuration. The moniker includes a location of the first service and an identifier of the first configuration. The method also includes transferring the moniker to a second service configured to establish communication with the first service based on the location, consume the measurement data acquired by the first service using the first configuration and transmitted in response to receiving the identifier from the second service, and generate a result in response to receiving the measurement data from the first service. The method further includes receiving the result from the second service.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2023Publication date: September 7, 2023Applicant: National Instruments CorporationInventor: Christopher George Cifra -
Patent number: 11735339Abstract: A current feedthrough seal assembly (1) for insertion into and sealing a wall opening (WO) of a climate chamber (KK) comprises a plastic core (10) formed in a step-like shape in an axial direction thereof so as to be inserted into the wall opening (WO) of the climate chamber (KK), so that, when inserted, substantially the whole of the plastic core (10) is located in the wall opening (WO), and a flange (11) is formed at an axial end of the plastic core (10) to protrude beyond the wall opening in the radial direction of the plastic core (10) to abut against one (I) of an internal or external wall (I, A) of the climate chamber (KK), at least two elongated power conducting members (20) accommodated in parallel to each other inside the plastic core (10) and extending through the plastic core (10) and a press ring seal (30) interposed between an inner peripheral surface of the wall opening (WO) and an outer peripheral surface of the plastic core (10) on an opposite axial side thereof with respect to the flange (11)Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2021Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: National Instruments Germany GmbHInventor: Michael Hanigk
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Patent number: 11736129Abstract: Methods and wireless devices for selecting a local oscillator frequency to use for conducting orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) communications. For each of a plurality of local oscillator frequencies, a wireless device determines a respective interference power resultant from the local oscillator frequency for each of a plurality of subcarriers, and determines a cost function by performing a summation over the interference powers associated with each of the plurality of subcarriers. The wireless device selects a first local oscillator frequency with the smallest cost function to use for wireless communications. The wireless device performs wireless communications through the plurality of subcarriers using the first local oscillator frequency.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2019Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: National Instruments CorporationInventor: Karl F. Nieman
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Patent number: 11726190Abstract: A system for emulating an over-the-air environment for testing a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) unit under test (UUT). The system may comprise a lens system that receives light from the LiDAR UUT and a plurality of optical processing chains. The system may generate light into free space based on the optical signals processed by each chain. The system may process received light optically to maintain coherence with light received from the LiDAR unit under test and may process all points in a LiDAR image simultaneously. The system may operate to emulate an over-the-air environment for a time-of-flight LiDAR UUT, a frequency modulated continuous wave LiDAR UUT, and/or a flash LiDAR UUT.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2021Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: National Instruments CorporationInventors: Jason Marks, Marcus Kieling daSilva
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Patent number: 11704269Abstract: Bus enumeration of a switch fabric bus may be performed without assigning bus numbers to unused switch ports and/or corresponding slots to which the unused switch ports are routed. Accordingly, switches coupled to a switch fabric bus in a chassis may link-train with corresponding slots in the chassis in an attempt to establish active connections with devices coupled to the slots. Unused switch fabric bus lanes running from the switches to unused slots may be identified, and the unused switch ports corresponding to the unused switch fabric bus lanes may be disabled. During a subsequent bus enumeration procedure for the switch fabric bus, bus numbers may be allocated to the identified used switch ports (or corresponding used slots) but not to the identified unused switch ports (or corresponding unused slots). The link training, used/unused switch port identification, and bus enumeration may all be performed each time the chassis is reset.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2021Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignee: National Instruments CorporationInventors: Eric L. Singer, Jason W. Frels, Jonathan W. Hearn
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Patent number: 11644505Abstract: In a measurement system, a signal probing circuit may provide probed signals by probing voltages and currents and/or incident and reflected waves at a port of a device under test (DUT). A multi-channel receiver structure may include receivers that receive two probed signals from the signal probing hardware circuit, each receiver having its own sample clock derived from a master clock and further having a respective digitizer for digitizing a corresponding one of the two probed signals. A synchronization block, external to the receivers and including a reference clock derived from the master clock, may enable the two probed signals to be phase coherently digitized across the receivers by synchronizing the respective sample clocks of the receivers while the reference clock is being shared with the receivers. A signal processing circuit may then process the phase coherently digitized probed signals.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2022Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: National Instruments Ireland Resources LimitedInventor: Marc Vanden Bossche
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Publication number: 20230114555Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and other techniques for identifying redundant parameters and reducing parameters for testing a device. A set of test values and limits for a set of parameters are received. A set of simulated test values for the set of parameters are determined based on one or more probabilistic representations for the set of parameters. The one or more probabilistic representations are constructed based on the set of test values. A set of cumulative probabilities of passing for the set of parameters are calculated based on the set of simulated test values and the limits. A reduced set of parameters are determined from the set of parameters based on the set of cumulative probabilities of passing. The reduced set of parameters are deployed for testing the device.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 13, 2021Publication date: April 13, 2023Applicant: National Instruments CorporationInventors: James C. Nagle, Stephen Thung, Sergey Kizunov, Shaul Teplinsky
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Patent number: 11604747Abstract: Systems and methods for communication between heterogenous processors via a virtual network interface implemented via programmable hardware and one or more buses. The programmable hardware may be configured with a multi-function bus such that the programmable hardware appears as both a network device and a programmable device to a host system. Additionally, the programmable hardware may be configured with a second bus to appear as a network device to an embedded system. Each system may implement network drivers to allow access to direct memory access engines configured on the programmable hardware. The configured programmable hardware and the network drivers may enable a virtual network connection between the systems to allow for information transfer via one or more network communication protocols.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2020Date of Patent: March 14, 2023Assignee: National Instruments CorporationInventors: Patrick Karl Sisterhen, Ashish S. Chaudhari, Moritz Daniel Fischer, Daniel Paul Jepson, Hector M. Rubio, Andrew Michael Lynch, Klaus Martin Braun, Antonia Marie Walls Jones
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Patent number: 11595109Abstract: A user equipment device (UE) determines a beam coherence interval metric, which is a measure of stability of a beam pair over time based on a set of beam coherence intervals measured by the UE. The beam pair comprises a receive beam of the UE and a transmit beam of a base station transmitting to the UE. A beam coherence interval comprises a time duration within which a quality of a signal received on the UE receive beam remains within one of a plurality of signal quality bins. The UE also determines a hysteresis value based on the beam coherence interval metric and uses the hysteresis value to decide to switch from an active receive beam to a different receive beam that has a signal quality higher than the active receive beam by at least the hysteresis value. Alternatively, the base station determines and sends the UE the hysteresis value.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2022Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: National Instruments CorporationInventors: Nikhil U. Kundargi, Venkata Siva Santosh Ganji, Ahsan Aziz, James Wesley McCoy
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Patent number: 11515950Abstract: A system and method for testing (e.g., rapidly and inexpensively) devices such as integrated circuits (IC) with integrated antennas configured for millimeter wave transmission and/or reception. The method may first perform a calibration operation on a reference device under test (DUT). The calibration operation may determine a set of reference DUT FF base functions and may also generate a set of calibration coefficients. After the calibration step using the reference DUT, the resulting reference DUT FF base functions and the calibration coefficients (or reconstruction matrix) may be used in determining far-field patterns of DUTs based on other field measurements, e.g., measurements taken in the near field of the DUT.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2021Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: National Instruments CorporationInventors: Martin Laabs, Dirk Plettemeier, Thomas Deckert, Johannes Dietmar Herbert Lange, Marc Vanden Bossche
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Patent number: 11452231Abstract: Various types of electronic devices may be mounted in a chassis in order to facilitate interfacing with the devices, containing the devices, provide cooling systems which may remove heat from the electronic devices, etc. Delivering adequate cooling air flow to each electronic device in a chassis may be an important issue for the proper functioning, lifetime, or other characteristics of electronic devices contained in a chassis. Some electronic devices may be particularly challenging to cool due to various design characteristics. Other electronic devices may have other requirements that are not well served by existing chassis designs. For example, some electronic devices may benefit from additional electrical and/or thermal connections. Embodiments presented herein describe a novel design for a modular card cage accessory that may be configured to modify air flow and/or to meet particular requirements of an electronic device in a chassis, among various possibilities.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2020Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: National Instruments CorporationInventors: Richard G. Baldwin, Jr., Michael H. Singerman