Patent · US Expired

Programmable time varying attenuator

US4625332A · kind A · utility

8Cited by
10References
3Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 1, 1985
Grant dateNov 25, 1986
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 1, 2005

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R27/28
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A programmable time varying attenuator has a reprogrammable digital circuit or impressing an analog attenuation signal on a continuous wave noise signal. This signal is fed to the input of a receiver and since the digital circuitry can be reprogrammed with a known sequence to effect a desired analog attenuation, a receiver's performance can be monitored and evaluated when the attenuated signal or error signal is simultaneously received with information signals. A desired time relationship between the information signals and the time varying attenuating test signal or error signal is maintained since both are slaved to a common standard. The programmable time varying attenuator is programmable independent of the information signal source and, therefore, is adaptable with different sources while being a highly reliable and cost effect device for system testing.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.