Measurement device, especially vector network analyzer, calibration

1 . A calibration device for a measurement device comprising:

at least one connection port for connecting the calibration device to the measurement device,

at least one further connection port,

at least one passive calibration standard,

at least one further passive calibration standard,

at least one active calibration standard, and

a switching unit configured to connect the at least one connection port alternatively to one of the at least one passive calibration standard and the at least one active calibration standard,

wherein the at least one active calibration standard comprises a signal measurement unit configured to measure an RF signal fed to the at least one active calibration standard via the at least one connection port and the switching unit in magnitude and/or phase, or

wherein the at least one active calibration standard comprises a signal generation unit configured to generate and output a reference signal to the at least one connection port via the switching unit,

wherein the switching unit is configured to alternatively connect the at least one further connection port to the at least one further passive calibration standard and the at least one active calibration standard, and

wherein the at least one active calibration standard is shared for the at least one connection port and the at least one further connection port.

2 . The calibration device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the calibration device comprises a control interface configured to connect the calibration device to a control device,

wherein the switching unit is configured to receive a control signal via the control interface and is in turn configured to connect the at least one passive calibration standard and/or the at least one active calibration standard to the at least one connection port in respect to the control signal.

3 . The calibration device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the calibration device comprises at least one DUT connection port for connecting the calibration device to a DUT,

wherein the switching unit is configured to connect the at least one connection port to the at least one DUT connection port.

4 . The calibration device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the switching unit is configured to connect the at least one connection port to the at least one further connection port.

5 . The calibration device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the switching unit comprises one or more switching stages.

6 . The calibration device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the switching unit comprises one or more switching elements, wherein the one or more switching elements comprise one or more electronic switching elements and/or one or more mechanical switching elements.

7 . The calibration device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the calibration device comprises a housing,

wherein the at least one active calibration standard is arranged within said housing or in a housing separate to the housing of the calibration device.

8 . The calibration device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one active calibration standard or the signal generation unit comprises or is a pulse source, a comb source, a noise source, or any combination thereof.

9 . The calibration device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one passive calibration standard comprises or is an open calibration standard and/or a short calibration standard and/or a match calibration standard.

10 . A method comprising:

calibrating a measurement device with the calibration device according to claim 1 .

11 . A system comprising:

a calibration device according to claim 1 , and

a measurement device,

wherein the at least one connection port of the calibration device is connected to the measurement device.

12 . The system according to claim 11 ,

wherein the measurement device is configured to control the calibration device in a way that the at least one passive calibration standard and the at least one active calibration standard are connected to the measurement device in an alternative manner.

13 . The system according to claim 11 ,

wherein the measurement device is configured to measure at least one corresponding S-parameter.

14 . A method for calibrating a measurement device, comprising the steps of:

connecting, by a switching unit of the calibration device, at least one connection port of a calibration device alternatively to one of at least one passive calibration standard of the calibration device and at least one active calibration standard of the calibration device,

measuring, by a signal measurement unit of the at least one active calibration standard, an RF signal fed to the at least one active calibration standard via the at least one connection port and the switching unit in magnitude and/or phase, or

generating and outputting, by a signal measurement unit of the at least one active calibration standard, a reference signal to the at least one connection port via the switching unit,

alternatively connecting, by the switching unit of the calibration device, at least one further connection port to at least one further passive calibration standard and the at least one active calibration standard, wherein the at least one active calibration standard is shared for the at least one connection port and the at least one further connection port.