IP Library Granted Patent US 8,415,941
Granted Patent B2
US 8,415,941 · App. 13/090,560 · Granted Apr 9, 2013

Method and apparatus for identifying and reducing spurious frequency components

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,415,941
App. No.
13/090,560
Granted
Apr 9, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for identifying and reducing spurious frequency components is provided. A method in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure may include generating a digital sinusoidal waveform at a direct digital synthesizer (DDS) and receiving the digital sinusoidal waveform at an audio digital-to-analog converter. The method may further include converting the digital sinusoidal waveform to an analog sinusoidal waveform containing spurious frequency components, combining the analog sinusoidal waveform with an analog distortion correction waveform to generate a composite output waveform and receiving the composite output waveform at notch filter circuitry. The method may also include filtering the composite output waveform to generate a filtered composite output waveform and amplifying a difference between the filtered composite output waveform and a signal from a circuit-under-test (CUT) to generate an amplified analog signal. The method may also include converting the amplified analog signal to an amplified digital signal. Of course, additional implementations are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims (39)

1. A method, comprising:

generating a sinusoidal waveform using a first waveform generator associated with a first direct digital synthesizer (DDS) for input to a differential amplifier;

generating, via a second waveform generator associated with a second DDS, a phase and amplitude matched sinusoidal waveform through a bandpass filter for input to the differential amplifier;

amplifying a difference between the sinusoidal waveform and the matched sinusoidal waveform via the differential amplifier to generate an amplified output;

storing the amplified output generated by amplifying the difference between the sinusoidal waveform and the matched sinusoidal waveform via the differential amplifier; and

determining at least one of an amplitude and a phase of a spurious frequency component based upon, at least in part, a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) associated with the stored amplified output.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein determining includes analyzing the amplified output.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising measuring at least one harmonic spur generated by an audio digital-to-analog converter using at least one bandpass filter.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising generating a signal stream accounting for at least one harmonic spur for an audio correction digital-to-analog converter.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising measuring at least one harmonic distortion component of a fundamental digital to analog converter (DAC) by turning off an output of a harmonic correction DAC and routing an analog output of the fundamental DAC through filter circuitry and an output stage for subtraction.

6. The method according to claim 5 further comprising nulling a fundamental tone of an audio source signal under calibration using a bandpass filtered audio source output of an identical instrument channel.

7. The method according to claim 6 further comprising filtering an audio DAC sinewave of a second instrument channel through a bandpass filter having a center frequency equal to a sinetone of the fundamental DAC.

8. The method according to claim 6 further comprising attenuating at least one harmonic spur found in the analog output of the fundamental DAC.

9. A computing system including a processor and memory configured to perform operations comprising, comprising:

generating a sinusoidal waveform using a first waveform generator associated with a first direct digital synthesizer (DDS) for input to a differential amplifier;

generating, via a second waveform generator associated with a second DDS, a phase and amplitude matched sinusoidal waveform through a bandpass filter for input to the differential amplifier;

amplifying a difference between the sinusoidal waveform and the matched sinusoidal waveform via the differential amplifier to generate an amplified output;

storing the amplified output generated by amplifying the difference between the sinusoidal waveform and the matched sinusoidal waveform via the differential amplifier; and

determining at least one of an amplitude and a phase of a spurious frequency component based upon, at least in part, a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) associated with the stored amplified output.

10. The computing system according to claim 9 wherein determining includes analyzing the amplified output.

11. The computing system according to claim 9 further comprising measuring at least one harmonic spur generated by an audio digital-to-analog converter using at least one bandpass filter.

12. The computing system according to claim 9 further comprising generating a signal stream accounting for at least one harmonic spur for an audio correction digital-to-analog converter.

13. The computing system according to claim 9 further comprising measuring at least one harmonic distortion component of a fundamental digital to analog converter (DAC) by turning off an output of a harmonic correction DAC and routing an analog output of the fundamental DAC through filter circuitry and an output stage for subtraction.

14. The computing system according to claim 13 further comprising nulling a fundamental tone of an audio source signal under calibration using a bandpass filtered audio source output of an identical instrument channel.

15. The computing system according to claim 14 further comprising filtering an audio DAC sinewave of a second instrument channel through a bandpass filter having a center frequency equal to a sinetone of the fundamental DAC.

16. A computer program product residing on a non-transitory computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

generating a sinusoidal waveform using a first waveform generator associated with a first direct digital synthesizer (DDS) for input to a differential amplifier;

generating, via a second waveform generator associated with a second DDS, a phase and amplitude matched sinusoidal waveform through a bandpass filter for input to the differential amplifier;

amplifying a difference between the sinusoidal waveform and the matched sinusoidal waveform via the differential amplifier to generate an amplified output;

storing the amplified output generated by amplifying the difference between the sinusoidal waveform and the matched sinusoidal waveform via the differential amplifier; and

determining at least one of an amplitude and a phase of a spurious frequency component based upon, at least in part, a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) associated with the stored amplified output.

17. The computer program product according to claim 16 further comprising measuring at least one harmonic spur generated by an audio digital-to-analog converter using at least one bandpass filter.

18. The computer program product according to claim 16 further comprising generating a signal stream accounting for at least one harmonic spur for an audio correction digital-to-analog converter.

19. The computer program product according to claim 16 further comprising measuring at least one harmonic distortion component of a fundamental digital to analog converter (DAC) by turning off an output of a harmonic correction DAC and routing an analog output of the fundamental DAC through filter circuitry and an output stage for subtraction.

20. The computer program product according to claim 19 further comprising nulling a fundamental tone of an audio source signal under calibration using a bandpass filtered audio source output of an identical instrument channel.

21. The computer program product according to claim 20 further comprising attenuating at least one harmonic spur found in the analog output of the fundamental DAC.

22. The computer program product according to claim 16 wherein determining includes analyzing the amplified output.

23. The computer program product according to claim 20 further comprising filtering an audio DAC sinewave of a second instrument channel through a bandpass filter having a center frequency equal to a sinetone of the fundamental DAC.

24. The computing system according to claim 14 further comprising attenuating at least one harmonic spur found in the analog output of the fundamental DAC.

Assignments (10)
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS, RECORDED AT REEL 047185, FRAME 0624 Recorded Mar 7, 2024
From: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS AGENT
To: XCERRA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 066762/0811 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INCORRECT STATEMENT THAT THIS DOCUMENT SERVES AS AN OATH/DECLARATION PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 047185 FRAME 0628. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Nov 28, 2018
From: XCERRA CORPORATION
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047675/0354 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 2, 2018
From: XCERRA CORPORATION
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047185/0624 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INCORRECT PATENT NUMBER 7261561 AND REPLACE WITH PATENT NUMBER 7231561 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 034660 FRAME 0188. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Feb 11, 2016
From: XCERRA CORPORATION; EVERETT CHARLES TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 037824/0372 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN UNITED STATES PATENTS Recorded Dec 18, 2014
From: SILICON VALLEY BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: XCERRA CORPORATION; EVERETT CHARLES TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 034660/0394 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 18, 2014
From: XCERRA CORPORATION; EVERETT CHARLES TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 034660/0188 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 27, 2014
From: LTX-CREDENCE CORPORATION
To: XCERRA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 033032/0768 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 17, 2014
From: LTX-CREDENCE CORPORATION; EVERETT CHARLES TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 032086/0476 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 20, 2011
From: MAX, SOLOMON; HANNAFORD, CHRISTOPHER JOEL; NECOECHEA, R. WARREN
To: LTX-CREDENCE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026314/0622 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 12, 2011
From: MAX, SOLOMON; HANNAFORD, CHRISTOPHER JOEL; NECOECHEA, R. WARREN
To: LTX-CREDENCE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026265/0447 →