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Electronic signal generator data based on solid state concepts were simplified or refined to meet requirements, such as reliability, simplicity, fail-safe characteristics, and the capability of withstanding environmental extremes. Pulse generators, high voltage pulse generators, oscillators, analog signal generators, square wave signal generators, and special function signal generators are described.
The present invention additionally comprises a method and apparatus for generating and mixing signals for frequency-domain lifetime and spectral fluorometry. The present invention comprises a plurality of signal generators that generate a plurality of signals where the signal generators modulate the amplitude and/or the frequency of the signals. The present invention uses one of these signals to drive an excitation signal that the present invention then directs and transmits at a target mixture, which absorbs the energy from the excitation signal. The property of fluorescence causes the target mixture to emit an emitted signal that the present invention detects with a signal detector. The present invention uses a plurality of mixers to produce a processor reference signal and a data signal. The present invention then uses a processor to compare the processor reference signal with the data signal by analyzing the differences in the phase and the differences in the amplitude between the two signals. The processor then extracts the fluorescence lifetime and fluorescence spectrum of the emitted signal from the phase and amplitude information using a chemometric analysis.
The present invention additionally comprises a method and apparatus for generating and mixing signals for frequency-domain lifetime and spectral fluorometry. The present invention comprises a plurality of signal generators that generate a plurality of signals where the signal generators modulate the amplitude and/or the frequency of the signals. The present invention uses one of these signals to drive an excitation signal that the present invention then directs and transmits at a target mixture, which absorbs the energy from the excitation signal. The property of fluorescence causes the target mixture to emit an emitted signal that the present invention detects with a signal detector. The present invention uses a plurality of mixers to produce a processor reference signal and a data signal. The present invention then uses a processor to compare the processor reference signal with the data signal by analyzing the differences in the phase and the differences in the amplitude between the two signals. The processor then extracts the fluorescence lifetime and fluorescence spectrum of the emitted signal from the phase and amplitude information using a chemometric analysis.
Adaptive signal generating system and logic circuits for satellite television systems
Large reflector antennas are currently fabricated by assembling a large number of small light aluminum panels onto a superstructure. A large number of aluminum-to-aluminum joints are inherently exposed to RF radiation on such an antenna. It is shown in this paper that the natural oxide layer on aluminum is of the correct thickness to permit electron tunneling through the Al-Al2O3-Al junctions. The nonlinearity due to the junctions then generates spurious signals when these antennas are used for simultaneous transmission and reception of signals at different frequencies. Moreover, the large number of junctions (rivets) on an antenna can combine to produce serious interference in these diplexed systems.
Depending on the environment, multipath can be one of the largest error sources contributing to degradation in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) (e.g., GPS) performance. Currently, open-source tools for simulating GPS signals are available and can be used in the testing and evaluation of GPS receiver equipment. These tools can generate GPS signals that, when used by a GPS receiver, result in computation of a position solution that was pre-determined at the time of signal generation. This work utilizes a custom version of the open-source GPS-SDR-SIM to produce emulated multipath GPS signals. A proof of concept was prototyped and demonstrated using this modified version of GPS-SDR-SIM to produce GPS as well as multipath signals. The generated data was processed using a software defined GPS receiver (GNSS-SDR) and it was found that the introduction of simulated multipath signals successfully produced the expected characteristics of a composite multipath signal in simulation.
Depending on the environment, multipath can be one of the largest error sources contributing to degradation in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) (e.g., GPS) performance. Currently, open-source tools for simulating GPS signals are available and can be used in the testing and evaluation of GPS receiver equipment. These tools can generate GPS signals that, when used by a GPS receiver, result in computation of a position solution that was pre-determined at the time of signal generation. This work utilizes a custom version of the open-source GPS-SDR-SIM to produce emulated multipath GPS signals. A proof of concept was prototyped and demonstrated using this modified version of GPS-SDR-SIM to produce GPS as well as multipath signals. The generated data was processed using a software defined GPS receiver (GNSS-SDR) and it was found that the introduction of simulated multipath signals successfully produced the expected characteristics of a composite multipath signal in simulation.
A control system for a brushless DC motor responsive to digital control signals is disclosed. The motor includes a multiphase wound stator and a permanent magnet rotor. The motor is arranged so that each phase winding, when energized from a DC source, will drive the rotor through a predetermined angular position or step. A commutation signal generator responsive to the shaft position provides a commutation signal for each winding. A programmable control signal generator such as a computer or microprocessor produces individual digital control signals for each phase winding. The control signals and commutation signals associated with each winding are applied to an AND gate for that phase winding. Each gate controls a switch connected in series with the associated phase winding and the DC source so that each phase winding is energized only when the commutation signal and the control signal associated with that phase winding are present. The motor shaft may be advanced one step at a time to a desired position by applying a predetermined number of control signals in the proper sequence to the AND gates and the torque generated by the motor be regulated by applying a separate control signal and each AND gate which is pulse width modulated to control the total time that each switch connects its associated winding to the DC source during each commutation period.
A control system for a brushless DC motor responsive to digital control signals is disclosed. The motor includes a multiphase wound stator and a permanent magnet rotor. The rotor is arranged so that each phase winding, when energized from a DC source, will drive the rotor through a predetermined angular position or step. A commutation signal generator responsive to the shaft position provides a commutation signal for each winding. A programmable control signal generator such as a computer or microprocessor produces individual digital control signals for each phase winding. The control signals and commutation signals associated with each winding are applied to an AND gate for that phase winding. Each gate controls a switch connected in series with the associated phase winding and the DC source so that each phase winding is energized only when the commutation signal and the control signal associated with that phase winding are present. The motor shaft may be advanced one step at a time to a desired position by applying a predetermined number of control signals in the proper sequence to the AND gates and the torque generated by the motor may be regulated by applying a separate control signal to each AND gate which is pulse width modulated to control the total time that each switch connects its associated winding to the DC source during each commutation period.
Two ground simulation software are used to model the SMAP spacecraft dynamics. The CAST software uses a higher fidelity model than the ADAMS software. The ADAMS software models the spacecraft plant, controller and actuator models, and assumes a perfect sensor and estimator model. In this simulation study, the spacecraft dynamics results from the ADAMS software are used as CAST software is unavailable. The main source of spacecraft dynamics error in the higher fidelity CAST software is due to the estimation error. A signal generation model is developed to capture the effect of this estimation error in the overall spacecraft dynamics. Then, this signal generation model is included in the ADAMS software spacecraft dynamics estimate such that the results are similar to CAST. This signal generation model has similar characteristics mean, variance and power spectral density as the true CAST estimation error. In this way, ADAMS software can still be used while capturing the higher fidelity spacecraft dynamics modeling from CAST software.
Performance results of a digital test signal-generator hardware-demonstration unit are reported. Capabilities available include baseband and intermediate frequency (IF) spectrum generation, for which test results are provided. Repeatability in the setting of a given signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) when a baseband or an IF spectrum is being generated ranges from 0.01 dB at high SNR's or high data rates to 0.3 dB at low data rates or low SNR's. Baseband symbol SNR and carrier SNR (Pc/No) accuracies of 0.1 dB were verified with the built-in statistics circuitry. At low SNR's that accuracy remains to be fully verified. These results were confirmed with measurements from a demodulator synchronizer assembly for the baseband spectrum generation, and with a digital receiver (Pioneer 10 receiver) for the IF spectrum generation.
A new method of generating analog test signals with accurate signal to noise ratios (SNRs) is described. High accuracy will be obtained by simultaneous generation of digital noise and signal spectra at a given baseband or bandpass limited bandwidth. The digital synthesis will provide a test signal embedded in noise with the statistical properties of a stationary random process. Accuracy will only be dependent on test integration time with a limit imposed by the system quantization noise (expected to be 0.02 dB). Setability will be approximately 0.1 dB. The first digital SNR generator to provide baseband test signals is being built and will be available in early 1991.
Pulse-width modulated signal generator
In support of the on-going automation of the Deep Space Network (DSN) a new method of generating analog test signals with accurate signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is described. High accuracy is obtained by simultaneous generation of digital noise and signal spectra at the desired bandwidth (base-band or bandpass). The digital synthesis provides a test signal embedded in noise with the statistical properties of a stationary random process. Accuracy is dependent on test integration time and limited only by the system quantization noise (0.02 dB). The monitor and control as well as signal-processing programs reside in a personal computer (PC). Commands are transmitted to properly configure the specially designed high-speed digital hardware. The prototype can generate either two data channels modulated or not on a subcarrier, or one QPSK channel, or a residual carrier with one biphase data channel. The analog spectrum generated is on the DC to 10 MHz frequency range. These spectra may be up-converted to any desired frequency without loss on the characteristics of the SNR provided. Test results are presented.
The present invention is a laser heterodyne frequency generator system with a stabilizer for use in the microwave and millimeter-wave frequency ranges utilizing a photonic mixer as a photonic phase detector in a stable optical fiber delay-line. Phase and frequency fluctuations of the heterodyne laser signal generators are stabilized at microwave and millimeter wave frequencies by a delay line system operating as a frequency discriminator. The present invention is free from amplifier and mixer 1/.function. noise at microwave and millimeter-wave frequencies that typically limit phase noise performance in electronic cavity stabilized electronic oscillators. Thus, 1/.function. noise due to conventional mixers is eliminated and stable optical heterodyne generation of electrical signals is achieved.
Stabilized reference signal delivered to remote unit. Signals at two different frequencies transmitted back and forth along cable and mixed to measure propagation delay in cable. Delay-measuring circuitry part of feedback loop constraining overall delay at stable value. Intended for use in system generating precise time and frequency signals, signal-generating subsystem compensates for phase shift in cable.
The use of a GPS Signal Generator (GPSSG) prior to launch for verification of a GPS subsystem and GN&C system on a spacecraft is becoming a very common practice. The level of confidence in the verification created by running a receiver with a GPSSG can greatly impact both schedule and cost of spacecraft development. This paper addresses the comparison of the Space Shuttle STS-101 and STS-106 Space Integrated GPS/INS (SIGI) Orbital Attitude Readiness (SOAR) flight experiments on-orbit performance with the performance from the same receiver on a Global Simulation Systems (GSS) GPSSG. The SOAR flight experiment was designed to demonstrate on-orbit performance of the International Space Station Force-19 GPS receiver. This paper discusses the process involved in getting the post-flight Best Estimate of Trajectory and Best Estimate of Attitude into the GPSSG such that the Force-19 receiver will experience the same trajectory and environmental conditions as observed during the SOAR flight experiment. Results of the comparison conclude with recommendations of how better to construct and interpret results from receiver tests using a GSS GPSSG.
Assembly of commercial and custom-made electronic equipment designed to generate noisy intermediate-frequency or baseband received phase-modulation data-communication signals with accurately known signal-to-noise ratios. Signals used to perform signal-to-noise-ratio calibrations and other tests of responses of data-communication receivers to noisy incoming signals. Underlying principle applicable to generation of test signals for other advanced data-communication receivers.