Method of measuring frequency dependent group delay distortion

• Main Authors: COENNING FRANK, HOFFMANN GUNTHER
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 19.06.1968
• Subjects: ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; MEASURING; MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES; PHYSICS; TESTING; TRANSMISSION

1,117,475. Measuring group delay. U. GOLTERMANN [trading as WANDEL U. GOLTEBMANN]. July 13, 1965 [Aug. 8, 1964], No.29674/65. Heading G1U. Group delay distortion occurring in the transmission of a signal through a four terminal network is measured by applying to the network a carrier frequency amplitude modulated by a constant split frequency which is recovered by demodulation at the network output. The carrier frequency is periodically changed at a changeover frequency between a measuring frequency and a standard frequency, the standard being transmitted with an identification frequency. The size of the periodic phase variation indicates the difference of the group delay at the measuring frequency and the group delay at the standard frequency. All the auxiliary frequencies required at the transmitter (split, identification and changeover frequency) are derived from one auxiliary frequency generator in the transmitter and similarly the auxiliary frequencies required at the receiver are derived from one auxiliary frequency generator in the receiver locked in frequency to the received split frequency. In order that the measurement may be made in a very short time, it is arranged by means of gating circuits operated from divider chains providing signals having frequencies related to the auxiliary frequencies that a measurement shall be carried out immediately prior to a change over between carrier frequencies, so that transients induced by a preceding change will have died away. Fig. 4 shows a suitable receiver circuit. The carrier signal received from the network under test is demodulated at 10 to provide the split frequency and passed via a band pass filter 13 to a phase sensitive circuit 14 which must also be provided with a zero phase shifted signal b at the split frequency. This is developed by the generator 16 and binary dividing circuits 17, 26. The identification signal on the second carrier is passed via the band pass filter 11 and shaping circuit 12 to lock the divider chain 26, 27, 28, 29 and two signals from this chain operate an AND gate 30 to provide a signal which operates the gate switch 25 at an appropriate time for measurement purposes. The output from the phase sensitive circuit 14 is passed to a controlled rectifier 15 operated at the change over frequency provided by signal e. The rectifier output indicates the required group delay. The circuitry for transmitting the appropriate measuring signals to the input of the network under test is arranged to ensure that the identification signal is applied to the second carrier at predetermined times only, related to the times of change over between the carrier frequencies, so that the correct sequences at the receiver will be achieved.