The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 06, 2018
Filed:
Nov. 12, 2015
National Instruments Corporation, Austin, TX (US);
Blake A. Lindell, Round Rock, TX (US);
Christopher G. Regier, Cedar Park, TX (US);
Pablo Limon, Cedar Park, TX (US);
NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION, Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
An improved measurement system may include a source measure unit (SMU) capable of performing accurate low-level current measurements. Based on an SMU design that provides a controlled DC voltage source with precision current limiting and a controlled 0V (zero Volt) DC at the measurement terminal, an AC design may be implemented to establish the same (or very similar) conditions over a specified frequency range. Instead of controlling each digital-to-analog converter (DAC) at respective source terminals of the SMU as a respective DC output, each DAC may be controlled as a respective function generator with programmable frequency and continuously variable phase and amplitude. Off-the-shelf pipelined analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) may be used to monitor voltage, current and the voltage at the measurement terminal, and a Fourier transform may be used to obtain both the amplitude and relative phase measurements to be provided to respective control loops.