RF noise measurement system; OmniPhase Research Lab., Inc.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,885,632

U.S. Patent No. 7,885,632, issued on February 8, 2011 to OmniPhase Research Laboratories, Inc. of Newport Beach, CA, discloses an automated RF noise measurement system.

According to the ’632 patent, phase noise (unwanted disruptions in the phase of a transmitted, information-bearing radio-frequency (RF) signal) is an important factor in the design and performance of an RF wireless communication system.  It is therefore desirable to be able to automatically measure such noise of a transmitted RF signal.  The ’632 patent discloses a system and method for making such automated measurements by combining a local oscillator (LO) signal with the RF signal, mixing the combined signal with a quadrature LO signal, and analyzing a digitized version of the mixed signal to measure the noise.

According to its website, OmniPhase was formed in 2002 by a group of former Hughes RF engineers and an OC-based entrepreneur, and focuses on research and development in the fields of “advanced RF test systems, radar transmitters/receivers, broad band digitizers and related products for military, aerospace and general electronics applications.”  From 2005 to 2009, it has been the recipient of numerous grants from the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) totalling almost $15 million.  According to the USPTO assignment database, OmniPhase owns six U.S. patents, including the ’632 patent.