Original Date: 01/23/1995
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

Sandia's PSL is developing software for a more efficient method for capturing, displaying, and storing data generated during the certification of microwave Vector Automatic Network Analyzers. This software will provide the user with a quick and efficient method to acquire new data and compare it to the history of the control devices. These database files/names should be transparent to the user as the menu-driven software will direct the storage of the data to the correct file.

Some unique features of this data acquisition software include software that automatically obtains a list of frequencies from the network analyzer. The user need only specify the connector type and device, and the software automatically acquires the correct scattering (S)-parameter data, and if new data is acceptable, the software updates the database files. Acceptable means internally consistent with prior data. The consistency check is performed automatically as part of the application of SPC techniques to microwave device certification.

The database files for Network Analyzers contain three types of files that are used to store data. A Control Device measurements file contains the measured data on a specific device for a specific date and time as a function of the measurement frequencies. A database file contains all measurements on a specific device and a summary file that contains the number of measurements, mean, and standard deviation at each measured frequency. The summary file is automatically updated when new data is stored in the database file. All these files are ASCII format and are stored in the DOS file system.

When implemented, all database files will reside on DOS directories on the LAN system. The plots may be directed to either DeskJet or ThinkJet printers. Other plotters and printers will be supported in the future.

Because most of the software has been written in HP BASIC, the user is not required to switch to another operating system to plot data and update databases. All database files are stored as DOS files in ASCII format and may be imported into other spreadsheet or database files if more sophisticated plots or correlations are desired. Although this system was designed for the unique requirements of the Microwave Project, the software may be easily reconfigured for a different set of requirements for a customer.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.