System for signal path characterization with a reference signal using stepped-frequency increments

DETAILED DESCRIPTION I claim: 1.
A system for measuring a linear frequency response of a transmission medium, the system comprising: a transmitter for transmitting an unimpaired reference signal into the transmission medium, the unimpaired reference signal comprising a major time interval comprising at least two minor time intervals, and a sine wave operating at a constant frequency during each minor time interval wherein the constant frequency for each time interval is different from the constant frequency of any other adjacent minor time interval, a receiver connected to the transmission medium, at a location different from the location wherein the transmitter is connected, for receiving an impaired reference signal from the transmission medium; a processor connected to an output of the receiver for computing a linear frequency response from the impaired and unimpaired reference signals.
2.
A system for measuring linear frequency response according to claim 1 wherein the linear frequency response is displayed to a user of the system.
3.
A system for measuring linear frequency response according to claim 1 wherein the linear frequency response is further processed to program an adaptive equalizer.
4.
A system for measuring linear frequency response according to claim 1 wherein a starting phase of a sine wave signal in any minor time interval is the same as an ending phase of a sine wave in a preceding minor time interval.
5.
A system for measuring linear frequency response according to claim 1 wherein the at least two minor time intervals are of the same duration.
6.
A system for measuring linear frequency response according to claim 1 wherein a frequency of each time interval is selected to provide a uniform spectral energy in the reference signal.
7.
A system for measuring linear frequency response according to claim 1 wherein the transmitter further comprises a numerically controlled oscillator programmed to generate the reference signal.
8.
A system for measuring frequency response according to claim 1 wherein the transmitter further comprises a digital-to-analog converter that retrieves data from a digital memory to generate the reference signal