The Speedy Delivery (SD) waveform does not undergo dispersion in transmission lines. The waveform was first introduced by Dr. Robert Flake in US Patent 6,441,695 B1 issued on August 27, 2002. Use of the SD waveform allows for high precision time domain measurements on transmission lines. High precision time domain reflectometry (TDR) and time domain transmission (TDT) measurements are described. An example measurement is presented. The design of the experimental apparatus is detailed. Voltage bias adjustments are made during measurements to increase the repeatability. Voltage bias adjustments are examined in detail. Efforts to produce short terminated measurements with high precision are included. A technique for performing TDR measurements with highly attenuated signals is presented with results. / text

The Speedy Delivery (SD) waveform was introduced in patent US 6,441,695 B1 issued August 27, 2002 to the inventor Dr. Robert Flake. In the most basic form, the SD boundary condition is an exponential, D⋅e [superscript α⋅t] . The propagating waveform is described by an analytic, closed form solution of the wave equation in lossy media and has several very special properties. The most surprising property is that the leading edge of the waveform propagates with attenuation but without distortion. The lack of distortion occurs even in lossy transmission media with frequency dependent parameters. This is unlike any other known pulse shape. Additionally, varying the waveforms parameter, α, can vary the propagation velocity and the attenuation of the waveform. Because the exponential waveform is unbounded it cannot continue indefinitely and must be truncated and closed by a non-SD closing edge. This dissertation discusses the transmission behavior and two applications of truncated SD waveforms. A brief analysis of SD propagation in lossy transmission lines is presented and some practical considerations associated with truncating the SD waveforms are addressed. The parameters needed to describe the propagation of the SD waveform are defined and techniques for determining their values are presented. Finally, examples applying these truncated SD waveforms to time domain reflectometry and Communication Technology are presented. / text