Intelligent alignment of waveguide filters using a machine learning approach

The authors investigate the application of a machine learning system to the tuning of waveguide filters. This system uses techniques from pattern recognition and adaptive signal processing. The manual tuning of the waveguide filters is very time consuming and expensive and a skilled operator is required. Here, the machine learning system is adapted in such a way that it can assist an unskilled operator to perform fast and accurate tuning of these filters. The machine learning approach is based on the manipulation of some raw data to extract a set of salient features that have strong significance in the behavior of the filters. These features are derived visually, by comparing the characteristics of a tuned filter to those of a faulty filter with known levels of maladjustments