Wireless channel sounder with fast measurement speed and wide dynamic range

• US 10,397,811 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2016
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ghassemzadeh, Saeed, Ghosh, Arunabha
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US15/293,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20180109967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/101 for measurement of specific parameters of the transmitter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/102 Power radiated at antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/103 Reflected power, e.g. return loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/23 Indication means, e.g. displays, alarms, audible means
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/04 using two or more spaced independent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0837 using pre-detection combining H04B7/0868 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic

Abstract

An example device includes antennas to receive wireless signals from a wireless transmitter and to output radio frequency signals based upon the wireless signals that are received, low noise amplifiers coupled to the antennas to amplify the radio frequency signals, and a receiver stage to generate, based upon the radio frequency signals, digital representations of the wireless signals that are received via the antennas and to determine a measure a wireless channel parameter from the digital representations of the wireless signals.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a plurality of antennas to receive wireless signals from a wireless transmitter and to output radio frequency signals based upon the wireless signals that are received;

a plurality of low noise amplifiers, coupled to the plurality of antennas, to amplify the radio frequency signals; and

a receiver stage to generate, based upon the radio frequency signals, digital representations of the wireless signals that are received via the plurality of antennas and to determine a measure of at least one wireless channel parameter from the digital representations of the wireless signals, wherein the receiver stage comprises;

a plurality of baseband converters to convert the radio frequency signals that are amplified into baseband signals;

a plurality of baseband receivers to receive the baseband signals and generate, from the baseband signals, the digital representations of the wireless signals that are received via the plurality of antennas; and

a processor to determine the measure of the at least one wireless channel parameter from the digital representations of the wireless signals; and

a plurality of switches between the plurality of low noise amplifiers and the receiver stage, each of the plurality of switches including;

input ports coupled to respective low noise amplifiers of the plurality of low noise amplifiers; and

an output port coupled to one of the plurality of baseband converters, wherein each of the plurality of switches is to select one of the input ports to connect to the output port.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of switches is further to:

select the one of the input ports to connect to the output port based upon a switch control signal.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of switches comprises:

PIN diode switches;

or

electromechanical switches.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of low noise amplifiers includes a control port to receive a control signal, the control signal to activate or deactivate the each of the plurality of low noise amplifiers.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of antennas and the plurality of low noise amplifiers are arranged into a plurality of sectors, each of the plurality of sectors including at least two of the plurality of antennas and at least two of the plurality of low noise amplifiers.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the plurality of sectors has non-overlapping half-power beamwidths and covers 360 degrees in azimuth.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the plurality of low noise amplifiers includes control ports to receive control signals, wherein the control signals are to activate and deactivate low noise amplifiers of the plurality of low noise amplifiers, wherein the low noise amplifiers of the plurality of low noise amplifiers are activated and deactivated via the control signals on a per-sector basis.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the control signals activate and deactivate the low noise amplifiers of the plurality of low noise amplifiers on a per-sector basis in synchronization with a pattern of transmissions of the wireless signals from the wireless transmitter.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless signals from the wireless transmitter comprise test signals for calculating the at least one wireless channel parameter.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one wireless channel parameter comprises a plurality of wireless channel parameters, wherein the receiver stage is further to determine measures of the plurality of wireless channel parameters from the digital representations of the wireless signals.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of wireless channel parameters comprises:

a complex impulse response;

an angle of arrival;

a carrier to interference ratio;

a path loss;

a delay spread;

a Doppler spread;

or

a fade rate.

12. A method comprising:

receiving, via a plurality of antennas of a receiver device, wireless signals from a wireless transmitter;

outputting, via the plurality of antennas, radio frequency signals based upon the wireless signals that are received;

amplifying, via a plurality of low noise amplifiers of the receiver device, the radio frequency signals;

generating, via a receiver stage of the receiver device, based upon the radio frequency signals, digital representations of the wireless signals that are received via the plurality of antennas, wherein the generating comprises;

converting, via a plurality of baseband converters, the radio frequency signals into baseband signals;

receiving, via a plurality of baseband receivers, the baseband signals; and

generating, via the plurality of baseband receivers, from the baseband signals, the digital representations of the wireless signals that are received via the plurality of antennas; and

determining, via the receiver stage, a measure of a wireless channel parameter from the digital representations of the wireless signals, wherein the receiver device includes a plurality of switches between the plurality of low noise amplifiers and the receiver stage, each of the plurality of switches including;

input ports coupled to respective low noise amplifiers of the plurality of low noise amplifiers; and

an output port coupled to one of the plurality of baseband converters, wherein each of the plurality of switches is to select one of the input ports to connect to the output port.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

selecting, based upon a switch control signal, the one of the input ports to connect to the output port of each of the plurality of switches.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of low noise amplifiers includes a control port to receive a control signal, the control signal to activate or deactivate the each of the plurality of low noise amplifiers.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the wireless signals from the wireless transmitter comprise test signals for calculating the at least one wireless channel parameter.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of antennas and the plurality of low noise amplifiers are arranged into a plurality of sectors, each of the plurality of sectors including at least two of the plurality of antennas and at least two of the plurality of low noise amplifiers.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of sectors has non-overlapping half-power beamwidths and covers 360 degrees in azimuth.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of low noise amplifiers includes control ports to receive control signals, wherein the control signals are to activate and deactivate low noise amplifiers of the plurality of low noise amplifiers, wherein the low noise amplifiers of the plurality of low noise amplifiers are activated and deactivated via the control signals on a per-sector basis.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the control signals activate and deactivate the low noise amplifiers of the plurality of low noise amplifiers on a per-sector basis in synchronization with a pattern of transmissions of the wireless signals from the wireless transmitter.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

amplifying, via a plurality of low noise amplifiers of a receiver device, radio frequency signals that are output via a plurality of antennas of the receiver device, the radio frequency signals based upon wireless signals that are received via the plurality of antennas;

generating, via a receiver stage, based upon the radio frequency signals, digital representations of the wireless signals that are received via the plurality of antennas, wherein the generating comprises;

converting, via a plurality of baseband converters, the radio frequency signals into baseband signals;

receiving, via a plurality of baseband receivers, the baseband signals; and

generating, via the plurality of baseband receivers, from the baseband signals, the digital representations of the wireless signals that are received via the plurality of antennas; and

determining a measure of a wireless channel parameter from the digital representations of the wireless signals, wherein the receiver device includes a plurality of switches between the plurality of low noise amplifiers and the receiver stage, each of the plurality of switches including;

input ports coupled to respective low noise amplifiers of the plurality of low noise amplifiers; and

an output port coupled to one of the plurality of baseband converters, wherein each of the plurality of switches is to select one of the input ports to connect to the output port.