Measurement system and a method

• US 10,404,385 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2017
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Pabst, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Ajayi, Joel
• Application Number:
  US15/414,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20180041289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 455425
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 29/0878 Sensors; antennas; probes; detectors wave guide measuring sections G01R1/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/0085 using test signal generators
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/103 Reflected power, e.g. return loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/29 Performance testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength

Abstract

A measurement system for measuring signals in a RF device comprises at least two signal generators for generating a test signal in each one of the signal generators, a probe for every signal generator, each probe being connected to the respective signal generator for emitting the respective test signal to the RF device, and a controllable positioner for rotatably positioning the RF device with respect to the probes.

Claims

1. A measurement system for measuring signals in a RF device, the measurement system comprising:

at least two signal generators for generating a RF test signal in each one of the signal generators;

a probe for every signal generator, each probe being connected to the respective signal generator for emitting the respective RF test signal to the RF device;

a controllable positioner for rotatably positioning the RF device with respect to the probes the positioner comprises a set of three circular gimbals one mounted in the other with orthogonal pivot axes; and

rods for every probe, wherein each rod is adapted to individually rotate a respective probe around a central fixture, so that the probes are rotatable around a first axis.

2. The measurement system of claim 1, comprising a data recorder for recording at least the signal strengths of the RF test signals received at the RF device.

3. The measurement system of claim 1 wherein the RF device is positioned on the first axis.

4. The measurement system of claim 1 wherein the distance of the probes to the axis is configurable.

5. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the RF test signals characterizes a signal received by the RF device via a direct line of sight.

6. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the RF test signals characterizes a signal received by the RF device indirectly via reflection and/or

wherein every RF test signal characterizes a signal emitted from a single signal source to the RF device via diverging paths or emitted from different signal sources to the RF device.

7. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein the positioner comprises a mechanical arm with three degrees of freedom.

8. A method for measuring signal strength in a RF device, the method comprising:

generating at least two RF test signals;

emitting the respective RF test signals to the RF device with one probe for each RF test signal; and

rotatably positioning the RF device with respect to the probes by rods (30, 31) for every probe, wherein rotatably positioning comprises positioning with a positioner comprising a set of three circular gimbals one mounted in the other with orthogonal pivot axes,

wherein each rod is individually rotated by a respective rod around a central fixture, so that the probes are rotatable around a first axis.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising recording at least the signal strengths of the RF test signals received at the RF device.

10. The method of claim 8, comprising positioning the RF device on the first axis.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the distance of the probes to the axis is configurable.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the RF test signals characterizes a signal received by the RF device via a direct line of sight.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the RF test signals characterizes a signal received by the RF device indirectly via reflection;

and/or wherein every RF test signal characterizes a signal emitted from a single signal source to the RF device via diverging paths or emitted from different signal sources to the RF device.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein rotatably positioning comprises positioning with a positioner comprising a mechanical arm with three degrees of freedom.