Test system and test method

• US 10,536,228 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2018
• Issued: 01/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Rowell, Corbett, Derat, Benoit
• Primary Examiner(s): Haider, Syed
• Application Number:
  US15/868,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20190215085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/0085 using test signal generators
• 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 17/15 Performance testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/24 with feedback of measurements to the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/29 Performance testing

Abstract

A test system for testing a wireless device under test in a test chamber. The device under test may be located on a bottom of the test chamber, and a measurement antenna may be mounted on a bottom or a side wall of the test chamber. Further, a reflector may be mounted on a ceiling of the test chamber. Accordingly, a signal path for testing the device under test may be established by reflecting the wireless signals between the device under test and the measurement antenna by the reflector.

Claims

1. A test system for testing a device under test on a bottom of a test chamber, the test system comprising:

a measurement antenna mounted on the bottom or on a side wall of the test chamber, the measurement antenna is adapted to emit outgoing test signals to the device under test and receive incoming test signals emitted by the device under test; and

a reflector mounted on a ceiling of the test chamber, the reflector is adapted to collimate the test signals emitted by the measurement antenna in a direction of the device under test such that homogenous radiation of the device under test is achieved, and to focus the test signals emitted by the device under test in a direction of the measurement antenna,

wherein radio frequency waves between the device under test and the reflector run parallel to each other and the side walls of the test chamber are not covered by the test signals,

the reflector focuses the radio frequency waves emitted by the device under test on the measurement antenna, and

wherein a signal path of the outgoing test signals and the incoming test signals between the device under test and the reflector is in a vertical direction.

2. The test system according to claim 1, wherein the signal path of the outgoing test signals and the incoming test signals between the device under test and the reflector is orthogonal to the bottom of the test chamber.

3. The test system according to claim 1, comprising a positioning device for positioning the device under test at a predetermined position in the test chamber.

4. The test system according to claim 1, comprising a conveyor belt for feeding the device under test into the test chamber.

5. The test system according to claim 1, comprising a shielded test chamber having a ceiling, a bottom and a number of side walls.

6. The test system according to claim 5, wherein the test chamber comprises a number of closeable doors for feeding the device under test into the test chamber.

7. The test system according to claim 1, comprising a number of antennas or power sensors mounted on the ceiling or the side walls of the test chamber, the antennas or power sensors are adapted to receive radio frequency signals in the test chamber.

8. The test system according to claim 1, wherein the reflector comprises a lightweight material, in particular carbon composite.

9. The test system according to claim 1, comprising a number of further reflectors being located in the signal path between the reflector and the measurement antenna.

10. A test method for testing a device under test on a bottom of a test chamber, the test method comprising:

emitting outgoing test signals to the device under test or receiving incoming test signals emitted by the device under test by a measurement antenna mounted on the bottom or on a side wall of the test chamber; and

collimating the test signals emitted by the measurement antenna in a direction of the device under test such that homogenous radiation of the device under test is achieved or focusing the test signals emitted by the device under test in a direction of the measurement antenna by a reflector mounted on a ceiling of the test chamber,

wherein radio frequency waves between the device under test and the reflector run parallel to each other and the side walls of the test chamber are not covered by the test signals,

the radio frequency waves emitted by the device under test are focused on the measurement antenna, and

wherein a signal path of the outgoing test signals and the incoming test signals between the device under test and the reflector is in a vertical direction.

11. The test method according to claim 10, wherein the signal path of the outgoing test signals and the incoming test signals between the device under test and the reflector is orthogonal to the bottom of the test chamber.

12. The test method according to claim 10, comprising positioning the device under test at a predetermined position in the test chamber by a positioning device.

13. The test method according to claim 10, comprising feeding the device under test into the test chamber by a conveyor belt.

14. The test method according to claim 10, wherein the test method is performed in a shielded test chamber having a ceiling, a bottom and a number of side walls.

15. The test method according to claim 14, comprising feeding the device under test into the test chamber through a closeable door of the test chamber.

16. The test method according to claim 10, comprising receiving radio frequency signals in the test chamber by a number of antennas or power sensors mounted on the ceiling or the side walls of the test chamber.

17. The test method according to claim 10, wherein the reflector comprises a lightweight material, in particular carbon composite.

18. The test method according to claim 10, comprising reflecting the incoming signals and the outgoing signals by a number of further reflectors located in the signal path between the reflector and the measurement antenna.