Method and tester for determining an error rate of a mobile-telephone device, especially for USF-BLER

• US 20070093211A1
• Filed: 03/04/2004
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Plaumann, Ralf
• Granted Patent: US 7,539,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/67.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining an error rate is described, in which a transmission block having an allocation signal is received by a mobile communications device that is to be tested. The device checks whether it has been allocated the following transmission block by the received allocation signal. If an allocation is determined, a message signal is transmitted by the device to the tester in the following transmission block. It is then determined whether the device has received a message signal in the following transmission block after an allocation signal, which is addressed to the device. The number of allocation signals addressed to the device which have not been recognized is then determined, wherein the allocation signal to be transmitted is selected from an allocation signal addressed to the device and at least another allocation signal addressing another mobile communications device of the same transmission signal.

Claims

1. A method for determining an error rate of a mobile-telephone device under test with a recognition of an assignment signal for the assignment of one of several mobile-telephone devices of the same transmission channel to a subsequent transmission block of the transmission channel, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a transmission block with an assignment signal;

receiving the assignment signal by the mobile-telephone device under test;

determining by the mobile-telephone device under test whether the subsequent transmission block has been assigned to it by the received assignment signal;

transmitting, by the mobile-telephone device under test, a message signal in the subsequent transmission block, if an assignment has been established;

receiving the message signal from the mobile-telephone device under test in the corresponding transmission block;

checking, after an assignment signal, which addresses the mobile-telephone device under test, whether a message signal from the mobile telephone device under test has been received in the subsequent transmission block; and

determining a number of unrecognized assignment signals addressing the mobile-telephone device under test, wherein the assignment signal to be transmitted is selected from an assignment signal addressing the mobile-telephone device under test and at least one other assignment signal addressing another mobile-telephone device of the same transmission signal.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein

a first error rate is determined from the number of unrecognized assignment signals addressing the mobile-telephone device under test.

3. A method according claim 1, wherein

a number of assignment signals incorrectly recognized by the mobile-telephone device as an assignment, which address other mobile-telephone devices of the same transmission channel, is determined.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein

a second error rate is determined from the number of assignment signals incorrectly recognized as an assignment, which address other mobile-telephone devices of the same transmission channel.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein

a number of assignment signals incorrectly recognized by the mobile-telephone device under test as an assignment, which address other mobile-telephone devices of the same transmission channel, is determined and that a first error rate is determined from the number of unrecognized assignment signals addressing the mobile-telephone device under test, and a second error rate is determined from the number of assignment signals incorrectly recognized as an assignment.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein

an assignment signal for an assignment of a mobile-telephone device to a subsequent transmission block is selected from the assignment signals of all mobile-telephone devices, which use the same transmission channel.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein

a number of transmitted assignment signals, which address the mobile-telephone device under test, is in a determinable ratio to total number of assignment signals transmitted.

8. A method according to claim 1, comprising selecting an assignment signal relating to the next transmission block dependent upon at least a last, previously-transmitted assignment signal.

9. A tester for determining an error rate of a mobile-telephone device under test with a recognition of an assignment signal for the assignment of one of a plurality of mobile-telephone devices of the same transmission channel to a subsequent transmission block of the transmission channel, the tester comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting transmission blocks with an assignment signal;

a receiver for receiving message signals transmitted in subsequent transmission blocks by the mobile-telephone device under test;

an evaluation device for determining respectively a number of transmission blocks following an assignment signal which addresses the mobile-telephone device under test, in which the mobile-telephone device under test does not transmit a message signal; and

a selection device for selecting assignment signals for transmission from at least the assignment signal addressing the mobile-telephone device under test and one other assignment signal addressing another mobile-telephone device of the same transmission channel.

10. A tester according to claim 9, wherein the evaluation device comprises means for determining a first error rate from a number of unrecognized assignment signals addressing the mobile-telephone device under test.

11. A tester according to claim 9, wherein

the evaluation device comprises means for determining a the number of assignment signals incorrectly recognized by the mobile-telephone device under test as an assignment, which address other mobile-telephone devices of the same transmission channel.

12. A tester according to claim 11, wherein

the evaluation device comprises means for determining a second error rate from the number of assignment signals incorrectly recognized as an assignment, which address other mobile-telephone devices of the same transmission channel.

13. A tester according claim 9, wherein

the selection device selects the assignment signals for transmission from the assignment signals of all mobile-telephone devices of the same transmission channel.

14. A tester according to claim 9, wherein

a ratio of the transmitted assignment signals, which address the mobile-telephone device under test, to a total number of transmitted assignment signals is determined via the selection device.

15. A tester according to claim 9, wherein

an assignment signal relating to a next transmission block is determined via the selection device dependent upon at least a last, previously-transmitted assignment signal.