Electromagnetic interference sensor device and method and computer program

• US 20090228240A1
• Filed: 03/07/2008
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Pitkaranta, Kari, Makela, Jakke, Kaikuranta, Terho, Porjo, Niko
• Granted Patent: US 8,032,330 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/185
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/002 where the device under test is an electronic circuit

Abstract

A portable diagnostic apparatus is brought proximal to a device to be diagnosed. While the device to be diagnosed is operating, a radiofrequency interference signal emitted by the device is received at the portable apparatus and a data representation of it is stored. The data representation is submitted for matching to a diagnostic signal pattern stored in a database of predetermined signal patterns. From the matching is identified and output an indication of a fault in the device to be diagnosed. In one embodiment the submitting is to the database stored in the portable apparatus itself, and in another embodiment the submitting is outputting (data cable, wireless link) the stored data representation to a diagnostic computer such as a personal computer, a peer device, or a remote diagnostic center. The RF interference signal may be one stream and the portable apparatus receives at least a second stream and both streams are used for the matching.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a radiofrequency interference signal emitted from a device to be diagnosed;

storing data representative of the received interference signal in a portable apparatus separate from the device to be diagnosed;

submitting the stored data representative of the received interference signal for matching to a diagnostic signal pattern stored in a database of predetermined diagnostic signal patterns; and

from the matching, outputting an indication of fault that is identified in the device to be diagnosed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the interference signal comprises a first stream interference signal and a second stream interference signal from the device to be diagnosed.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second stream interference signal comprises at least one of an audio signal received at a microphone of the portable apparatus, a vibration received at an accelerometer of the portable apparatus, an optical signal received at an optical sensor of the portable apparatus, and a second radiofrequency interference signal at a frequency different from the said radiofrequency interference signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein submitting comprises sending to a separate diagnostic computer which does the matching, the method further comprising receiving at the portable apparatus from the separate diagnostic computer the identified fault.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable apparatus comprises a portable radio, the method further comprising the initial steps of bringing the portable radio proximal to the device to be diagnosed.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the portable radio comprises a mobile telephone and prior to submitting the data representative of the interference signal for matching the portable radio processes the received interference signal as a received audio signal.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the matching is done by the portable radio and the database of predetermined diagnostic signal patterns is stored in a local memory of the portable radio.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a radiofrequency interference signal that is emitted by a device to be diagnosed;

a memory configured to store data representative of the received interference signal; and

one of

a processor configured to match the stored data representative of the interference signal to a diagnostic signal pattern of a database of predetermined diagnostic signal patterns stored in the memory so as to identify from the interference signal a fault in the device to be diagnosed, or an output port configured to send the data representative of the interference signal to a separate diagnostic computer for matching to a diagnostic signal pattern.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the interference signal comprises a first stream interference signal and a second stream interference signal from the device to be diagnosed.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second stream interference signal comprises at least one of:

an audio signal received at a microphone of the apparatus, a vibration received at an accelerometer of the apparatus, an optical signal received at an optical sensor of the apparatus, and a second radiofrequency interference signal at a frequency different from the said radiofrequency interference signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the output port comprises one of a data port for a data cable and a transmitter configured to output the interference signal to the separate diagnostic computer which does the matching.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the output port comprises one of a data port for sending the interference signal over a cable connection, a low power transmitter for sending the interference signal over a piconetwork, or an infrared transmitter for sending the interference signal via an infrared channel.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the output port comprises a transmitter configured for sending the interference signal to the separate diagnostic computer via a wireless communications network.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus comprises a handheld mobile telephone and a processor of the mobile telephone is configured to process the received interference signal as a received audio signal.

15. A memory embodying a program of machine readable instructions, executable by a processor for taking actions directed toward diagnosing a fault in a device to be diagnosed, the actions comprising:

receiving radiofrequency interference signal that is emitted from a device to be diagnosed;

storing data representative of the received interference signal at a portable apparatus;

submitting the stored data representative of the received interference signal for matching to a diagnostic signal pattern that is stored in a database of predetermined diagnostic signal patterns; and

from the matching, outputting an indication of a fault identified in the device to be diagnosed.

16. The memory of claim 15, wherein the interference signal comprises a first stream interference signal and a second stream interference signal from the device to be diagnosed.

17. The memory of claim 16, wherein the second stream interference signal comprises at least one of:

an audio signal received at a microphone of the apparatus, a vibration received at an accelerometer of the apparatus, an optical signal received at an optical sensor of the apparatus, and a second radiofrequency interference signal at a frequency different from the said radiofrequency interference signal.

18. The memory of claim 15, wherein the submitting is to a separate diagnostic computer which does the matching, the method further comprising receiving at the portable apparatus from the separate diagnostic computer the identified fault.

19. The memory of claim 15, wherein the receiving is by a receiver of the portable apparatus.

20. The memory of claim 19, wherein the portable apparatus comprises a mobile telephone, the actions further comprising, prior to submitting the stored data representation of the interference signal for matching, processing the received interference signal as a received audio signal.

21. The memory of claim 19, wherein the database of predetermined diagnostic signal patterns is stored in the memory of the portable apparatus and the matching is done by the processor within the portable apparatus.

22. An apparatus comprising:

receive means for receiving an interference signal that is emitted by a device to be diagnosed;

memory means for storing data representative of the interference signal;

means for submitting the stored data representative of the interference signal for matching to a diagnostic signal pattern stored in a database of predetermined diagnostic signal patterns so as to identify from the interference signal a fault in the device to be diagnosed.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:

the receive means comprises a cellular radio receiver;

the memory means comprises a local computer-readable memory of the apparatus;

the means for submitting comprises a data pathway from the local computer readable memory to a processor which does the matching using the database of predetermined diagnostic signal patterns that is also stored at the local computer-readable memory; and

the apparatus further comprising a graphical user interface configured to display an indication of the identified fault.