Switching Matrix and Test Platform

• US 20120003982A1
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Jenkinson, David Ross, Natarajan, Venkataraman, Bhatji, Arun Ananth, Samuel, Mathew
• Granted Patent: US 9,143,961 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/391 Modelling the propagation channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/22 Traffic simulation tools or models
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic

Abstract

A switching matrix and testing platform may enable controlled testing of various configurations of radio access networks (RANs) at various signal strengths. The switching matrix and testing platform may enable testing of the radio frequency (RF) signals from RANs or telecommunications devices for new and/or predetermined scenarios, such as using different configurations of the RANs at various signal strengths. During a scenario, various operations may be performed on the telecommunications device in communication with the tested RF signals, such as making voice calls, transmitting and receiving data (messages, videos, music, etc.). A performance of the telecommunications device and/or various telecommunication network elements may be analyzed in comparison to other telecommunications device and/or various telecommunication network elements.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

selecting, via a switching matrix, a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals as selected RF signals from a group of RF signals made available for communication with a telecommunications device;

recording a test scenario via a switching matrix application that enables real time or near real time control of signal strengths of the selected RF signals by control of the switching matrix;

loading the test scenario for the selected RF signals by controlling the switching matrix, the test scenario to adjust the signal strengths of the selected RF signals over a period of time to enable simulation of an operation of the telecommunications device in a deployed field environment; and

running the test scenario to control the switching matrix, the test scenario to test at least one of an operation of the telecommunications network elements or the telecommunications devices with the selected RF signals.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the loading the test scenario includes loading drive test data obtained by recording deployed network RF signals while moving through the deployed field environment.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising employing a fading simulator with the switching matrix to modify outputs of the selected RF signals while running the test scenario.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising performing predetermined operations on the telecommunications device using a robotic platform that operates the telecommunications device, the robotic platform configured to enable repeatability testing of the test scenario.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising recording performance of the telecommunications device via the robotic platform during the predetermined operations.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising recording and storing performance metrics of at least one of the telecommunications devices or the network element being tested via the robotic platform during the predetermined operations.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the selected RF signals include RF signals from at least one of:

a UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN),

a GSM EDGE Radio Access Network (GERAN),

a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax) network,

a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, or

an Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) network.

8. A system, comprising:

a group of radio access networks (RANs) to generate radio frequency (RF) signals;

a switching matrix to select a plurality of RF signals as outputs that enable communication with a telecommunications device, the plurality of RF signals being selected by the switching matrix from the group of RF signals that are inputs to the switching matrix, the switching matrix to control signal strength of the selected RF signals to enable testing a scenario using the telecommunications device; and

a controller to run a switching matrix application configured to at least select, load and play a custom scenario by controlling the outputs of the switching matrix.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the switching matrix application is configured to control signals strengths of the plurality of RF signals selected in the network configuration by controlling the outputs of the switching matrix.

10. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the controller includes the switching matrix application configured to record and save a new test scenario in real-time or in near real-time.

11. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the custom scenario is at least based in part on drive test data that is readable by the switching matrix application to control the switching matrix to simulate a deployed field environment of RF signals using the drive test data.

12. The system as recited in claim 8, further comprising a fading simulator to modify the outputs of the selected RF signals.

13. The system as recited in claim 8, further comprising a robotic platform that operates the telecommunications device, the robotic platform configured to enable repeatability testing of the scenario.

14. One or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed on one or more processors, cause the processors to perform acts comprising:

receiving a selection of radio frequency (RF) signals from a plurality of telecommunications networks accessible by a switching matrix;

outputting, via the switching matrix, the selected RF signals that are selected to enable communication with a telecommunications device; and

adjusting the selected RF signals based on at least one of a manual control mode or a scenario to control signal strength of the selected RF signals.

15. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 14, wherein the adjusting of selected RF signals is performed based at least in part on manual input in real-time or in near real-time.

16. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 14, wherein the adjusting the selected RF signals is based on the scenario that includes predetermined signal strengths that vary over a period of time.

17. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 14, further comprising a fading simulator module to control a fader to simulate fading of at least one of the selected RF signals.

18. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 14, further comprising using a robotic platform module using a robotic platform testing protocol to test operation of at least one of the telecommunications device or telecommunication network elements by manipulation of the selected RF signals via the switching matrix.

19. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 18, wherein the robotic platform module also controls a fading simulator module to test the telecommunication device under fading conditions.

20. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 18, wherein the robotic platform module is used to collect and store statistics documenting at least one of the performance of telecommunication device, network configuration, or network element under test.

21. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 14, wherein the adjusting the selected RF signals is based on a manual control;

and

further comprising recording the adjusting as the scenario that is stored in memory and enables repeatability testing of the scenario.

22. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 14, wherein the adjusting the selected RF signals simulates hand-ins and hand-outs of communications between the telecommunications device and at least two of the selected RF signals and interoperability of the selected RF signals.