APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR WIRELESS TESTING OF A PLURALITY OF TRANSMIT PATHS AND A PLURALITY OF RECEIVE PATHS OF AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20120232826A1
• Filed: 08/28/2009
• Published: 09/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advantest Corporation
• Original Assignee: Verigy Limited (Advantest Corporation)
• Inventors: Rivoir, Jochen, Rottacker, Markus, Hantsch, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 9,847,843 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/117
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3025 Wireless interface with the DUT
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/0085 using test signal generators
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/10 of transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/20 of receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0837 using pre-detection combining H04B7/0868 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus for wireless testing, the apparatus comprising: a test interface, a test generator, a test module, and an analysis module. The test interface is coupled to an electronic device and is configured to transmit data to the electronic device and to receive data from the electronic device. The test generator drives the electronic device through the test interface to vary the beam direction. The test module determines a plurality of transmit values of a transmit parameter based on the test signal wirelessly received from the electronic device using at least one static antenna for receiving the test signal. Each transmit value of the transmit parameter is associated with a different beam direction. The analysis module provides an assessment of the plurality of transmit paths of the electronic device based on the plurality of transmit values.

Claims

1. Apparatus (100) for wireless testing of a plurality of transmit paths of an electronic device (102) capable of varying a preferred direction of beam of a test signal (104) of the electronic device (102) comprising:

a test interface (110) for being connected to the electronic device (102) and configured to transmit data to the electronic device (102) and to receive data from the electronic device (102);

a test generator (120) configured to drive the electronic device (102) through the test interface (110) to vary the preferred direction of beam;

a test module (130) configured to determine a plurality of transmit values (132) of a transmit parameter wirelessly, based on the test signal (104) received from the electronic device (102) by using at least one static antenna of the test module (130) for receiving the test signal (104), wherein each transmit value (132) of the transmit parameter is associated with a different preferred direction of beam; and

an analysis module (140) configured to provide an assessment (142) of the plurality of transmit paths of the electronic device based on the plurality of transmit values (132).

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the analysis module (140) is configured to determine a gain parameter or a phase parameter for each transmit path based on the plurality of transmit values (132) and configured to assess a transmit path based on the corresponding gain parameter or the corresponding phase parameter.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the analysis module (140) is configured to provide the assessment (142) based on a comparison of the gain parameter of each transmit path with at least one reference gain parameter or based on a comparison of the phase parameter of each transmit path with at least one reference phase parameter.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the gain parameter is an absolute gain factor of a transmit path or a relative gain factor between different transmit paths.

5. Apparatus according to one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the value of the corresponding gain parameter of a transmit path depends on a gain of a power amplifier comprised by the transmit path, wherein the analysis module (140) is configured to assess the gain of the power amplifier based on the gain parameter.

6. Apparatus according to one of claims 2 to 5, wherein a value of the corresponding phase parameter of a transmit path depends on a phase shift of a phase shifter comprised by the transmit path, wherein the analysis module (140) is configured to assess the phase shift of the phase shifter based on the phase parameter.

7. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the test generator (120) is configured to drive the electronic device (102) so that only a predefined number of selected transmit paths of the plurality of transmit paths is activated for a test interval, so that the preferred direction of beam depends only on the selected transmit paths during the test interval, wherein the analysis module (140) is configured to assess the selected transmit paths during the test interval.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the selected transmit paths are varied for different test intervals, so that each transmit path of the plurality of transmit paths is selected at least during one test interval.

18. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 17,wherein the test module comprises a reference device (530) equal to the electronic device to be tested, wherein the reference device is configured to determine the plurality of transmit values of each transmit parameter or configured to transmit the test signal.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein a preferred direction of beam of the reference device (530) is varied during transmitting the test signal to vary a power, an amplitude or an energy of the test signal at the electronic device.

20. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the test module is configured to vary a power of the test signal at the electronic device, wherein the analysis module is configured to determine a threshold power based on the power variation of the test signal and to assess a receive path based on the threshold power.

21. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the electronic device is a die on a wafer, a separated die or a packaged chip, wherein each transmit path and each receive path of the electronic device is connected to an antenna located on the die or located in the package of the packaged chip.

22. Automated test equipment comprising an apparatus according to one of the claims 1 to 21.

9. Apparatus (200) for wireless testing of a plurality of receive paths of an electronic device (202) capable of varying a preferred receiving direction of the electronic device (202) comprising:

a test interface (210) for being connected to the electronic device (202) and configured to transmit data to the electronic device (202) and to receive data from the electronic device (202);

a test generator (220) configured to drive the electronic device (202) through the test interface (210) to vary the preferred receiving direction;

a test module (230) configured to transmit a test signal (204) through at least one static antenna of the test module (230) to the electronic device (202); and

an analysis module (240) configured to provide an assessment (242) of the plurality of receive paths based on a plurality of receive values (212) received from the electronic device (202) through the test interface (210),

wherein the plurality of receive values belongs to a plurality of receive parameters of the plurality of receive paths, wherein the plurality of receive values (212) is determined by the electronic device (202), wherein at least two receive values are determined for each receive parameter, wherein each receive value (212) of a receive parameter is associated with a different preferred receiving direction.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the analysis module (240) is configured to determine a gain parameter or a phase parameter for each receive path based on the plurality of receive values (212) and configured to assess a receive path based on the corresponding gain parameter or the corresponding phase parameter.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the analysis module (240) is configured to provide an assessment (242) based on a comparison of the gain parameter of each receive path with at least one reference gain parameter, or based on a comparison of the phase parameter of each receive path with at least one reference phase parameter.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the gain parameter is an absolute gain factor of a receive path or a relative gain factor between different receive paths.

13. Apparatus according to one of claims 10 to 12, wherein a value of the corresponding gain parameter of a receive path depends on a gain of a power amplifier comprised by the receive path, wherein the analysis module (240) is configured to assess the gain of the power amplifier based on the gain parameter.

14. Apparatus according to one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the value of the corresponding base parameter of a receive path depends on a phase shift of a phase shifter comprised by the receive path, wherein the analysis module (240) is configured to assess the phase shift of the phase shifter based on the phase parameter.

15. Apparatus according to one of claims 9 to 14, wherein the test generator (220) is configured to drive the electronic device (202) so that only a predefined number of selected receive paths of the plurality of receive paths is activated for a test interval, so that the preferred receiving direction depends only on the selected receive paths during the test interval, wherein the analysis module (240) is configured to assess the selected receive paths during the test interval.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the selected receive paths are varied for different test intervals, so that each receive path of the plurality of receive paths is selected at least during one test interval.

17. Test system (300) for wireless testing of a plurality of transmit paths and a plurality of receive paths of an electronic device (302) capable of varying a preferred direction of beam of a test signal or a preferred receiving direction of the electronic device (302) comprising:

a test interface (310) for being connected to the electronic device (302) and configured to transmit data to the electronic device (302) and to receive data from the electronic device (302);

a test generator (320) configured to drive the electronic device (302) through the test interface (310) to vary the preferred direction of beam and the preferred receiving direction;

a test module (330) configured to transmit a test signal (306) through at least one static antenna of the test module (330) to the electronic device (302) and configured to determine a plurality of transmit values (332) of a transmit parameter wirelessly based on the test signal (304) received from the electronic device (302) by using at least one static antenna of the test module (330) for receiving the test signal (304), wherein each transmit value (332) of the transmit parameter is associated with a different preferred direction of beam; and

an analysis module (340) configured to provide an assessment (342) of the plurality of transmit paths of the electronic device based on the plurality of transmit values (332) and configured to provide an assessment (342) of the plurality of receive paths based on a plurality of receive values (312) received from the electronic device (302) through the test interface (310),

wherein the plurality of receive values belongs to a plurality of receive parameters of the plurality of receive paths, wherein the plurality of receive values (312) is determined by the electronic device (302), wherein at least two receive values are determined for each receive parameter, wherein each receive value (312) of a receive parameter is associated with a different preferred receiving direction.

23. Method (600) for wireless testing of a plurality of transmit paths of an electronic device capable of varying a preferred direction of beam of a test signal of the electronic device, comprising:

driving (610) the electronic device to vary the preferred direction of beam;

receiving (620) a test signal from the electronic device by using at least one static antenna of a test module;

determining (630) a plurality of transmit values of a transmit parameter wirelessly based on the test signal received from the electronic device, wherein each transmit value of the transmit parameter is associated with a different preferred direction of beam; and

providing (640) an assessment of the plurality of transmit paths of the electronic device based on the plurality of transmit values.

25. Computer program with a program code for performing the method according to one of claim 23 or 24, when the computer program runs on a computer or a microcontroller.

24. Method (700) for wireless testing of a plurality of receive paths of an electronic device capable of varying a preferred receiving direction of the electronic device, comprising:

driving (710) the electronic device to vary the preferred receiving direction;

transmitting (720) a test signal through at least one antenna of a test module to the electronic device;

receiving (730) a plurality of receive values from the electronic device through the test interface, wherein the plurality of receive values belongs to a plurality of receive parameters of the plurality of receive paths, wherein the plurality of receive values is determined by the electronic device, wherein at least two receive values are determined for each receive parameter, wherein each receive value of a receive parameter is associated with a different preferred receiving direction; and

providing (740) an assessment of the plurality of receive paths of the electronic device based on the plurality of receive values.