METHODS FOR TESTING WIRELESS ELECTRONIC DEVICES USING SHORT MESSAGE SERVICE

• US 20130178203A1
• Filed: 01/09/2012
• Published: 07/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Venkataraman, Vishwanath
• Granted Patent: US 8,588,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A device under test (DUT) may be tested using a radio-frequency test station. A test station may include a test host, a test unit coupled to the test host, and a shielded enclosure. The shielded enclosure may contain a test antenna that is coupled to the test unit via a radio-frequency cable. The DUT may be placed in the shielded enclosure during testing. The DUT may not be electrically wired to the test host. The test host may direct the test unit to transmit control signals in the form of a text message using Short Message Service (SMS) so that the DUT is placed into different desired configurations during testing. The DUT may also be configured to respond by sending SMS messages back to the test unit, where the SMS messages generated by the DUT includes radio-frequency performance metrics measured using the DUT.

Claims

1. A method for using a test station to test a device under test having wireless communications circuitry, wherein the wireless communications circuitry includes antenna circuitry, and wherein the test station includes a test unit, the method comprising:

with the test unit, sending a first text message that places the wireless communications circuitry in a first operating mode;

with the test unit, sending a second text message that places the wireless communications circuitry in a second operating mode that is different than the first operating mode, wherein the first and second text messages are sent using Short Message Service, wherein placing the wireless communications circuitry in the first operating mode comprises configuring the wireless communications circuitry to communicate using a first wireless network technology and to switch into use a first portion of the antenna circuitry, and wherein placing the wireless communications circuitry in the second operating mode comprises configuring the wireless communications circuitry to communicate using a second wireless network technology that is different than the first wireless network technology and to switch into use a second portion of the antenna circuitry that is different than the first portion;

while the test unit is communicating with the device under test using the first wireless network technology, gathering first radio-frequency test measurements from the device under test using the test unit;

while the test unit is communicating with the device under test using the second wireless network technology, gathering second radio-frequency test measurements from the device under test using the test unit; and

determining whether the device under test satisfies design criteria by analyzing the first and second radio-frequency test measurements.

4. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the wireless communications circuitry includes at least first and second wireless transceiver circuits and wherein placing the wireless communications circuitry in the first operating mode comprises selectively enabling at least one of the first and second wireless transceiver circuits.

5. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the wireless communications circuitry includes a plurality of antennas and wireless transceiver circuits and wherein placing the wireless transceiver circuitry in the first operating mode comprises selectively coupling a portion of the antennas to at least one of the wireless transceiver circuits.

6. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the device under test includes peripheral input-output devices, the method further comprising:

selectively turning on at least one of the peripheral input-output devices while the device under test is operating in the first operating mode, wherein the peripheral input-output devices comprises devices selected from the group consisting of;

a camera module, a display module, an audio module, a data connection module, and a wireless local area network communications module.

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

8. A method for using a test station to test a device under test, wherein the test station includes a test unit, the method comprising:

performing path loss calibration operations to determine a path loss between the test unit and the device under test; and

while the test unit is communicating with the device under test using a first wireless communications protocol, sending control signals from the test unit to the device under test via Short Message Service, wherein the control signals configure the device under test to communicate with the test unit using a second wireless communications protocol that is different than the first wireless communications protocol.

9. The method defined in claim 8 wherein the first and second wireless communications protocols comprises wireless communications protocols selected from the group consisting of:

cellular telephone communications protocols, wireless local area network communications protocols, and internet protocols.

12. The method defined in claim 8 further comprising:

while the test unit is communicating with the device under test using the first wireless communications protocol, gathering first radio-frequency test measurements from the device under test using the test unit; and

while the test unit is communicating with the device under test using the second wireless communications protocol, gathering second radio-frequency test measurements from the device under test using the test unit.

13. The method defined in claim 12 further comprising:

determining whether the device under test satisfies design criteria by analyzing the first and second radio-frequency test measurements.

10. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

14. A method for using a test station to test a device under test, wherein the test station includes a test unit, the method comprising:

with the test unit, sending radio-frequency test signals to the device under test;

with the test unit, receiving a text message from the device under test, wherein the text message includes test data computed using the device under test; and

with the test unit, sending an additional text message to the device under test, wherein the device under test includes a plurality of antennas and wireless transceiver circuits, and wherein sending the additional text message to the device under test comprises configuring the device under test to selectively couple a portion of the antennas to at least one of the wireless transceiver circuits.

15. The method defined in claim 14 wherein the test data is stored on the device under test and wherein the test data comprises measurements selected from the group consisting of:

bit error rate measurements, symbol error rate measurements, frame error rate measurements, signal-to-noise ratio measurements, receive power level measurements, receive signal strength indicator measurements, and receive signal code power measurements.

16. The method defined in claim 14 wherein receiving the text message comprises receiving the text message using Short Message Service.

18. The method defined in claim 14 wherein sending the additional text message to the device under test comprises sending control signals that configure the device under test to communicate using a different wireless network access technology.

20. The method defined in claim 14 wherein the device under test includes a plurality of peripheral input-output devices, the method further comprising:

determining how a selected one of the plurality of peripheral input-output devices affects radio-frequency performance of the device under test by selectively turning on the selected peripheral input-output devices while the device under test is receiving the radio-frequency test signals from the test unit, wherein the peripheral input-output devices comprises devices selected from the group consisting of;

a camera module, a display module, an audio module, a data connection module, and a wireless local area network communications module.

17. (canceled)

19. (canceled)