SELF-RADIATED LOOPBACK TEST PROCEDURE FOR MILLIMETER WAVE ANTENNAS

• US 20200136732A1
• Filed: 10/24/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: VERMA, Gaurav, COLLINS, David, WENDLANDT, Ryan, DESHPANDE, Prachi, SINGHANIA, Gaurav
• Granted Patent: US 11,575,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 29/10 Radiation diagrams of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2822 of microwave or radiofrequency circuits of attenuation, gain, e.g. using network analyzers G01R27/28
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2856 Internal circuit aspects, e.g. built-in test features; Test chips; Measuring material aspects, e.g. electro migration [EM]
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/311 of integrated circuits G01R31/31728 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/08 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path waveguide fed H01Q21/0037
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/267 Phased-array testing or checking devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/265 Open ring dipoles; Circular dipoles
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0064 with separate antennas for the more than one band H04B1/0053 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/50 using different frequencies for the two directions of communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/0085 using test signal generators
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/102 Power radiated at antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/14 of the whole transmission and reception path, e.g. self-test loop-back
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/17 Detection of non-compliance or faulty performance, e.g. response deviations H04B17/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/19 Self-testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/29 Performance testing

Abstract

Methods and systems for automated testing of extremely-high frequency devices are disclosed. A device under test (DUT) is set in a simultaneous transmit and receive mode. The DUT receives a lower frequency radio frequency (RF) signal from a test unit and up-converts the lower frequency RF signal to a higher frequency RF signal. The DUT transmits the higher frequency RF signal using a first antenna, and receives the higher frequency RF signal using a second antenna. The DUT down-converts the received higher frequency RF signal to a received test RF signal and provides the received test RF signal to the test unit for comparing measurements derived from the received test signal to a design specification for the DUT.

Claims

1. A method of testing a device under test (DUT) performed by the DUT, the method comprising:

setting the DUT in a simultaneous transmit and receive mode;

receiving a lower frequency radio frequency (RF) signal from a test unit;

up-converting the lower frequency RF signal to a higher frequency RF signal;

transmitting the higher frequency RF signal using a first antenna of the DUT;

receiving the higher frequency RF signal using a second antenna of the DUT;

down-converting the received higher frequency RF signal to a received test RF signal; and

providing the received test RF signal to the test unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the DUT transmits on a first multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) layer and receives on a second MIMO layer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are selected from a plurality of antennas of the DUT.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of antennas are coupled to the DUT prior to testing.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are separated by at least one other antenna of the plurality of antennas.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of antennas includes one or more dipole antennas and one or more patch antennas.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are both dipole antennas.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are both patch antennas.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting and receiving are performed by a single transceiver integrated circuit (IC) that is part of the DUT.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second lower frequency RF signal from the test unit;

up-converting the second lower frequency RF signal to a second higher frequency RF signal;

transmitting the second higher frequency RF signal using the second antenna;

receiving the second higher frequency RF signal using the first antenna;

down-converting the received second higher frequency RF signal to a second received test RF signal; and

providing the second received test RF signal to the test unit.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the lower frequency RF signal and the second lower frequency RF signal are the same.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the lower frequency RF signal received from the test unit comprises a multi-tone RF signal.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the lower frequency RF signal comprises a non-millimeter wave RF signal and the higher frequency RF signal comprises a millimeter wave RF signal.

14. A method of testing a device under test (DUT) performed by a test unit, the method comprising:

configuring the DUT to set a simultaneous transmit and receive mode;

generating a lower frequency radio frequency (RF) signal, the test unit comprising only lower frequency RF components;

providing the lower frequency RF signal to the DUT;

receiving a received test RF signal from the DUT; and

comparing measurements derived from the received test RF signal to a design specification for the DUT.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein comparing measurements further comprises:

calculating and comparing receiver gain and transmit power at the DUT to the design specification.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the test unit generates the lower frequency RF signal from a signal generator.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the lower frequency RF signal comprises a multi-tone RF signal.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the lower frequency RF signal comprises a non-millimeter wave RF signal.

19. A device under test (DUT), comprising:

a memory;

a plurality of antennas coupled to the at least one processor, the plurality of antenna comprising at least a first antenna and a second antenna, wherein a transmit path for the first antenna is electrically independent of a receive path of the second antenna;

an up-converter and a down-converter; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory, the at least one processor configured to;

set the DUT in a simultaneous transmit and receive mode;

receive a lower frequency radio frequency (RF) signal from a test unit;

up-convert, via the up-converter, the lower frequency RF signal to a higher frequency RF signal;

transmit, via the first antenna, the higher frequency RF signal;

receive, via the second antenna, the higher frequency RF signal;

down-convert, via the down-converter, the received higher frequency RF signal to a received test RF signal; and

provide the received test RF signal to the test unit.

20. The DUT of claim 19, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are separated by at least one other antenna of the plurality of antennas.

21. The DUT of claim 19, wherein the plurality of antennas includes one or more dipole antennas and one or more patch antennas.

22. The DUT of claim 21, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are both dipole antennas, or wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are both patch antennas.

23. The DUT of claim 19, wherein the lower frequency RF signal comprises a non-millimeter wave RF signal and the higher frequency RF signal comprises a millimeter wave RF signal.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are separated by at least one other antenna of the plurality of antennas.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the plurality of antennas includes one or more dipole antennas and one or more patch antennas.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are both dipole antennas, or wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are both patch antennas.

27. A device test system, including a test unit, wherein the test unit comprises:

a signal generator configured to generate a lower frequency RF signal and to provide the lower frequency radio frequency (RF) signal to a device under test (DUT), the test unit comprising only lower frequency RF components;

a signal analyzer configured to receive a received test RF signal from the DUT and to compare measurements from the received test RF signal to a design specification for the DUT; and

a fixture for mounting the DUT to the test unit.

28. The device test system of claim 27, wherein the signal analyzer is further configured to calculate and compare receiver gain and transmit power of the DUT to the design specification for the DUT.

29. The device test system of claim 27, wherein the signal analyzer is a vector signal analyzer (VSA).

30. The device test system of claim 27, wherein the lower frequency RF signal comprises a non-millimeter wave RF signal and the higher frequency RF signal comprises a millimeter wave RF signal.