System and method for testing of wireless communication devices

• US 6,021,315 A
• Filed: 11/19/1997
• Issued: 02/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cellular Technical Services Co., Inc. (Asensus Surgical, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cellular Technical Services Co., Inc. (Asensus Surgical, Inc.)
• Inventors: Telewski, Frederick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hudspeth, David R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US08/974,563
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.1, 455/67.4, 455/115, 455/118, 455/90, 455/575, 455/67.2, 455/423, 343/702, 343/703, 342/360, 324/627, 324/628
• US Class Current: 455/67.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

A system and method for testing wireless communication devices uses a waveguide designed for operation beyond cutoff for frequencies used by the wireless communication device to be tested. The waveguide has first and second ends with at least an opened first end to permit the easy insertion and removal of the wireless communication device. An antenna located within the waveguide and coupled to an external test system permits wireless communication between the external test system and the wireless communication device when inserted in the waveguide. Radio frequency (RF) signals propagate between the antenna located within the waveguide and the wireless communication device when inserted into the waveguide. The length of the waveguide is designed to provide sufficient attenuation of RF transmissions when measured at the opened end of the waveguide. The opened end of the waveguide advantageously permits the easy insertion and extraction of a wireless communication device while the waveguide dimensions prevent the leakage of RF signals into and out of the waveguide. The external test equipment includes a transmitter and receiver that are designed to operate at frequencies used by the wireless communication device. The system may be used to collect data to analyze the wireless communication device or to collect transmission characteristics to be used to establish a fingerprint for subsequent identification of the wireless communication device. The external test system may operate under control of a processor or a central computer system. Data collected by the external test system may be analyzed by the processor or the central computer system.

Claims

1. A system for the collection of transmission characteristics from a transmitter of a wireless communication device, the system comprising:

a waveguide with an interior portion sized to accept the wireless communication device at a test position therein and having physical dimensions such that the waveguide is beyond cutoff at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device;

a transmitter operable at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device, said transmitter transmitting signals to the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position;

a receiver operable at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device, said receiver receiving signals from the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position and generating receiver output signals representative of said received signals;

an antenna coupled to said transmitter and said receiver and extending into said waveguide interior portion in proximity with said test position, said antenna coupling radio frequency signals transmitted by said transmitter to the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position and coupling radio frequency signals transmitted from the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position to said receiver; and

a processor to control said transmitter and cause said transmitter to transmit signals to said antenna for coupling to the wireless communication device when at said test position, said processor receiving said receiver output signals representative of said received signals from the wireless communication device when at said test position.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said waveguide is a circular waveguide having a radius selected to assure waveguide operation beyond cutoff at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device and a length selected to attenuate radio frequency signals at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device by a predetermined amount.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said waveguide is a rectangular waveguide having a cross-sectional area selected to assure waveguide operation beyond cutoff at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device and a length selected to attenuate radio frequency signals at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device by a predetermined amount.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said waveguide has first and second ends, said first end being enclosed and said second end being open, said test position being located in proximity with said second end.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said waveguide has a continuously open first end to permit the insertion and removal of the wireless communication device into said waveguide at said test position and a closed second end, said test position being located in proximity with said second end.

6. The system of claim 5, further including an insertion tool having sufficient length to carry the wireless communication device for insertion into said waveguide at said test position and removal from said waveguide.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said insertion tool is constructed from a non-metallic material.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said waveguide has first and second ends, said first and second ends being open.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said antenna extends into said waveguide interior portion in proximity with said test position at a location between said first and second open ends.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said antenna extends into said waveguide interior portion in proximity with said test position at a location substantially halfway between said first and second open ends.

11. The system of claim 8, further including a transport member to transport the wireless communication device into said first open end into said test position and to transport the wireless communication device from said test position out said second open end.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said waveguide has first and second open ends and said waveguide physical dimensions include a waveguide length that is approximately two times that which is required to assure waveguide operation beyond cutoff at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said antenna extends into said waveguide interior portion in proximity with said test position at a location substantially halfway between said first and second open ends.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein said processor selectively controls operational parameters of said transmitter to control said transmitter transmit signals during transmission to the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position and selectively controls said receiver when receiving said signals from the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein said processor processes said receiver output signals indicative of a transmission characteristic of the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position to generate a fingerprint associated with said transmission characteristic.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said processor stores said fingerprint for subsequent use in the authentication of the wireless communication device when used outside of said waveguide.

17. The system of claim 1, further including a computer system coupled to said processor and receiving said receiver output signals from said processor, said computer system processing said receiver output signals indicative of said transmission characteristic of the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position to generate a fingerprint associated with said transmission characteristic.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said computer system stores said fingerprint for subsequent use in the authentication of the wireless communication device when used outside of said waveguide.

19. A system for testing a wireless communication device, the system comprising:

a waveguide with an interior portion sized to accept the wireless communication device at a test position therein and having physical dimensions such that the waveguide is beyond cutoff at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device;

a system communication device operable at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position; and

a signal coupler coupled between said system communication device and said waveguide interior portion in proximity with said test position to communicate with the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said system communication device includes a transmitter and said signal coupler includes a transmitter antenna coupled to said transmitter and extending into said waveguide interior portion in proximity with said test position, said transmitter antenna coupling radio frequency signals transmitted by said transmitter to the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position.

21. The system of claim 20, further including a processor to control said transmitter and cause said transmitter to transmit radio frequency signals to said wireless communication device when positioned at said test position.

22. The system of claim 20, further including a receiver operable at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device and coupled to a receiver antenna, said receiver antenna coupling radio frequency signals transmitted from the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position to said receiver, said receiver receiving signals from the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position and generating receiver output signals representative of said received signals.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein said transmitter antenna and said receiver antenna are a common antenna.

24. The system of claim 20, further including a processor to control said transmitter and cause said transmitter to transmit radio frequency signals to the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position and a receiver operable at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device, said receiver receiving signals from the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position and generating receiver output signals representative of said received signals, said processor receiving said receiver output signals.

25. The system of claim 19 wherein said waveguide is a circular waveguide having a radius selected to assure waveguide operation beyond cutoff at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device and a length selected to attenuate radio frequency signals at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device by a predetermined amount.

26. The system of claim 19 wherein said waveguide is a rectangular waveguide having a cross-sectional area selected to assure waveguide operation beyond cutoff at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device and a length selected to attenuate radio frequency signals at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device by a predetermined amount.

27. The system of claim 19 wherein said waveguide has first and second ends, said first end being enclosed and said second end being open, said test position being located in proximity with said second end.

28. The system of claim 27, further including an insertion tool having sufficient length to carry the wireless communication device for insertion into said waveguide at said test position and removal from said waveguide.

29. The system of claim 19 wherein said waveguide has first and second ends, said first and second ends being open.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein said signal coupler includes an antenna extending into said waveguide interior portion in proximity with said test position at a location between said first and second open ends.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein said antenna extends into said waveguide interior portion in proximity with said test position at a location substantially halfway between said first and second open ends.

32. The system of claim 29, further including a transport member to transport the wireless communication device into said first open end into said test position and to transport the wireless communication device from said test position out said second open end.

33. The system of claim 19 wherein said waveguide has first and second open ends and said waveguide physical dimensions include a waveguide length that is approximately two times that which is required to assure waveguide operation beyond cutoff at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device.

34. A system for testing a wireless communication device, the system comprising:

a waveguide having first and second ends and an interior portion sized to accept the wireless communication device at a test position therein, said waveguide having a cross-sectional area selected to assure waveguide operation beyond cutoff at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device and a length selected to attenuate radio frequency signals at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device by a predetermined amount;

a transmitter operable at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device, said transmitter transmitting signals to the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position;

a receiver operable at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device, said receiver receiving signals from the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position and generating receiver output signals representative of said received signals; and

an antenna coupled to said transmitter and said receiver and extending into said waveguide interior portion in proximity with said test position, said antenna coupling radio frequency signals transmitted by said transmitter to the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position and coupling radio frequency signals transmitted from the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position to said receiver, whereby said waveguide prevents signals transmitted from the wireless communication device positioned at said test position from being detected by said receiver via signals transmitted from said first and second waveguide ends and prevents signals transmitted by said transmitter from being detected by from the wireless communication device positioned at said test position via signals transmitted into said first and second waveguide ends.

35. A method for testing a wireless communication device, the method comprising the steps of:

inserting the wireless communication device into an interior portion of a waveguide sized to accept the wireless communication device at a test position therein and having physical dimensions such that the waveguide is beyond cutoff at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device;

communicating with the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position using frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device; and

coupling signals between a system communication device and said waveguide interior portion in proximity with said test position to communicate with the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the steps of communicating with the wireless communication device and coupling signals between the system communication device and the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position includes the steps of transmitting signals from the system communication device through a transmitter antenna to the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein the steps of communicating with the wireless communication device and coupling signals between the system communication device and the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position includes the steps of receiving signals transmitted from the wireless communication device when positioned at said test position using a receiver antenna and providing said received signals to a receiver operable at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein said transmitter antenna and said receiver antenna are a common antenna.

39. The method of claim 35 wherein said waveguide is a circular waveguide having a radius selected to assure waveguide operation beyond cutoff at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device and a length selected to attenuate radio frequency signals at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device by a predetermined amount.

40. The method of claim 35 wherein said waveguide is a rectangular waveguide having a cross-sectional area selected to assure waveguide operation beyond cutoff at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device and a length selected to attenuate radio frequency signals at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device by a predetermined amount.

41. The method of claim 35 wherein said waveguide has first and second ends, said first end being enclosed and said second end being open, said test position being located in proximity with said second end.

42. The method of claim 35 wherein said step of inserting includes the use of an insertion tool having sufficient length to carry the wireless communication device for insertion into said waveguide at said test position and removal from said waveguide.

43. The method of claim 35 wherein said waveguide has first and second ends, said first and second ends being open.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein said step of coupling uses an antenna extending into said waveguide interior portion in proximity with said test position at a location between said first and second open ends.

45. The method of claim 43 wherein said step of coupling uses an antenna extending into said waveguide interior portion in proximity with said test position at a location substantially halfway between said first and second open ends.

46. The method of claim 35 wherein said step of inserting uses a transport member to transport the wireless communication device into said first open end into said test position and to transport the wireless communication device from said test position out said second open end.

47. The method of claim 35 wherein said waveguide has first and second open ends and said waveguide physical dimensions include a waveguide length that is approximately two times that which is required to assure waveguide operation beyond cutoff at frequencies used for communication with the wireless communication device.