Apparatus for testing cellular base stations

• US 6,308,065 B1
• Filed: 12/07/1998
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Cain, Peter J., Stambaugh, Mark A., Molinari, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, PABLO N
• Application Number:
  US09/206,797
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.1, 455/67.4, 455/116, 455/117, 455/129, 455/102, 455/103, 455/8, 455/9, 455/56.1, 455/126, 455/226.1, 455/423, 455/562, 455/78, 455/424, 455/13-15, 455/67.6, 343/703, 343/860, 343/850, 343/852, 343/701, 324/637, 324/645, 324/646
• US Class Current: 455/424
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

An apparatus for testing cellular base stations is provided. A base station tester is connected to a control link between the base station controller and the cellular base station to receive the fixed signal. The fixed link signal contains a voice channel and a control channel that may be selectively monitored by the base station tester. The base station tester is also connected to the radio frequency (RF) output of the cellular base station to receive the RF signal from the cellular base station. Both the RF signal and the fixed link signal are obtained in a non-invasive manner such that the cellular base station may remain in service during the testing process. By monitoring the fixed link directly, the base station tester may evaluate directly the reaction of the cellular base station with its RF signal to the commands received from the fixed link to perform parametric transmitter measurements. The base station tester may further compare the information received from the voice channel with the information contained in the RF signal to perform parametric receiver measurements.

Claims

1. A cellular base station tester comprising:

(a) a protocol processor for coupling to a fixed link signal between a cellular base station and a base station controller to receive and decode said fixed link signal to produce a decoded fixed link signal;

(b) a parametric measurement unit for coupling to an RF signal from said cellular base station to produce a measurement result from said RF signal; and

(c) a controller coupled to said protocol processor and to said parametric measurement unit to produce a test result using said decoded fixed link signal and said measurement result.

2. A cellular base station tester according to claim 1 wherein said decoded fixed link signal comprises a control channel.

3. A cellular base station tester according to claim 1 wherein said decoded fixed link signal comprises a voice channel.

4. A cellular base station tester according to claim 1 further comprising a signaling interface unit interposed between said fixed link signal and said protocol processor.

5. A cellular base station tester according to claim 1 wherein said parametric measurement unit comprises:

an RF receiver coupled to said RF signal and a demodulator coupled to said RF receiver to provide demodulated signal information;

a power measurement coupled to said RF signal to provide a power level; and

a frequency measurement coupled to RF signal to provide a frequency;

wherein said demodulated signal information, said power level, and said frequency are selectively provided to said controller as said measurement result.

6. A cellular base station tester according to claim 1 further comprising an RF signal source for coupling an RF test signal to said cellular base station, said RF signal source coupled to said controller to receive test data and modulate said RF test signal with said test data, wherein said controller compares said test data with selected information from said decoded fixed link signal to perform a parametric receiver measurement.

7. A cellular base station tester according to claim 1 further comprising a mobile station, said mobile station comprising a DAI interface coupled to said controller to receive test data and modulate said RF test signal with said test data, wherein said controller compares said test data with selected information from said decoded fixed link signal to perform a parametric receiver measurement.

8. A cellular base station tester according to claim 1 wherein said base station tester performs tests according to a plurality of cellular standards.

9. A cellular base station tester according to claim 1 wherein said decoded fixed link signal comprises a voice channel and a control channel.

10. A method of testing a cellular base station comprising:

monitoring a fixed link signal between said cellular base station and a base station controller;

decoding said fixed link signal to obtain a decoded fixed link signal;

receiving selected information from said decoded fixed link signal;

performing a parametric measurement of an RF signal to obtain a measurement result responsive to said selected information; and

producing a test result from said selected information and said measurement result.

11. A method of testing a cellular base station according to claim 10 further comprising receiving said RF signal from one of said cellular base station and a mobile station.

12. A method of testing a cellular base station according to claim 10 further comprising decoding said fixed link signal to obtain a voice channel.

13. A method of testing a cellular base station according to claim 10 further comprising decoding said fixed link signal to obtain a control channel.

14. A method of testing a cellular base station according to claim 13,

said selected information comprising a command,

said method further comprising receiving said command on said control channel.

15. A method of testing a cellular base station according to claim 10, further comprising:

generating an RF test signal modulated with test data;

receiving said RF test signal in said cellular base station; and

comparing said selected information with said test data to perform a parametric receiver test.