Apparatus for testing mobile telephones

• US 6,384,789 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2001
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aeroflex Ltd (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Acterna Munchen GmbH
• Inventors: Hofmann, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tan
• Application Number:
  US09/843,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20010015702A1
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/703, 343/700.MS, 343/795, 343/767, 343/906
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/08 Radiating ends of two-conductor microwave transmission lines, e.g. of coaxial lines, of microstrip lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/30 Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters

Abstract

A testing apparatus for testing mobile telephones includes an antenna coupler, a holder and a testing device. The antenna coupler includes a printed circuit board upon one side of which is formed a slot antenna operative in a first frequency range and a dipole antenna operative in a second frequency range. The holder secures a mobile telephone under test in proximity to the antenna coupler. A coupler formed on a second side of the printed circuit board selectively supplies signals received by one of the antenna elements to the testing device. The testing device measures transmission and reception characteristics of the mobile telephone under test, including transmission phase error, frequency error, power and spectrum, and bit error rate.

Claims

1. An apparatus for testing a mobile telephone, comprising:

an antenna coupler comprising a printed circuit board upon a first side of which is formed at least one antenna element;

a holder for securing the mobile telephone in proximity to said antenna coupler; and

a testing device coupled to said antenna coupler for measuring transmission and reception characteristics of the mobile telephone from signals received by said at least one antenna element.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said antenna coupler further comprises a supply line formed on a second side of said printed circuit board, said supply line coupling said antenna coupler to said testing device.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said second side of said printed circuit board is surrounded by a screened housing.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one antenna element includes a first antenna element operative in a first frequency range and a second antenna element operative in a second frequency range.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said first antenna element is a slot antenna and said second antenna element is a dipole antenna.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a connector for coupling said antenna coupler to said testing device; and

a frequency diplexer for selectively supplying signals received by one of said first and second antenna elements to said connector.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said frequency diplexer comprises first and second impedance converters for respectively adapting impedances of said first and second antenna elements to an impedance of said connection.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said first antenna element is disposed substantially orthogonally to an antenna of said mobile telephone and is disposed substantially centrally to a body of said mobile telephone when said mobile telephone is mounted in said holder.

9. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said second antenna element is disposed substantially parallel and substantially underneath an antenna of said mobile telephone when said mobile telephone is mounted in said holder.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first side of said printed circuit board comprises a conductive material that is grounded.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said holder is a mobile universal holder made of a non-metallic material.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmission and reception characteristics measured by said testing device include at least one of:

transmission phase error, transmission frequency error, transmission power, transmission spectrum, and bit error rate.