System and method of measuring total radiated power from mobile wireless communications device

• US 8,244,234 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2007
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Zhu, Lizhong, Corrigan, Michael, Jarmuszewski, Perry, Man, Ying Tong, Mankaruse, George, Qi, Yihong
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, JUSTIN YE
• Application Number:
  US11/831,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20090033572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,840 Days
• Field of Search: 455/423, 455/67.11, 343/703
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 29/0864 characterised by constructional or functional features
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/102 Power radiated at antenna

Abstract

A system for testing a communications device includes a portable wireless communications device comprising a transmitter for transmitting an RF signal. A monitoring device receives the RF signals from the portable wireless communications device and analyzes the RF signals to determine total radiated power emitted from the transmitter. An adaptive antenna equivalent circuit is coupled to the transmitter. A connection line extends between the adaptive antenna equivalent circuit and the monitoring device. The adaptive antenna equivalent circuit has an equivalent antenna impedance matched to the portable wireless communications device and the connection line and monitoring device based on transmit frequency to ensure that total radiated power of the RF signals is transmitted from the transmitter to the monitoring device.

Claims

1. A system for testing a communications device comprising:

a portable wireless communications device comprising a transmitter transmits an RF signal and comprising a power amplifier and power amplifier matching network connected thereto;

a monitoring device receives RF signals from the portable wireless communications device and analyzing the RF signals to determine total radiated power emitted from the transmitter; and

an adaptive antenna equivalent circuit coupled to the power amplifier matching network, and a connection line extending between the adaptive antenna equivalent circuit and the monitoring device, and further comprising a controller operatively connected to said adaptive antenna equivalent circuit and configured to vary the impedance and adapt to impedance changes resulting from a change in frequency of the transmitter and adapt to different frequencies for testing, wherein said adaptive antenna equivalent circuit has an equivalent antenna impedance matched to the portable wireless communications device and the connection line and monitoring device based on transmit frequency to ensure that total radiated power of the RF signals is transmitted from the transmitter to the monitoring device.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said adaptive antenna equivalent circuit comprises grounded, parallel capacitors.

3. A system according to claim 2, and further comprising a conductor of predetermined wavelength that is matched for the portable wireless communications device and extending between said grounded capacitors.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said adaptive antenna equivalent circuit comprises at least one variable capacitor.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein monitoring device comprises a spectrum analyzer.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein said connection line coupling the adaptive antenna equivalent circuit and monitoring device comprises a coaxial cable.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein said coaxial cable comprises 50 ohm antenna cable.

8. A system according to claim 1, and further comprising a grounded switch coupled between said power amplifier matching network and adaptive antenna equivalent circuit.

9. A system for testing a communications device comprising:

a portable wireless communications device comprising a transmitter transmits RF signals over a plurality of frequency bands corresponding to at lest the 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz frequency bands and in a plurality of channels within each frequency band and comprising a power amplifier and power amplifier matching network connected thereto;

a monitoring device receives RF signals from the portable wireless communications device and analyzing the RF signals to determine total radiated power emitted from the transmitter; and

an adaptive antenna equivalent circuit coupled to the power amplifier matching network, and a connection line extending between the adaptive antenna equivalent circuit and the monitoring device, and further comprising a controller operatively connected to said adaptive antenna equivalent circuit and configured to vary the impedance and adapt to impedance changes resulting from a change in frequency of the transmitter and adapt to different frequencies for testing, wherein said adaptive antenna equivalent circuit comprises a variable capacitor circuit having a capacitance that is varied to match an equivalent antenna impedance to a portable wireless communications device and the connection line and monitoring device based on the frequency band and channel on which an RF signal is transmitted to ensure that total radiated power of the RF signals is transmitted from the transmitter to the monitoring device.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein said adaptive antenna equivalent circuit comprises grounded, and parallel variable capacitors.

11. A system according to claim 9, and further comprising a conductor of predetermined wavelength that is matched to the portable wireless communications device and extending between said grounded and parallel variable capacitors.

12. A system according to claim 9, wherein monitoring device comprises a spectrum analyzer.

13. A system according to claim 9, wherein said connection line coupling the adaptive antenna equivalent circuit and monitoring device comprises a coaxial cable.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein said coaxial cable comprises a 50 ohm antenna cable.

15. A system according to claim 9, and further comprising a grounded switch coupled between said power amplifier matching network and adaptive antenna equivalent circuit.

16. A method for testing a communications device, comprising:

coupling a portable wireless communications device that comprises a power amplifier and power amplifier matching network to a monitoring device through an adaptive antenna equivalent circuit and a connection line extending between the adaptive antenna equivalent circuit and the monitoring device, wherein the adaptive antenna equivalent circuit has an equivalent antenna impedance matched to the portable wireless communications device and the connection line and monitoring device based on a transmit frequency;

transmitting an RF signal from the portable wireless communications device through the adaptive antenna equivalent circuit and the connection line to the monitoring device;

determining total radiated power based on measurements of the RF signal at the monitoring device; and

further comprising varying the impedance of the adaptive antenna equivalent circuit to adapt to impedance changes resulting from a change in frequency of the portable wireless communications device using a controller that is operatively connected to the adaptive antenna equivalent circuit and configured to vary the impedance and adapt to impedance changes resulting from a change in frequency of the transmitter and adapt to different frequencies for testing.

17. The method according to claim 16, which further comprises transmitting RF signals through a coaxial cable connected between the adaptive antenna equivalent circuit and the monitoring device.

18. The method according to claim 16, which further comprises amplifying RF signals within a power amplifier and transmitting through a power amplifier matching network to the adaptive antenna equivalent circuit.