Switching matrix and test platform

• US 9,143,961 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Natarajan, Venkataraman, Bhatji, Arun Ananth, Samuel, Mathew, Jenkinson, David Ross
• Primary Examiner(s): MANOHARAN, MUTHUSWAMY GANAPATHY
• Application Number:
  US12/830,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20120003982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,908 Days
• Field of Search: 455423-424, 455/67.11, 455/69, 455/67.14, 455/67, 455/16, 379/1.01, 379/16, 379/17, 370328-338, 370/401
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/391 Modelling the propagation channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/22 Traffic simulation tools or models
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic

Abstract

A switching matrix and testing platform may enable controlled testing of various configurations of radio access networks (RANs) at various signal strengths. The switching matrix and testing platform may enable testing of the radio frequency (RF) signals from RANs or telecommunications devices for new and/or predetermined scenarios, such as using different configurations of the RANs at various signal strengths. During a scenario, various operations may be performed on the telecommunications device in communication with the tested RF signals, such as making voice calls, transmitting and receiving data (messages, videos, music, etc.). A performance of the telecommunications device and/or various telecommunication network elements may be analyzed in comparison to other telecommunications device and/or various telecommunication network elements.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

selecting, via a switching matrix, a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals to be used during a test scenario as selected RF signals from a group of RF signals made available for communication with a telecommunications device in a testing environment;

recording the test scenario via a switching matrix application that enables real time or near real time control of signal strengths of the selected RF signals under control of the switching matrix;

loading the test scenario for the selected RF signals by controlling the switching matrix, the test scenario to adjust the signal strengths of the selected RF signals over a period of time to simulate an operation of the telecommunications device in a deployed field environment that is different than the testing environment;

running the test scenario to control the switching matrix in the testing environment, the test scenario to test at least one of an operation of the telecommunications network elements or the telecommunications devices with the selected RF signals, wherein the test scenario simulates at least hand-ins and hand-outs of communications between the telecommunications device and at least two of the selected RF signals of different types of networks to determine interoperability of the selected RF signals of the different types of networks;

establishing a performance benchmark for a plurality of telecommunications devices, the performance benchmark based at least in part on repeatability testing implemented using a robotic platform to provide performance comparisons between the telecommunications device and other ones of the plurality of telecommunications devices;

performing predetermined operations on the telecommunications device during the test scenario using the robotic platform that operates the telecommunications device; and

reporting performance results of the telecommunications device based at least in part on the performing of the predetermined operations, the reporting including at least a comparison of the performance results with the performance benchmark.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the loading the test scenario includes loading drive test data obtained by recording deployed network RF signals in the deployed field environment while a recording device moves through the deployed field environment.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising employing a fading simulator with the switching matrix to modify outputs of the selected RF signals while running the test scenario.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein operation of the fading simulator is synchronized with operation of the robotic platform.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising recording performance of the telecommunications device via the robotic platform during the predetermined operations.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising recording and storing performance metrics of at least one of the telecommunications devices or the network element being tested via the robotic platform during the predetermined operations.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least two of the selected RF signals of the different types of networks include RF signals from at least two of:

a UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN),

a GSM EDGE Radio Access Network (GERAN),

a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax) network,

a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, or

an Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) network.

8. A system, comprising:

a group of radio access networks (RANs) to generate radio frequency (RF) signals;

a switching matrix to select a plurality of RF signals as outputs that enable communication with a telecommunications device, the plurality of RF signals being selected by the switching matrix from the group of RF signals that are inputs to the switching matrix, the switching matrix to control signal strength of the selected RF signals to perform a test deploying a custom scenario using the telecommunications device;

a robotic platform to operate the telecommunications device during the custom scenario, wherein the robotic platform implements repeatability testing of a plurality of telecommunications devices to create a performance benchmark to provide performance comparisons between the telecommunications device and other ones of the plurality of telecommunications devices; and

a controller to run a switching matrix application configured to at least select, load and play the custom scenario by controlling the outputs of the switching matrix, wherein the custom scenario simulates at least hand-ins and hand-outs of communications between the telecommunications device and at least two of the selected RF signals of different types of RANs.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the switching matrix application is configured to control signals strengths of the plurality of RF signals selected in the network configuration by controlling the outputs of the switching matrix.

10. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the controller includes the switching matrix application configured to record and save a new test scenario in real-time or in near real-time.

11. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the custom scenario is at least based in part on drive test data obtained by recording deployed network RF signals in the deployed field environment while a recording device moves through the deployed field environment that is readable by the switching matrix application to control the switching matrix to simulate a deployed field environment of RF signals using the drive test data.

12. The system as recited in claim 8, further comprising a fading simulator to modify the outputs of the selected RF signals.

13. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the robotic platform provides repeatability testing of the custom scenario.

14. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed on one or more processors, cause the processors to perform acts comprising:

receiving a selection of radio frequency (RF) signals from a plurality of telecommunications networks accessible by a switching matrix;

outputting, via the switching matrix, the selected RF signals that are selected to enable communication with a telecommunications device;

adjusting the selected RF signals based at least in part on a predetermined scenario to control signal strength of the selected RF signals;

determining a performance benchmark for a plurality of telecommunications devices, the performance benchmark based at least in part on repeatability testing implemented using a robotic platform to provide performance comparisons between the telecommunications device and other ones of the plurality of telecommunications devices; and

controlling the robotic platform to control operation of the telecommunications device during the adjusting the selected RF signals based at least in part on the predetermined scenario, wherein the predetermined scenario simulates at least hand-ins and hand-outs of communications between the telecommunications device and at least two of the selected RF signals of different types of networks.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 14, wherein the adjusting of selected RF signals is performed in real-time or in near real-time.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 14, wherein the adjusting the selected RF signals is based on the predetermined scenario that includes predetermined signal strengths that vary over a period of time.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 14, wherein the acts further comprise using a fading simulator module to control a fader to simulate fading of at least one of the selected RF signals.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 14, wherein the acts further comprise using the robotic platform to test operation of the telecommunication network elements by manipulation of the selected RF signals via the switching matrix.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 18, wherein the robotic platform module also controls a fading simulator module to test the telecommunication device under fading conditions.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 18, wherein the robotic platform module is used to collect and store statistics documenting at least one of the performance of telecommunication device, network configuration, or network element under test.

21. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 14, wherein the acts further comprise:

recording results of the predetermined scenario.

22. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least two of the selected RF signals of the different types of networks include RF signals from at least two of:

a UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN),

a GSM EDGE Radio Access Network (GERAN),

a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax) network,

a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, or

an Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) network.