Non-synchronized radio-frequency testing

• US 9,178,629 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2011
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: El-Hassan, Wassim, Venkataraman, Vishwanath
• Primary Examiner(s): Sorowar, Golam
• Application Number:
  US13/218,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20130049786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/0085 using test signal generators
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/327 Received signal code power [RSCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/336 Signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR]

Abstract

A device under test (DUT) may be tested using a test station having a test host, a non-signaling tester, and a test cell. During testing, the DUT may be placed within the test cell, and the DUT may be coupled to the test host and the tester. In one suitable arrangement, the DUT may be loaded with a predetermined test sequence. The predetermined test sequence may configure the DUT to transmit test signals using different network access technologies without synchronizing with the tester. The tester may receive corresponding test signals and perform desired radio-frequency measurements. In another suitable arrangement, the tester may be loaded with the predetermined test sequence. The predetermined test sequence may configure the tester to generate test signals using different network access technologies without establishing a protocol-compliant data link with the DUT. The DUT may receive corresponding test signals and compute receive signal quality.

Claims

1. A method of testing a device under test with a test station, the method comprising:

loading at least one of the device under test and the test station with information identifying an order in which to use each of a plurality of network access technologies to test the device under test with the test station; and

using the test station, performing tests on the device under test by conveying radio-frequency test signals of a first type between the device under test and the test station based on the information for a first time period and subsequently conveying radio-frequency test signals of a second type that is different than the first type between the device under test and the test station based on the information for a second time period immediately following the first time period without synchronizing the device under test to the test station.

2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the test station comprises a test cell, and wherein performing the tests on the device under test comprises performing the tests on the device under test while the device under test is placed in the test cell.

3. The method defined in claim 2 wherein the test station further comprises a test unit coupled to the device under test via a radio-frequency cable, and wherein performing the tests on the device under test comprises generating radio-frequency test signals using each of the plurality of network access technologies with the test unit.

4. The method defined in claim 3 further comprising:

using the device under test, receiving corresponding test signals from the test unit.

5. The method defined in claim 4 wherein performing the tests further comprises:

using the device under test, computing receive signal quality information on the received test signals by obtaining information selected from the group consisting of;

received signal strength indicator information, received signal code power information, signal-to-interference ratio, and signal-to-noise ratio information.

6. The method defined in claim 5, wherein the test station further comprises a test host coupled to the test unit, the method further comprising:

using the test host, retrieving the receive signal quality information from the device under test.

7. The method defined in claim 2 wherein performing the tests on the device under test comprises outputting radio-frequency test signals using each of the plurality of network access technologies with the device under test.

8. The method defined in claim 7, wherein the test station further comprises a test unit, the method further comprising:

using the test unit, receiving corresponding test signals from the device under test.

9. The method defined in claim 8 wherein performing the tests comprises:

using the test unit, performing radio-frequency test measurements on the received test signals by making at least one measurement selected from the group consisting of;

receive signal power, power spectral density, dynamic range, adjacent channel leakage ratio, and error vector magnitude.

10. The method defined in claim 2, wherein the plurality of network access technologies comprises a plurality of cellular network access technologies.

11. The method defined in claim 1, wherein loading at least one of the device under test and the test station with information identifying the order in which to use each of the plurality of network access technologies to test the device under test with the test station comprises loading the test station with information identifying the order in which to use each of the plurality of network access technologies to test the device under test with the test station.

12. The method defined in claim 1, wherein loading at least one of the device under test and the test station with information identifying the order in which to use each of the plurality of network access technologies to test the device under test with the test station comprises loading the device under test with information identifying the order in which to use each of the plurality of network access technologies to test the device under test with the test station.

13. The method defined in claim 1, wherein there is no idle time period between the first and second time periods.

14. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the first type of radio-frequency test signals are associated with a first network access technology, and wherein the second type of radio-frequency test signals are associated with a second network access technology that is different than the first network access technology.

15. A method of testing a device under test with a test station, the method comprising:

loading at least one of the device under test and the test station with information identifying an order in which to use each of a plurality of network access technologies to test the device under test with the test station; and

using the test station, performing tests on the device under test by conveying radio-frequency test signals between the device under test and the test station based on the information without synchronizing the device under test to the test station, wherein performing the tests on the device under test comprises performing the tests on the device under test while the device under test is placed in a transverse electromagnetic cell that isolates the device under test from external interference, wherein the test station further comprises a test unit coupled to the device under test via a radio-frequency cable.

16. The method defined in claim 15, wherein the test unit is positioned outside of the transverse electromagnetic cell during testing.

17. The method defined in claim 16, wherein performing the tests on the device under test comprises generating first radio-frequency test signals using a first of the plurality of network access technologies for a first time period and generating second radio-frequency test signals using a second of the plurality of network access technologies for a second time period.

18. The method defined in claim 17, wherein the second time period immediately follows the first time period.

19. A method of testing a device under test with a test station, the method comprising:

loading at least one of the device under test and the test station with information identifying an order in which to use each of a plurality of network access technologies to test the device under test with the test station; and

using the test station, performing tests on the device under test by conveying radio-frequency test signals between the device under test and the test station based on the information without synchronizing the device under test to the test station, wherein performing the tests on the device under test comprises generating first radio-frequency test signals using a first of the plurality of network access technologies for a first time period and generating second radio-frequency test signals using a second of the plurality of network access technologies for a second time period.

20. The method defined in claim 19, wherein the second time period immediately follows the first time period.