Methods and systems for emulating testing-plan channel conditions in wireless networks

• US 9,743,296 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2014
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Makhlouf, Isam R, Sawaya, Samir A, Toone, John D
• Primary Examiner(s): Mesfin, Yemane
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen, Peter
• Application Number:
  US14/275,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20150327088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/242 by comparing a transmitted test signal with a locally generated replica
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/55 Testing of service level quality, e.g. simulating service usage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/22 Traffic simulation tools or models
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/241 taking into account channel quality metrics, e.g. SIR, SNR, CIR, Eb/lo
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/282 taking into account the speed of the mobile

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for emulating testing-plan channel conditions in wireless networks. One embodiment takes the form of a process that includes identifying a data-rate threshold and one or more testing-plan channel conditions. The process also includes identifying testing-scenario channel conditions corresponding to the testing-plan channel conditions. The process also includes selecting an attenuation offset based on a comparison of the one or more identified testing-scenario channel conditions to the one or more identified testing-plan channel conditions. The process also includes measuring a data rate with a testing-scenario attenuation level set equal to the selected attenuation offset. The process also includes storing testing-plan-compliance data associated with the measured data rate and the data-rate threshold.

Claims

1. A wireless-network testing system comprising:

an antenna structure;

a modem;

a signal-attenuation module coupled inline in a receive path between the antenna structure and the modem, the signal-attenuation module attenuating received signals;

a processor; and

data storage containing instructions executable by the processor for causing the wireless-network testing system to carry out a set of functions, the set of functions including;

determining a data rate;

determining a first speed;

determining a second speed;

determining a first signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) needed to achieve the data rate at the first speed;

determining a second SINR needed to achieve the data rate at the second speed;

adjusting an attenuator on the signal-attenuation module based on the difference between the first SINR and the second SINR;

wherein the difference between the first SINR and the second SINR is determined from link curves that specify SINR vs. data rate at different speeds.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first speed comprises a test-plan-assumption speed.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the second speed comprises a testing-scenario speed.

4. A method comprising the steps of:

determining a data rate;

determining a first speed;

determining a second speed;

determining a first signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) needed to achieve the data rate at the first speed;

determining a second SINR needed to achieve the data rate at the second speed;

adjusting an attenuator on the signal-attenuation module based on the difference between the first SINR and the second SINR;

wherein the difference between the first SINR and the second SINR is determined from link curves that specify SINR vs. data rate at different speeds.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first speed comprises a test-plan-assumption speed.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the second speed comprises a testing-scenario speed.