Adaptive RF system testing system and method

• US 9,859,996 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2015
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Parsons Corporation (New Port Group Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Echo Ridge, LLC
• Inventors: Kennedy, Joseph P., Carlson, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US14/867,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20160050033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 455 6711, 4551151, 4552261, 455423, 455424
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/101 for measurement of specific parameters of the transmitter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/14 of the whole transmission and reception path, e.g. self-test loop-back
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/3912 Simulation models, e.g. distribution of spectral power density or received signal strength indicator [RSSI] for a given geographic region
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic

Abstract

A system and method for testing an adaptive RF system in an emulated RF environment using a feedback control module to efficiently and accurately evaluate the performance of the RF system under test in the search space.

Claims

1. A method of testing of an RF system comprising the steps of:

(a) in a first processor, providing an emulated RF environment for evaluating a system under test (SUT);

(b) receiving inputs to a second processor from the emulated RF environment and the SUT;

(c) measuring a first parameter output by the SUT for a selected period of time;

(d) characterizing the behavior of the SUT as a function of the measured first parameter

(e) in a third processor, dynamically changing the provided emulated environment as a function of the characterized behavior of the SUT to cause the SUT to change its behavior by changing from one state to another state;

(f) measuring a second parameter output by the SUT;

(g) characterizing the behavior of the SUT as a function of the measured second parameter; and

(h) continuing measuring a second parameter until the characterized behavior of the SUT as a function of the measured second parameter satisfies a completion criteria.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of dynamically changing the provided emulated environment causes the SUT behavior to change from an average behavior state to a rare event behavior state.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the SUT is a cognitive radio, the provided emulated environment includes unusual and rapidly changing spectrum conditions and the rare-event behavior state change includes the SUT transmitting in known primary user spectrum.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the completion criteria is a costing function.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the completion criteria is a confidence level.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the second parameter is measured for the same selected period of time as the first parameter.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the second parameter is different than the first parameter and is measured for a different period of time than the selected period of time for the first parameter.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the SUT is a cognitive radio, the first parameter is an observed transmission in spectrum white space where there are no primary users, and the second parameter is an observed transmission in occupied spectrum being used by a primary users.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the completion criteria is a confidence level in the accuracy of characterizing the behavior of the SUT.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the SUT is an adaptive navigation receiver and the step of dynamically changing the emulated RF environment changes the RF environment to cause the adaptive navigation receiver to change its behavior by changing from an acquisition state to a tracking state.

11. A system for testing an RF system in an emulated RF environment, the system comprising:

A non-transitory memory for storing computer readable code; and

a processor operatively coupled to the memory, the processor configured to;

provide an emulated RF environment for evaluating a system under test (SUT);

receive inputs from the emulated RF environment and the SUT;

measure a first parameter output by the SUT for a selected period of time;

characterize the behavior of the SUT as a function of the measured first parameter;

dynamically change the provided emulated environment as a function of the characterized behavior of the SUT to cause the SUT to change its behavior by changing from one state to another state;

measuring a second parameter output by the SUT;

characterize the behavior of the SUT as a function of the measured second parameter;

continue measuring a second parameter until the characterized behavior of the SUT as a function of the measured second parameter satisfies a completion criteria.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the processor is further configured to dynamically change the provided emulated environment to cause the SUT behavior to change from an average behavior state to a rare event behavior state.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the processor is further configured to dynamically change the provided emulated RF environment to cause the SUT to change its behavior by changing from one state to another state.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the completion criteria is a costing function.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the processor is further programmed to measure the second parameter for the same selected period of time as the first parameter.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the second parameter is different than the first parameter and the processor is further configured to measure the second parameter for a different period of time than the selected period of time for the first parameter.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the SUT is a cognitive radio, the first parameter is an observed transmission in spectrum white space where there are no primary users, and the second parameter is an observed transmission in occupied spectrum being used by a primary users.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the completion criteria is a confidence level in the accuracy of characterizing the behavior of the SUT.