Method for testing a device under test, electronic device, and measurement unit

• US 9,955,371 B1
• Filed: 01/04/2017
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Koebele, Johannes, Mellein, Heinz, Hertel, Thorsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Danh
• Application Number:
  US15/398,442
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 455423, 455418, 4555501, 455 6711
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/17 Detection of non-compliance or faulty performance, e.g. response deviations H04B17/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/109 Integrated on microchip, e.g. switch-on-chip
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/38 TPC being performed in particular situations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0025 synchronizing potentially movable access points

Abstract

A test method for testing a device under test with a measurement unit comprises transmitting a number of test commands from the measurement unit to the device under test via a test interface of the device under test, generating in the device under test in response to the test commands respective communication signals, emitting by the device under test the generated communication signals via a wireless communication interface, receiving signals from the device under test in the measurement unit, and evaluating the received signals in the measurement unit.

Claims

1. A test method for testing a device under test with a measurement unit, the method comprising:

transmitting a number of test commands from the measurement unit to the device under test via a test interface of the device under test,

generating in the device under test in response to the test commands respective communication signals,

emitting by the device under test the generated communication signals via a wireless communication interface,

receiving the communication signals from the device under test in the measurement unit, and

evaluating the received communication signals in the measurement unit,

wherein the test commands comprise test commands that cause the device under test to perform an instructed internal configuration, and

wherein the test commands cause the device under test;

to set a carrier frequency for the generated communication signals and/or signal reception in the device under test,

to set a bandwidth for the generated communication signals and/or signal reception in the device under test,

to set a phase of a specific transmission channel for the generated communication signals and/or reception channel for signal reception in the device under test,

to set a modulation scheme for the generated communication signals and/or signal reception in the device under test,

to set a transmit power for the generated communication signals, wherein the respective test commands comprise a single power value or a sequence of power values that the device under test sets at a predetermined step frequency, and

to set a attenuation factor for the signal reception in the device under test.

2. The test method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting communication signals from the measurement unit to the device under test and/or receiving test data from the device under test.

3. The test method of claim 1, wherein the test commands are individually transmitted from the measurement unit to the device under test and are individually executed by the device under test.

4. The test method of claim 1, wherein the test commands are transmitted from the measurement unit to the device under test in groups.

5. The test method of claim 4, wherein the test commands are executed by the device under test group-wise.

6. The test method of claim 4, wherein the test commands are executed by the device under test individually at a predetermined rate or based on an execution step test command.

7. The test method of claim 4, wherein at least one test command comprises a delay value, and wherein the device under test delays the execution of a test command according to the delay value specified in the previous command.

8. The test method of claim 4, wherein at least one test command comprises a repetition configuration value, and wherein the device under test repeats a test command until the execution of the next test command if the repetition configuration value is positive, and/or

wherein at least one test command comprises a continue-during-repetition configuration value, and wherein the device under test repeats a test command and executes the next test command in parallel if the continue-during-repetition configuration value is positive.

9. The test method of claim 4, wherein after transmitting a group of test commands to the device under test a test initiation command is transmitted to the device under test that causes the device under test to initiate the execution of the transmitted group of test commands.

10. The test method of claim 1, wherein the test commands cause the device under test to execute a sequence of test commands stored in the device under test.

11. The test method of claim 1, wherein the device under test is synchronized with the measuring unit by a synchronization test command.

12. The test method of claim 1, wherein the test interface comprises a wired interface.

13. The test method of claim 1, wherein the test interface comprises a wireless interface.

14. The test method of claim 13, wherein the test interface comprises a wireless interface that uses other frequencies and/or other modulation schemes than the communication interface.

15. The test method of claim 13, wherein the communication interface comprises at least part of the test interface.

16. The test method of claim 1, wherein the device under test comprises a single communication chip or SOC, System-On-Chip, and the measurement unit comprises a test socket for the communication chip, wherein the test socket comprises a power source and at least one antenna for the communication chip.

17. The test method of claim 1, wherein the device under test comprises a communication chip set or a communication module or a user device.

18. The test method of claim 1, wherein the test commands comprise test commands that cause the device under test set a plurality of predefined parameters of the device under test to predefined values.

19. The test method of claim 1, wherein the test commands that cause the device under test to perform an instructed internal configuration comprise test commands that cause the device under test to set reception and or transmission configuration parameters.

20. The test method of claim 1, wherein the test commands cause the device under test:

to set a carrier frequency for the generated communication signals and/or signal reception in the device under test.

21. The test method of claim 1, wherein the device under test comprises at least two antennas, and wherein the test commands comprise test commands that cause the device under test:

to select a specific one of the antennas for signal transmission and/or signal reception,

to select a specific group of the antennas for signal transmission and/or signal reception,

to set bearing parameters specified in the respective test command,

to use a fixed beam operation or adaptive beam operation, and/or

to use a single-output-single-input mode of operation or a multiple-input-multiple-output mode of operation for signal transmission and/or signal reception.

22. The test method of claim 21, wherein the test commands comprise test commands that cause the device under test:

to use a fixed beam operation or adaptive beam operation.

23. The test method of claim 1, wherein the test commands comprise test commands that cause the device under test to perform signal generation or reception as specified in the respective test command.

24. The test method of claim 23, wherein the test commands comprise test commands that cause the device under test:

to generate and/or receive a continuous wave signal,

to generate and/or receive a signal according to a predetermined signal format.

25. The test method of claim 1, wherein the test commands comprise test commands that instruct the device under test:

to activate or deactivate generation and/or reception of test signals,

to perform a reset, and/or

to turn on or off.

26. The test method of claim 1, wherein the test commands comprise test commands that request information from the device under test and cause the device under test to provide:

product information,

operational status information,

a MAC block counter,

reception power information,

absolute or relative phase information,

RSRP information,

ATF information, and/or

RSSI information.

27. The test method of claim 1, wherein the test commands comprise test commands that comprise synchronization information.

28. An electronic device comprising:

a test interface for receiving a number of test commands from a measurement unit and/or sending test data to the measurement unit,

a test controller for generating respective communication signals in response to the test commands,

a wireless communication interface for emitting the generated communication signals and/or for receiving communication signals from the measurement unit,

wherein the test commands comprise test commands that cause the device under test to perform an instructed internal configuration, and

wherein the test commands cause the device under test;

to set a carrier frequency for the generated communication signals and/or signal reception in the device under test,

to set a bandwidth for the generated communication signals and/or signal reception in the device under test,

to set a phase of a specific transmission channel for the generated communication signals and/or reception channel for signal reception in the device under test,

to set a modulation scheme for the generated communication signals and/or signal reception in the device under test,

to set a transmit power for the generated communication signals, wherein the respective test commands comprise a single power value or a sequence of power values that the device under test sets at a predetermined step frequency, and

to set a attenuation factor for the signal reception in the device under test.

29. The electronic device of claim 28, wherein the test interface receives the test commands individually from the measurement unit and wherein the test controller individually executes the test commands.

30. The electronic device of claim 28, wherein the test interface receives the test commands in groups.

31. The electronic device of claim 30, wherein the test commands are executed by the test controller group-wise.

32. The electronic device of claim 30, wherein the test commands are executed by the test controller individually at a predetermined rate or based on an execution step test command.

33. The electronic device of claim 30, wherein at least one test command comprises a delay value, and wherein the test controller delays the execution of a following test command according to the delay value specified in the at least one test command.

34. The electronic device of claim 30, wherein at least one test command comprises a repetition configuration value, and wherein the test controller repeats a test command until the execution of the next test command if the repetition configuration value is positive, and/or

wherein at least one test command comprises a continue-during-repetition configuration value, and wherein the test controller repeats a test command and executes the next test command in parallel if the continue-during-repetition configuration value is positive.

35. The electronic device of claim 30, wherein when after receiving a group of test commands a test initiation command is received via the test interface, the test controller initiates the execution of the transmitted group of test commands.

36. The electronic device of claim 28, wherein the test commands cause the test controller to execute a sequence of test commands stored in a memory of the electronic device.

37. The electronic device of claim 28, wherein when a synchronization test command is received, the test controller synchronizes with the measuring unit based on the synchronization test command.

38. The electronic device of claim 28,

wherein the test interface comprises a wired interface, or

wherein the test interface comprises a wireless interface, especially a wireless interface that uses other frequencies and/or other modulation schemes than the communication interface.

39. The electronic device of claim 28, wherein the communication interface comprises at least part of the test interface.

40. The electronic device of claim 28, wherein the electronic device comprises a single communication chip or System-On-Chip, or wherein the electronic device comprises a communication chip set or a communication module or a user device.

41. A measurement unit comprising:

a test interface for transmitting a number of test commands to a device under test and/or receiving test data from the test device,

a communication interface for receiving communication signals from the device under test and/or sending communication signals to the device under test, and

a test controller for evaluating the received communication signals in the measurement unit,

wherein the test commands comprise test commands that cause the device under test to perform an instructed internal configuration, and

wherein the test commands cause the device under test;

to set a carrier frequency for the generated communication signals and/or signal reception in the device under test,

to set a bandwidth for the generated communication signals and/or signal reception in the device under test,

to set a phase of a specific transmission channel for the generated communication signals and/or reception channel for signal reception in the device under test,

to set a modulation scheme for the generated communication signals and/or signal reception in the device under test,

to set a transmit power for the generated communication signals, wherein the respective test commands comprise a single power value or a sequence of power values that the device under test sets at a predetermined step frequency, and

to set a attenuation factor for the signal reception in the device under test.

42. The measurement unit of claim 41, wherein the test interface transmits the test commands individually to the device under test.

43. The measurement unit of claim 41, wherein the test interface transmits the test commands to the device under test in groups.

44. The measurement unit of claim 43,

wherein the test commands comprise an execution step test command for instructing the device under test to individually execute the test commands based on the execution step command, and/or

wherein at least one test command comprises a delay value that instructs the device under test to delay the execution of a following test command according to the delay value specified in the at least one test command, and/or

wherein at least one test command comprises a repetition configuration value, that instructs the device under test to repeat a test command until the execution of the next test command if the repetition configuration value is positive, and/or

wherein at least one test command comprises a continue-during-repetition configuration value that instructs the device under test to repeat a test command and execute the next test command in parallel if the continue-during-repetition configuration value is positive.

45. The measurement unit of claim 43, wherein after transmitting a group of test commands to the device under test the test interface transmits a test initiation command to the device under test that causes the device under test to initiate the execution of the transmitted group of test commands.

46. The measurement unit of claim 41, wherein the test commands cause the device under test to execute a sequence of test commands stored in the device under test, and/or

wherein the test interface transmits a synchronization test command to the device under test that synchronizes the device under test with the measurement unit.

47. The measurement unit of claim 41,

wherein the test interface comprises a wired interface, and/or

wherein the test interface comprises a wireless interface, especially wherein the test interface comprises a wireless interface that uses other frequencies and/or other modulation schemes than the communication interface;

and/or

wherein the communication interface comprises at least part of the test interface.