Patent ID: 11871366
Assignee: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.
Field: Digital communication (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  G | IPC G  H

Claim 14:
15. A method to test timing synchronization between neighboring clusters in a cellular network performed by a portable testing device, the method comprising:
enter a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver of the test device into timing mode to generate a one pulse per second (1PPS) reference signal based on GNSS signals received from a satellite;
tuning a clock of the test device to the 1PPS reference signal;
measuring, for each of a plurality of measurement locations within a predetermined boundary area between the neighboring clusters, physical cell identities (PCIs) and time error offsets based on synchronization signals received from a plurality of base stations in neighboring clusters at each measurement location,
wherein each time error offset is an offset between a start of a frame for a cell and the 1PPS reference signal:

determining a primary PCI from the PCIS for the measurement locations;
calculating a sync error from differences between the time error offsets for the primary PCI and remaining PCIs of the PCIS for each measurement location;
determining whether the sync error is within a predetermined threshold for each measurement location; and
generating a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display of the test device based on whether the sync error is within the predetermined threshold for each measurement location,
wherein the GUI comprises:
a map and a point on the map for each measurement location;
a table showing the PCIs, the time error offsets, and the sync error for each measurement location; and
an indicator in at least one of the table and the map that indicates whether the sync error is within the predetermined threshold for each measurement location.