English:
[0001] The present invention relates to testing of multiple signal transceivers, and in particular, to automated testing of multiple data packet signal transceiver devices under test (DUTs) using shared testing resources.
[0003] When designing such wireless devices, engineers take extra care to ensure that such devices will meet or exceed each of their included wireless signal technology prescribed standard-based specifications. Furthermore, when these devices are later being manufactured in quantity, they are tested to ensure that manufacturing defects will not cause improper operation, including their adherence to the included wireless signal technology standard-based specifications.
[0004] For testing these devices following their manufacture and assembly, current wireless device test systems typically employ testing subsystems for providing test signals to each device under test (DUT) and analyzing signals received from each DUT. Some subsystems (often referred to as "testers") include at least a vector signal generator (VSG) for providing the source signals to be transmitted to the DUT, and a vector signal analyzer (VSA) for analyzing signals produced by the DUT. The production of test signals by the VSG and signal analysis performed by the VSA are generally programmable (e.g., through use of an internal programmable controller or an external programmable controller such as a personal computer) so as to allow each to be used for testing a variety of devices for adherence to a variety of wireless signal technology standards with differing frequency ranges, bandwidths and signal modulation characteristics.
[0005] As part of the manufacturing of wireless communication devices, one significant component of production cost is costs associated with these manufacturing tests. Typically, there is a direct correlation between the cost of test and the sophistication of the test equipment required to perform the test. Thus, innovations that can preserve test accuracy while minimizing equipment costs (e.g., increasing costs due to increasing sophistication of necessary test equipment, or testers) are important and can provide significant costs savings, particularly in view of the large numbers of such devices being manufactured and tested.
[0006] Another critical factor in test costs is that of test times, and more particularly per- device test times, which must be minimized without compromising test integrity. Overall test times are determined by actual DUT testing activities (e.g., testing DUT performance in accordance with underlying system and DUT standards), DUT handling activities (e.g., connecting, disconnecting, moving of DUTs), and test preparation activities (e.g., initializing and/or synchronizing DUTs with the test system). Once test times have been optimally reduced for a single device, a next advance in reducing test time and cost involves testing multiple DUTs in a pipeline (e.g., overlapping sequences of distributed testing) or in parallel (e.g., concurrent testing of multiple DUTs) testing. This can include assembling and connecting one or more testers with additional signal routing circuitry (e.g., signal dividers, combiners, switches, multiplexors, etc.) as needed for providing receive (RX) signals to the DUTs and for receiving and analyzing transmit (TX) signals produced by the DUTs.
[0007] Where multiple DUTs are tested while sharing tester resources, worst-case estimates of time juxtapositions are typically used when programming the tester to share those resources so as to ensure no contention among the DUTs. Some DUTs will complete test steps sooner than others, in which case they become idle while awaiting programmed access to tester resources. In terms of test time, this is wasted time and increases test time and cost.
[0008] Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a dynamic access control where access to tester resources is optimized based on real-time states of the multiple DUTs and the distributed- test or parallel-test priorities of the current testing circumstances. Dynamic management of tester resources, where access is determined by an overarching optimization effort, would allow multiple devices to be tested during the same overall time interval and thereby make optimum use of tester resource while reducing time and cost.
[0009] In accordance with the presently claimed invention, a method is provided for testing multiple signal transceiver devices under test (DUTs), such as data packet signal transceivers, with a shared DUT testing resource, such as a tester having a single vector signal generator (VSG) and a single vector signal analyzer (VSA). Requests by the DUTs for access to tester resources (e.g., to receive signals from the signal generator or provide signals to the signal analyzer) are prioritized based upon tester availability and whether the requesting DUT requires sole access or can share access to the tester. If the tester is unavailable, DUT requests are queued according to their respective priorities to await tester availability. As a result, access to shared tester resources can be managed dynamically to minimize test time while testing multiple DUTs concurrently.
[0010] In accordance with one embodiment of the presently claimed invention, a method for testing a plurality of signal transceiver devices under test (DUTs) with a shared DUT testing resource includes:
[0011] coupling a shared tester to a plurality of DUTs;
[0012] executing one or more test processes including a plurality of requests for use of the shared tester to communicate with at least a portion of the plurality of DUTs, wherein each one of at least a portion of the plurality of requests has associated therewith a respective tester access priority for use of the shared tester to communicate with a respective one of the plurality of DUTs;
[0013] when the shared tester is available for use to communicate with one or more of the plurality of DUTs, enabling signal communications between the shared tester and one or more of the plurality of DUTs by
[0014] enabling signal communications between the shared tester and a single one of the plurality of DUTs having associated therewith a request with a tester access priority higher than a request with a tester access priority associated with at least one other DUT, and
[0015] enabling signal communications between the shared tester and multiple ones of the plurality of DUTs having associated therewith respective requests with similar tester access priorities; and
[0016] when the shared tester is unavailable for use to communicate with one or more of the plurality of DUTs, queuing at least a portion of the plurality of requests in a tester access priority queue.
[0017] Figure 1 depicts a block diagram of a testing environment for testing multiple DUTs in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the presently claimed invention.
[0018] Figure 2 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a dynamic priority token management technique in which multiple DUTs executing multiple test processes asynchronously can be given priority access to tester resources to enable synchronous parallel testing.
[0019] Figure 3 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a dynamic priority token management technique in which multiple unmanaged DUTs executing test processes asynchronously can be given priority access to tester resources to enable distributed synchronous testing optimized for tester resource use and test time.
[0020] Figure 4 depicts test flows for exemplary embodiments in which token requests are served by assigning priorities in accordance with requests for tester resources during execution of DUT test processes.
[0021] Figure 5 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a token request queue.
[0022] Figure 6 depicts test time intervals during which different DUT-token assignments are made based on tester access request priorities.
[0023] The following detailed description is of example embodiments of the presently claimed invention with references to the accompanying drawings. Such description is intended to be illustrative and not limiting with respect to the scope of the present invention. Such embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the subject invention, and it will be understood that other embodiments may be practiced with some variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject invention.
[0024] Throughout the present disclosure, absent a clear indication to the contrary from the context, it will be understood that individual circuit elements as described may be singular or plural in number. For example, the terms "circuit" and "circuitry" may include either a single component or a plurality of components, which are either active and/or passive and are connected or otherwise coupled together (e.g., as one or more integrated circuit chips) to provide the described function. Additionally, the term "signal" may refer to one or more currents, one or more voltages, or a data signal. Within the drawings, like or related elements will have like or related alpha, numeric or alphanumeric designators. Further, while the present invention has been discussed in the context of implementations using discrete electronic circuitry (preferably in the form of one or more integrated circuit chips), the functions of any part of such circuitry may alternatively be implemented using one or more appropriately programmed processors, depending upon the signal frequencies or data rates to be processed. Moreover, to the extent that the figures illustrate diagrams of the functional blocks of various embodiments, the functional blocks are not necessarily indicative of the division between hardware circuitry.
[0025] Wireless devices, such as cellphones, smartphones, tablets, etc., make use of standards-based technologies, such as IEEE 802.1 la/b/g/n/ac, 3GPP LTE, and Bluetooth. The standards that underlie these technologies are designed to provide reliable wireless connectivity and/or communications. The standards prescribe physical and higher-level specifications generally designed to be energy-efficient and to minimize interference among devices using the same or other technologies that are adjacent to or share the wireless spectrum.
[0026] Tests prescribed by these standards are meant to ensure that such devices are designed to conform to the standard-prescribed specifications, and that manufactured devices continue to conform to those prescribed specifications. Most devices are transceivers, containing at least one or more receivers and transmitters. Thus, the tests are intended to confirm whether the receivers and transmitters both conform. Tests of the receiver or receivers (RX tests) of a DUT typically involve a test system (tester) sending test packets to the receiver(s) and some way of determining how the DUT receiver(s) respond to those test packets. Transmitters of a DUT are tested by having them send packets to the test system, which then evaluates the physical characteristics of the signals sent by the DUT.
[0027] As discussed in more detail below, in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the presently claimed invention, methods are provided for dynamically managing access to shared tester resources by multiple DUTs being tested concurrently. As a result, the testing environment requires tester resources with fewer test wave form generation and signal analysis subsystems than the number of DUTs to be tested, since the tester resources are shared among the multiple DUTs. A prioritized resource-access-token technique can be used in conjunction with a test program such that access requested for testing a DUT is given a queue priority based on its current state of test step completion in view of current distributed or parallel testing optimization priorities. Accordingly, the multiple DUTs need not be aware of respective states of test completion of other DUTs, and the test system need not apply testing resource access on a static, or worst-case-derived, timeline of resource access sequences and timing.
[0028] Referring to Figure 1, in accordance with exemplary embodiments, a testing environment 10 includes a tester 12 for testing multiple DUTs 16, typically under at least some external control from an external controller 18 (e.g., a personal computer). Such a controller 18 communicates (e.g., commands and data) with the tester 12 via a tester control signal interface 19t, and with the DUTs 16 via a DUT control signal interface 19d. (These control signal interfaces 19t, 19d can be provided by direct or networked signal connections.) Additionally, signal routing circuitry 14 is provided for providing the capability to multiplex and divide/split the signals between the tester 12 and respective DUTs 16. This signal routing circuitry 14 can also be controlled by the controller 18 via a control signal interface 19m.
[0029] The tester 12 includes a radio frequency (RF) signal source 12g (e.g., a VSG for test data packet signals), a RF signal analyzer 12a (e.g., a VSA for receiving and analyzing data packet signals from the DUTs), and a control circuitry 12c. The control circuitry 12c generally also includes firmware 12f in which test processes are programed for controlling the signal source 12g and signal analyzer 12a during testing of the DUTs 16. Such control is effected by control signal interfaces 13g, 13a. Additionally, a control signal interface 13c provides control by the control circuitry 12c of the signal routing circuitry 14.
[0030] Additional signal connections 15g, 15a in the form of RF signal connections (e.g., conductive signal paths having controlled impedances in accordance with well-known RF signal principles) between the signal source 12g, signal analyzer 12a and signal routing circuitry 14. (In accordance with alternative embodiments, the signal routing circuitry 14 can also be included as part of the tester 12.)
[0031] Additional RF signal interfaces 17 are provided to convey signals between the DUTs 16 and signal routing circuitry 14. Each DUT 16a, 16b, ... , 16n can also include firmware 18a, 18b, 18n for storing programmed commands and data used for initiating and/or controlling test operations of the host DUTs 16a, 16b, ... , 16n.
[0032] Referring to Figure 2, testing scenarios for testing multiple DUTs are sometimes optimal when test priority is based on synchronized parallel testing. For example, during testing of the DUT receivers, the tester signal source 12g can be used to send the same test data packet signals to all DUTs 16 in parallel via the routing circuitry 14. To prepare the DUTs 16 for such testing, in accordance with exemplary embodiments, otherwise asynchronous test processes 22 for the respective DUTs 16 are assigned resource access tokens with similar access priorities so as to have the multiple DUTs 16 achieve similar states of test step completions, thereby allowing the DUTs 16 to be tested using synchronized test processes 24. (Generally, each token request priority will be higher or lower than or equal to one or more of the other token request priorities. However, for purposes of the present discussion, "similar" token request priorities are intended to include token request priorities that are equal in every way, e.g., they are requesting access to all of the same tester resources, as well as token request priorities that are at least partially "equal", e.g., they are requesting access to one or more of the same tester resources for at least some interval of time.)
[0033] Referring to Figure 3, other testing scenarios may be optimized using distributed (e.g., sequential) testing. For example, when testing the transmitters of the DUTs 16, the DUTs 16 send sequences of test data packet signals to the tester signal analyzer 12a. In the example scenario where the DUTs 16 share one signal analyzer 12a, these test data packet signals cannot be received and analyzed simultaneously, but must be received individually, in sequence. However, some of the test process steps for the respective DUTs 16a, 16b, ... , 16n often involve time intervals where signal frequencies or power levels are in states of transition, and signals are not being actively transmitted. Accordingly, by pipelining the DUT tests in such a way that the signal transmitting intervals are embedded along with non-transmitting intervals, sequential testing of the transmitted signals can be optimized concurrently with other non-signal test steps being executed by other DUTs. In accordance with exemplary embodiments, multiple DUTs 16 executing otherwise unmanaged asynchronous test processes 26 can be managed to optimize these test processes to achieve maximum asynchronous distribution 28 of such test processes to achieve virtually continuous access and use of test resources and, therefore, minimal test time.
[0034] Referring to Figure 4, in accordance with exemplary embodiments, an algorithm for performing test flows 100, including when no tester resource conflicts occur 100a and when multiple processes compete for tester resources 100b, can be performed as shown. Initially, a test process program requests a token for an associated DUT with a testing priority 102. If a token is available 104, i.e., the resources of the tester 12 are available for testing a DUT, the token is assigned 106 to that DUT, to the exclusion of other DUTs, thereby enabling communications between the assigned DUT and tester. This assignment of the tester 12 to that DUT is maintained so long as the testing process being performed is not yet complete 108. Following completion of that test process, the token is released 110, thereby rendering the tester resources available for use by other DUTs. This process then continues to the next step 112.
[0035] However, in the event that the token is not available 104, i.e., the resources of the tester 12 are currently assigned for use with one or more other DUTs, the request for priority is placed into a queue 122. Availability of the token for re-assignment is then monitored 124. When the token subsequently becomes available, it is determined whether the request for tester resources has a priority sufficiently high (e.g., the highest currently in the queue) to warrant its assignment to the DUT associated with such request. If not, the request remains in the queue 122. However, if the request priority is sufficiently high, tester resources are assigned 128 to the associated requesting DUT, and testing of such DUT begins. As before, this assignment of tester resources to the requesting DUT is maintained until the requesting test process is complete 130. Following such test process completion, the token is released, thereby releasing the tester resources for use in testing one or more other DUTs. Following this, the process continues to the next step 134.
[0036] Referring to Figure 5, as discussed above, a priority queue 30 holds competing requests 32, 34, 36 for tester resources. These requests 32, 34, 36 are maintained within the queue 30 in accordance with their respective priorities. For example, one request 32 may have a priority higher than another request 34a (which, as discussed below, may be one of a group 34 of similar requests), in which case, as tester resources become available, they will be assigned to the request 32 having the higher/highest priority.
[0037] Alternatively, there may be multiple requests having similar priority levels. For example, there may be a set of requests 34 in which multiple requests 34a, 34b, 34c have similar priority levels (e.g., for using tester resources to perform parallel testing of DUT receiver circuits). In this case, as tester resources become available, they will be assigned to the set 32 of requests having the higher/highest priority.
[0038] Referring to Figure 6, in accordance with the foregoing discussion, it will be appreciated that prioritization of requests for access to shared tester resources can result in at least three basic testing scenarios. For example, during one time interval Tl, the first DUT 16a may have the highest request priority, and is assigned the tester access token. Subsequently, during time interval T2, another DUT 16c may have the highest request priority, and it is assigned the tester resource access token. Alternatively, during another time interval T3, multiple DUTs 16b, 16d may have similar request priorities (e.g., higher than other DUT requests), and share the tester access token for concurrent use of tester resources.
[0039] Various other modifications and alterations in the structure and method of operation of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. It is intended that the following claims define the scope of the present invention and that structures and methods within the scope of these claims and their equivalents be covered thereby.

中文:
[0001]本发明涉及多个信号收发器的测试,并且具体地讲,涉及使用共享的测试资源对多个数据包信号收发器被测设备(DUT)的自动化测试。
[0003]在设计此类无线设备时,工程师极其小心地确保此类设备将达到或超过每一种所包括的无线信号技术的规定标准规范。此外,当这些设备后来被大量生产时,还需要对它们进行测试,以确保制造缺陷不会导致不当的操作,包括它们遵守所包括的无线信号技术标准规范。
[0004]为了在制造和组装之后测试这些设备,现在的无线设备测试系统通常采用测试子系统为每个被测设备(DUT)提供测试信号并分析从每个DUT接收的信号。一些子系统(通常称为“测试器”)至少包括用于提供将发送给DUT的源信号的矢量信号发生器(VSG)和用于分析DUT所产生的信号的矢量信号分析仪(VSA)。由VSG产生测试信号以及由VSA执行信号分析通常可以编程(例如,通过使用内部可编程控制器或外部可编程控制器,诸如个人计算机),这样VSG和VSA的每一者都可用于使用不同的频率范围、带宽和信号调制特性来测试多种设备是否遵守多种无线信号技术标准。
[0005]作为无线通信设备制造的一部分,生产成本的一个主要部分是与这些制造测试相关的成本。通常,测试成本与执行测试所需要的测试设备的复杂度之间存在直接关联。因此,可在最大程度降低设备成本(例如不因为提高必要测试设备的复杂度或增加测试器而增加成本)的同时保证测试准确性的创新非常重要,这些创新可实现显著的成本节约,特别是在制造和测试大量此类设备的情况下。
[0006]测试成本的另一个重要因素在于测试时间,并且更具体地讲为每个设备的测试时间,该测试时间必须最大程度缩短而不影响测试完整性。总测试时间由以下方面决定:实际的DUT测试活动(例如,根据基础系统和DUT标准来测试DUT性能)、DUT处理活动(例如,DUT的连接、断开、移动)以及测试准备活动(例如,初始化DUT和/或使DUT与测试系统同步)。一旦对单个设备以最佳方式缩短了测试时间,降低测试时间和成本的接下来的进展就涉及以管线(例如,分布式测试的重叠序列)或平行测试(例如,多个DUT的并行测试)来测试多个DUT。根据向DUT提供接收(RX)信号以及接收并分析由DUT产生的发送(TX)信号的需要,这可包括组装和连接一个或多个测试器与另外的信号路由电路系统(例如,信号分配器、组合器、交换机、多路器等等)。
[0007]在共享测试器资源的同时测试多个DUT的情况下,当对测试器编程以共享那些资源时,通常使用时间并置的最坏情况估计以确保在DUT之中没有争用。一些DUT将比其他的DUT更快地完成测试步骤,在此情况下,在等待对测试器资源的编程访问时,已完成测试步骤的DUT会变成闲置。就测试时间而言,这是浪费的时间并增加测试时间和成本。
[0008]因此,期望具有动态访问控制,其中基于多个DUT的实时状态和目前测试环境的分布式测试或并行测试优先级而优化对测试器资源的访问。测试器资源的动态管理(其中访问由总的优化努力决定)将允许多个设备在相同的总时间间隔内进行测试,并因而使测试器资源得到最佳的利用同时降低时间和成本。
[0009]根据受权利要求书保护的本发明,提供一种用共享的被测设备(DUT)测试资源(诸如具有单个矢量信号发生器(VSG)和单个矢量信号分析仪(VSA)的测试器)测试多个信号收发器被测设备(诸如数据包信号收发器)的方法。DUT的访问测试器资源的请求(例如,从信号发生器接收信号或向信号分析器提供信号)根据以下方面排定优先级:测试器可用性和发出请求的DUT对测试器是需要唯一访问还是可以共享访问。如果测试器不可用,则DUT请求根据其相应的优先级而排队等待测试器可用。因此,对共享的测试器资源的访问可进行动态管理以在并行测试多个DUT的同时最大程度缩短测试时间。
[0010]根据受权利要求书保护的本发明的一个实施例,一种用共享的被测设备(DUT)测试资源测试多个信号收发器被测设备的方法包括:
[0011]将共享的测试器耦接到多个DUT;
[0012]执行包括使用共享的测试器与所述多个DUT的至少一部分通信的多个请求的一个或多个测试过程,其中所述多个请求的至少一部分中的每一个具有与之相关的相应的测试器访问优先级以使用共享的测试器与所述多个DUT的相应一个通信;
[0013]当共享的测试器可用于与所述多个DUT的一个或多个通信时,启用共享的测试器与所述多个DUT的一个或多个之间的信号通信,方式是:
[0014]启用共享的测试器与所述多个DUT的单者之间的信号通信并且所述多个DUT的单者具有与之相关的请求其具有测试器访问优先级高于相关于至少一个其他DUT的请求的测试器访问优先级;以及
[0015]启用共享的测试器与所述多个DUT的多者之间的信号通信并且所述多个DUT的多者具有与之相关的具有类似的测试器访问优先级的相应请求;以及
[0016]当共享的测试器无法用于与所述多个DUT的一个或多个通信时,伫列所述多个请求的至少一部分在测试器访问优先级队列中。
[0017]图1描绘根据受权利要求书保护的本发明的示例性实施例的用于测试多个DUT的测试环境的框图。
[0018]图2描绘动态优先级令牌管理技术的示例性实施例,其中异步执行多个测试过程的多个DUT可被给予对测试器资源的优先级访问以启用同步并行测试。
[0019]图3描绘动态优先级令牌管理技术的示例性实施例,其中异步执行测试过程的多个未经管理的DUT可被给予对测试器资源的优先级访问以启用针对测试器资源使用和测试时间而优化的分布式同步测试。
[0020]图4描绘示例性实施例的测试流程,其中令牌请求根据执行DUT测试过程期间对测试器资源的请求通过分配优先级而服务。
[0021]图5描绘令牌请求队列的示例性实施例。
[0022]图6描绘测试时间间隔,其间不同的DUT令牌分配基于测试器访问请求优先级而做出。
[0023]以下详细描述是结合附图的受权利要求书保护的本发明的示例性实施例。关于本发明的范围,此类描述旨在进行示例而非加以限制。对此类实施例加以详尽的描述,以使得本领域的普通技术人员可以实践该主题发明,并且应当理解,在不脱离本主题发明的精神或范围的前提下,可以实践具有一些变化的其他实施例。
[0024]在本发明全文中,在没有明确指示与语境相反的情况下,应当理解,所述单独的电路元件可以是单数或复数。例如,术语“电路”以及“电路系统”可以包括单个部件或多个部件,所述部件为有源的和/或无源的,并且连接或换句话讲耦合到一起(例如,如成为一个或多个集成电路芯片),以提供所描述的功能。另外,术语“信号”可指一个或多个电流、一个或多个电压或数据信号。在图中,相似或相关的元件将具有相似或相关的字母、数字或数字字母混合的指示。此外,虽然在使用分立的电子电路系统(优选地为一个或多个集成电路芯片形式)的具体实施的背景中讨论了本发明,但另选地取决于待处理的信号频率或数据速率,此类电路系统的任何部分的功能可使用一个或多个适当编程的处理器来实施。此外,就示出各种实施例的功能区块的示意图的图示来说,所述功能区块未必表示硬件电路系统之间的分区。
[0025]诸如移动电话、智能手机、平板电脑等无线设备利用基于标准的技术,诸如IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac、3GPP LTE和蓝牙。构成这些技术的根本的标准被设计成提供可靠的无线连接和/或通信。这些标准规定了物理和更高层次的规范,这些规范通常被设计成节能并最大程度降低使用与无线频谱相近的或共享无线频谱的相同或其他技术的设备之间的干扰。
[0026]这些标准所规定的测试意在确保此类设备被设计成符合标准所规定的规范,并确保所制造的设备一直符合那些规定的规范。大多数设备是收发器,它们包括至少一个或多个接收器和发射器。因此,测试旨在确认接收器和发射器是否均符合要求。DUT的一个或多个接收器的测试(RX测试)通常涉及发送测试包给接收器的测试系统(测试器)以及确定DUT接收器如何响应这些测试包的某种方式。DUT的发射器通过使其发送包给测试系统而进行测试,测试系统接着评估由DUT发送的信号的物理特性。
[0027]如下文更详细讨论,根据受权利要求书保护的本发明的示例性实施例,提供用于动态管理并行测试的多个DUT对共享的测试器资源的访问的方法。因此,由于多个DUT共享测试器资源,所以测试环境需要的测试器资源具有比将进行测试的DUT数量更少的测试波形产生和信号分析子系统。经排定优先级的资源访问令牌技术可连同测试程序使用,使得为了测试DUT而请求的访问在考虑到目前的分布式或并行测试优化优先级的情况下根据其目前的测试步骤完成状态来给予队列优先级。因此,多个DUT不需要知道其他DUT的相应的测试完成状态,并且测试系统不需要在资源访问序列和时序的静态或最坏情况衍生的时间线上应用测试资源访问。
[0028]参见图1,根据示例性实施例,测试环境10包括用于测试多个DUT16的测试器12,通常在来自外部控制器18(例如,个人计算机)的至少某种外部控制下。这样的控制器18经由测试器控制信号接口19t与测试器12通信(例如,命令和数据),并经由DUT控制信号接口19d与DUT 16通信。(这些控制信号接口19t、19d可通过直接的或网络化信号连接提供)。此外,提供了信号路由电路系统14以提供在测试器12与相应DUT 16之间的多路复用和分割/拆分信号的能力。该信号路由电路系统14也可经由控制信号接口19m而受到控制器18的控制。
[0029]测试器12包括射频(RF)信号源12g(例如,用于测试数据包信号的VSG)、RF信号分析器12a(例如,用于接收和分析来自DUT的数据包信号的VSA)以及控制电路系统12c。控制电路系统12c通常还包括固件12f,其中测试过程经编程以在测试DUT 16期间控制信号源12g和信号分析器12a。通过控制信号接口13g、13a来实现这样的控制。另外,控制信号接口13c提供控制电路系统12c对信号路由电路系统14的控制。
[0030]另外的信号连接15g、15a以RF信号连接(例如,根据熟知的RF信号原理的具有受控阻抗的传导信号路径)的形式处于信号源12g、信号分析器12a与信号路由电路系统14之间。(根据替代性实施例,信号路由电路系统14也可作为测试器12的一部分而被包括在内)。
[0031]提供另外的RF信号接口17以在DUT 16与信号路由电路系统14之间发送信号。每个DUT 16a、16b、...、16n也可包括用于存储经编程的命令的固件18a、18b、...、18n,以及用于初始化和/或控制主DUT16a、16b、...、16n的测试操作的数据。
[0032]参见图2,当测试优先级是基于同步化的并行测试时,测试多个DUT的测试情境有时是最佳的。例如,在测试DUT接收器期间,测试器信号源12g可用于经由路由电路系统14将相同的测试数据包信号并行发送给所有DUT 16。为了准备DUT 16进行这样的测试,根据示例性实施例,相应DUT 16的原本异步的测试过程22被分配具有类似访问优先级的资源访问令牌,以使得多个DUT 16实现类似的测试步骤完成状态,从而允许利用同步化的测试过程24测试DUT 16。(一般来讲,每个令牌请求优先级将高于或低于或等于其他令牌请求优先级中的一个或多个。然而,出于本讨论的目的,“类似的”令牌请求优先级意在包括:在各方面都相等的令牌请求优先级,例如,它们正在请求访问所有的相同测试器资源;以及至少部分地“相等”的令牌请求优先级,例如,它们正在以至少某种时间间隔请求访问相同测试器资源中的一个或多个)。
[0033]参见图3,其他测试情境可使用分布式(例如,顺序)测试而优化。例如,当测试DUT 16的发射器时,DUT 16发送测试数据包信号的序列给测试器信号分析器12a。在DUT 16共享一个信号分析器12a的示例情境中,这些测试数据包信号无法被同时接收和分析,而是必须按顺序单独地接收。然而,相应DUT 16a、16b、...、16n的测试过程步骤中的一些通常涉及时间间隔,在这些时间间隔中,信号频率或功率级处于转变状态,且信号不是主动发送。因此,通过以使信号发送间隔与非发送间隔一起嵌入的方式进行管线式DUT测试,可与通过其他DUT执行的其他非信号测试步骤同时地优化发送信号的顺序测试。根据示例性实施例,可对执行原本未经管理的异步测试过程26的多个DUT 16进行管理,以使这些测试过程优化而实现此类测试过程的最大异步分布28,从而实现几乎连续的访问以及使用测试资源,并因此最大程度缩短测试时间。
[0034]参见图4,根据示例性实施例,可如图所示执行用于进行测试流程100的算法,该流程包括当没有测试器资源冲突发生时的流程100a以及当多个过程竞争测试器资源时的流程100b。最初,在102中测试过程程序请求具有测试优先级的相关DUT的令牌。在104中,如果令牌可用,即测试器12的资源可用于测试DUT,则在106中将令牌分配给该DUT但不分配给其他DUT,从而启用经分配的DUT与测试器之间的通信。在108,只要所进行的测试过程尚未完成,就维持将该测试器12分配给该DUT。在完成该测试过程之后,在110中,释放令牌,从而使测试器资源可被其他DUT使用。该过程然后继续到下一步112。
[0035]然而,在104中,如果令牌不可用的情况下,即测试器12的资源目前分配给一个或多个其他DUT使用,则将进入步骤122,即将对优先级的请求置于队列中。然后在124中监测供重新分配的令牌的可用性。当令牌随后变成可用时,确定对测试器资源的请求是否具有足够高的优先级(例如,目前在队列中的最高优先级)以保证令牌被分配给与这种请求相关的DUT。若否,则在122,该请求保持在队列中。然而,如果请求优先级足够高,则在128中,测试器资源被分配给相关的请求DUT,并开始这种DUT的测试。如前所述,维持所述将测试器资源分配给请求的DUT,直到在130时完成请求测试过程。在这种测试过程完成后,释放令牌,从而释放测试器资源以用于测试一个或多个其他DUT。其后,过程继续到下一步134。
[0036]参见图5,如上所讨论,优先级队列30保持测试器资源的竞争请求32、34、36。这些请求32、34、36根据其相应的优先级而维持在队列30内。例如,一个请求32的优先级可高于另一个请求34a(其如下所讨论可为类似请求的群组34中的一者)的优先级,在该情况下,因为测试器资源变成可用,所以要将它们分配给具有较高/最高优先级的请求32。
[0037]或者,可存在具有类似优先级级别的多个请求。例如,可存在一组请求34,其中多个请求34a、34b、34c具有类似的优先级级别(例如以用于使用测试器资源执行DUT接收器电路的并行测试)。在此情况下,因为测试器资源变成可用,所以要将它们分配给该组具有较高/最高优先级的请求32。
[0038]参见图6,根据前面的讨论,应当理解,访问共享的测试器资源的请求的优先级可产生至少三个基本测试情境。例如,在一个时间间隔T1期间,第一DUT 16a可具有最高的请求优先级,且被分配测试器访问令牌。随后,在时间间隔T2期间,另一个DUT 16c可具有最高请求优先级,且被分配测试器资源访问令牌。或者,在另一个时间间隔T3期间,多个DUT 16b、16d可具有类似的请求优先级(例如,高于其他DUT请求),且共享测试器访问令牌以并行使用测试器资源。
[0039]在不脱离本发明的范围和精神的前提下,本发明的结构和操作方法的各种其他修改形式和替代形式对本领域的技术人员将是显而易见的。虽然结合具体的优选实施例对本发明进行了描述,但应当理解,受权利要求书保护的本发明不应不当地限于此类具体实施例。其意图是,随附权利要求限定本发明的范围,并且由此应当涵盖这些权利要求及其等同物的范围内的结构和方法。