Testing bench

A testing bench can be used while testing wireless telecommunications devices. In some examples, the testing bench includes a first surface and a second surface that houses a patch panel, a combiner, and/or an attenuator. The testing bench can be located in a shielded enclosure with at least two conductive radio frequencies (RF) shield layers separated by an insulator material. In some examples, the testing bench may receive a radio signal from a radio source located outside of the shielded enclosure and provide the radio signal to a wireless (UE) device under testing via the patch panel, the combiner and/or the attenuator.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates generally to testing wireless telecommunications devices and, more particularly, this disclosure relates to a testing system capable of using various testing protocols for testing multiple telecommunications devices.

BACKGROUND

A release of a new product can be a complicated endeavor when the new product includes new technology. Not only do traditional concerns exist about marketing, inventory, and sales of the new product, but other concerns exist that may relate to compatibility, operation, and future costs, among other concerns related to deployment of the new product that includes new technology.

Before a product (e.g., device, system, software, and/or hardware) is implemented in the market and/or made available for consumption, the product often undergoes rigorous testing to ensure that the product is fully functional/operational upon deployment. This testing can be time consuming and expensive, especially when the new product must be tested at multiple types of testing stations that are dispersed in a testing facility.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A testing bench system may be used to perform repeatable testing of a device, such as a telecommunications device (herein referred to as user equipment (UE)), and a radio as the UE operates on a communications network provided by the radio. The UE can operate using a variety of radio access technologies (e.g., 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, Citizen Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, etc.) and therefore a large amount of equipment is needed to test all the functionality of the various radio access technologies. Engineers may want to test various aspects of the UE as it operates on different radio signal wavelengths, different combinations of radio signals, and/or different radio signal strengths. Manipulating the radio signal that the UE receives as it is being tested requires many different types and amounts of equipment (e.g., combiners, attenuators, patch panels, etc.). It is therefore desirable to test the UEs at a testing bench enclosure that provides easy access to a radio signal as well as access to a combiner and an attenuator in order to change, combine, reduce, or otherwise affect the radio signal that the UE receives. The testing protocols may be performed within an RF shielded room which shields the UE from ambient RF energy that is unassociated with (e.g. not generated because of) the testing protocols and which may potentially interfere with or otherwise affect the results of the testing protocols. The ambient RF energy may include ambient RF signals, e.g. RF signals generated proximate to the testing environment but unassociated with the testing protocol.

By way of example, and without limitation, the testing bench system can include patch panels, attenuators, combiners, a testbed, a radio source, a power strip, a computing device, and multiple ports to provide access to the components housed by the testing bench enclosure. During a testing protocol, a radio source located outside of the RF shielded room may provide a radio signal (e.g., via a wired connection) to a port located on the testing bench enclosure within the RF shielded room. A UE may be connected to a patch panel port on the testing bench enclosure such that the UE receives the radio signal from the radio source. Additionally, the UE may be connected to a combiner port coupled with a combiner and an attenuator port coupled with an attenuator. Various operations of the UE and/or of the radio can be initiated thereby causing the UE and the radio source to communicate with one another. The operations in the testing protocol may include, without limitation, initiating voice calls, VoLTE calls, transmitting and receiving data (messages, videos, music, etc.), executing applications, browsing the Internet, performing handover events and performing other operations. By initiating operations using the testing bench enclosure such as those described above with respect to the testing protocol, the UE may be tested in a laboratory environment (e.g., with minimal interference from reflected radio signals and/or from external devices) using an automated process and include quick cycle times, improving efficiency and repeatability. Results of the testing protocols may be captured and analyzed to determine performance of the UE and/or the radio, which may be compared to threshold performance metrics or used for other purposes.

The systems, devices, and techniques described herein can be implemented in several ways. Example implementations are provided below with reference to the following figures. It should be appreciated that the subject matter of the disclosure can be reasonably modified, rearranged, or otherwise altered, in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 1illustrates an overview of an illustrative testing environment100that includes a testing bench102having an upper level104and a lower level106. The testing bench102may include a row of ports108,110, and112. Each row of ports108,110, and112may provide a UE114access to different testing components of the testing bench102. For instance, the row of ports108may provide the UE114access to a radio signal emitted from a radio source116by connecting the UE114to a port108(1) via a communication channel118. The radio source116may be located outside of a RF shielded enclosure120and may provide the radio signal to the testing bench102via a communication channel122that passes through an opening of the RF shielded enclosure120and into a radio signal port located on the back of the testing bench102.

The radio signal may include, for example, radio frequency outputs such as Long-Term Evolution (LTE), 3G, 4G, 5G, Citizen Broadband Radio Service (CBRS), Wi-Fi, and so forth. The radio source116may provide any type of radio signal to the UE114that may enable the UE114to perform an action (e.g., initiating voice/video calls, receiving voice/video calls, transmitting and receiving data (messages, videos, music, etc.), executing applications, browsing the Internet, etc.).

The UE114may include mobile telephones (including smartphones), netbooks, tablet computers, personal computers, data sticks, network adapters, and other electronic devices that can exchange signals with the radio source116.

In some instances, the testing bench102may provide access to a combiner housed within the testing bench102. For instance, the row of ports110may include a port110(1) that is connected to the UE114by a communication channel124. The row of ports110may enable a tester to combine signals provided by the radio source116in order to test functionality of the UE114as it receives a combination of radio signals. For example, although only one radio source is illustrated inFIG. 1(e.g., radio source116), the testing environment100may include multiple radio sources that provide different types of radio signals with different strengths to the UE114. For example, the testing environment100may simulate mobility testing which involves a LTE signal from one eNB handover to another eNB or even to different technology such as WCDMA.

In some instances, the testing bench102may provide access to an attenuator housed within the testing bench102. For instance, the row of ports112may include a port112(1) that is connected to the UE114by a communication channel126. The row of ports112may enable a tester to attenuate a radio signal that the UE114receives from the radio source116by adjusting a dial128located on an attenuator panel130. In accordance with one or more embodiments, the radio signal from the radio source116may be modified by the attenuator to enable simulation of signals deployed in a field environment (i.e., replicate live network scenarios) while in a lab or testing environment. For example, a user may desire to test an operation of the UE114when subjected to signals that simulate a dense urban environment where signals reflect off of buildings and other man-made or natural features of the field environment. In these embodiments, the radio signals from the radio source116may be processed by the attenuator via the dial128to simulate a decrease in signal strength.

The testing bench system may also include a computing device132that may be connected to the UE114by a communication channel134such that the computing device132may cause the UE114to perform actions and to store results of those actions. For instance, the computing device132may cause the UE114to perform various actions (e.g., initiating voice calls, transmitting and receiving data (messages, videos, music, etc.), executing applications, browsing the Internet, etc.) while the UE114is receiving the radio signal from the radio source116. While the actions are being performed, engineers may manipulate the radio signal by adjusting a combination of the radio signals using the row of ports110and/or attenuating the signal using the row of ports112and the dial128. The computing device132may store the results of the actions as the radio signal is being manipulated.

In some instances, the testing bench102may include a power strip136that may be used to charge a battery of the UE114or the computing device132. In some instances, the testing bench102may include other ports or communication channels not shown inFIG. 1, such as a USB port, an ethernet port, a firewire port, SMA type connectors, QMA type connectors or the like.

In some cases, the testing bench102may provide a signal to a device (e.g., another UE, a radio, etc.) within the RF shielded enclosure120and then wirelessly communicated to a second UE, such as the UE114.

Referring now toFIG. 2, the back side of the testing bench102may include a row of ports202that may include a radio signal port for connecting to the radio source116and provide the UE114a radio signal via the row of ports108. Additionally, the testing bench102may include a row of ports204that may connect the radio source to the attenuator located within the testing bench102and enable a tester to attenuate the radio signal that the UE114receives from the radio source116. Although only the row of ports202and204are shown on the backside of the testing bench102inFIG. 2, any number of ports may be included in the testing bench102in order to provide the UE114access to equipment that may be necessary for testing.

FIG. 3is a block diagram of an illustrative testing architecture300to enable configuration and modification of a radio signal via the testing bench102for testing with the UE114. The architecture300shows the radio source116located outside of the RF shielded enclosure120and providing a radio signal to the testing bench102located within the RF shielded enclosure120. In some embodiments, the radio signal may be provided directly to a patch panel302via a radio signal port308and an attenuator304such that the patch panel302may provide the radio signal as an output to the UE114and the attenuator304may modify (e.g., attenuate) the radio signal as the UE114performs an operation. The attenuator304may include a variable attenuator having any number of ports, such as 12 ports. In some embodiments a combiner306may be used to connect to the patch panel302and combine radio signals outputted from the patch panel302. The combiner306may include a 2:1 or 4:1 combiner. For example, in addition to the radio source116, multiple radio sources may provide multiple radio signals to the patch panel302, which, in turn, may provide the radio signals to the UE114. These radio signals may vary in type and/or strength. The combiner306may enable engineers to combine different radio signals that are provided to the UE114while the UE114is under test. In addition to the radio signal port308, multiple radio signal ports may be used to receive the radio signal and provide the radio signal to either the patch panel302and/or the attenuator304.

FIG. 4is a block diagram of an illustrative testing architecture400to enable configuration and modification of a radio signal via the testing bench102for testing with the UE114and the computing device132. In some embodiments, the radio signal may be provided directly to the patch panel302and the attenuator304such that the patch panel302may provide the radio signal as an output to the UE114and the attenuator304may modify the radio signal as the UE114performs an operation. In some embodiments, the combiner306may be connected to the patch panel302and modify a combination of radio signals outputted from the patch panel302. The computing device132may be equipped with one or more processor(s)402and memory404. The memory404may include applications, components, and/or data. In some embodiments, the memory404may include a radio protocol component406and a UE component408to perform test scenarios on the radio source116and the UE114.

The radio protocol component406may generate and transmit instructions that cause the radio source116to broadcast a network such that the UE114may operate on the network. For example, the radio protocol component406may be coupled to the radio116through one or more connectors of the RF shielded enclosure120, e.g. SMA type end connectors, to enable the radio source116to function as an RF base station for testing one or more of the functionalities or features of the UE114under test. The radio protocol component406may cause the radio source116to function as a radio signal such as LTE, 3G, 4G, 5G, CBRS, Wi-Fi, and so forth. In some embodiments, the radio protocol component406may generate and transmit instructions to cause the radio source116to receive signal data representing a RF signal transmitted from the UE114. The radio protocol component406may then store the signal data in the memory404of the computing device132. In some examples, the signal data may indicate a signal strength at which the UE114receives the broadcasted network.

In some instances, the radio protocol component406may be configured to control one or more of a 3rdGeneration (3G) base station, a 4thGeneration (4G) base station, a 5thGeneration (5G) base station, a dual-connectivity base station or base station system (e.g., configured to communicate in accordance two or more 3G, 4G, or 5G protocols).

The UE component408may generate and transmit instructions that cause the UE114to perform operations while connected to the test bench102. For example, the UE component408may cause the UE114to turn on, access a network broadcast by the radio source116, and perform operations such as, but not limited to, initiating voice/video calls, receiving voice/video calls, transmitting and receiving data (messages, videos, music, etc.), executing applications, browsing the Internet, and performing other operations. In some examples, the UE component408may be configured to receive measurement data indicating a performance metric of an operation performed by the UE114. In some examples, the UE component408may cause the UE114to transmit an RF signal to be received by the radio source116. The RF signal may include a signal strength at which the UE114receives the broadcasted network. In some instances, the UE component408can be configured to receive measurement data associated with the RF signal received by the UE114, such as frequency, signal strength, signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR), throughput performance, Core functionalities, new features, among others.

In some embodiments, the computing device132may include a display screen for displaying information associated with the testing. In accordance with various embodiments, the computing device132may include a monitor, which may display a user interface (UI) to enable the user to interact with the various components of the memory404.

The computing device132may be positioned either in the interior or in the exterior of the RF shielded enclosure120. In some embodiments, the computing device132can be positioned within the RF shielded enclosure120and can be communicatively coupled to the UE114by the communication channel134. Any one of the communication channels118,122,124,126, and/or134may be an optical fiber to limit the electrical signal current transmitted within the RF shielded enclosure120. Transmitting information as pulses of light does not emit RF radiation and may be less susceptible to RF interference. In some embodiments, the communication channels118,122,124,126, and/or134may include a conductive wire type connection, e.g. a wire configured to transmit data via electric pulses such as a USB cable, or a wireless communication link between an RF antenna within the RF shielded enclosure120.

In some embodiments, the RF shielded enclosure120may include two or more conductive layers410for providing suitable isolation at relevant frequencies. Conductive layers410may be made from any material suitable for shielding the relevant frequencies of RF energy such as, for example, aluminum, copper, or steel. Furthermore, the conductive layers410may designed to provide substantial shielding effectiveness such as, e.g. higher than 60 dB or higher than 80 dB. In some embodiments, the conductive layers410may be flexible in nature (as opposed to rigid) such as a cloth material embedded with stainless steel as the RF carrier material used to absorb and/or shield RF energy. In some embodiments, the conductive layers410may be a solid metallic sheet material, e.g. an aluminum sheet metal. In some embodiments, the conductive materials410may be separated by an insulator412such as, for example, a non-conductive foam or an air gap. Conductive layers410may function as a Faraday cage to block external signals from entering the interior region RF shielded enclosure120and to prevent interference during testing of the UE114. In some embodiments, the conductive materials410may be connected to a ground path to enable dissipation of any absorbed energy.

FIG. 5is a flow diagram of an illustrative process500of a computing device capturing signal data from a UE while the UE is securely enclosed within a radio frequency shielded enclosure, in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure. The example process500can be performed by the computing device132in conjunction with the radio source116and/or the UE114, in connection with other components discussed herein. Some or all of the process500can be performed by one or more devices, equipment, or components illustrated inFIGS. 1-4, for example.

At operation502, the computing device may select a network. In some embodiments, the radio protocol component406of the computing device132may select one or more network configurations of the radio source116. For example, the radio protocol component406may cause the radio source116to emit a radio signal, such as, but not limited to LTE, 3G, 4G, 5G, CBRS, Wi-Fi, and so forth.

At operation504, the computing device may receive output level settings. For example, the engineer may adjust the combination of the radio signals emitted by the radio source116(and/or additional radio sources) to the UE114via the combiner306and the computing device132may receive the details of the combination via user input. In some embodiments, the computing device132may be connected to the combiner306and may receive the details of the combination from the combiner306. In some embodiments, the output level information and/or information about the combiner306or other components can be input manually into the computing device132. In some embodiments, the computing device132may receive an indication that the radio signals emitted by the radio source116to the UE114have been attenuated via the attenuator304.

At operation506, the computing device may control the UE to perform an action. For example, the UE component of the computing device132may cause the UE114to turn on, access a network broadcast by the radio source116, and perform operations such as, but not limited to, initiating voice/video calls, receiving voice/video calls, transmitting and receiving data (messages, videos, music, etc.), running applications, browsing the Internet, and performing other operations. In some examples, the UE component408may cause the UE114to transmit an RF signal to be received by the radio source116. The RF signal may include a signal strength at which the UE114receives the broadcasted network. In some examples, the operation506can further include controlling the radio source116to communicate with the UE114using a particular frequency, polarization, and/or communication technology (e.g., 3G, 4G, or 5G).

At operation508the computing device may receive signal data. For example, the radio protocol component406of the computing device132may generate and transmit instructions to cause the radio source116to receive signal data representing a RF signal transmitted from the UE114. In some examples, the signal data may indicate a signal strength at which the UE114receives the broadcasted network. In some examples, the operation508can include the computing device132receiving signal data representing a RF signal captured by the UE114and broadcast by the radio source116. In some examples, the received signal data may include a result of an action performed by the UE114. For example, the signal data may indicate a speed at which an operation (e.g., initiating voice calls, transmitting and receiving data (messages, videos, music, etc.), running applications, browsing the Internet, and performing other operations) was performed.

At operation510the computing device may store the signal data. For example, the radio protocol component406and/or the UE component408may store the signal data in the memory404of the computing device132.

At operation512, the computing device may receive adjusted output level settings. For example, the computing device132may receive user input indicating that an adjustment has been made via the combiner306and/or the attenuator304. In some examples the computing device132may receive the adjustment information via a wired or wireless connection to the combiner306and/or the attenuator304. In some examples, the adjustment information can be input manually into the computing device132.

At operation514, the computing device may receive signal data. For example, the radio protocol component406of the computing device132may generate and transmit instructions to cause the radio source116to receive signal data representing a RF signal transmitted from the UE114. In some examples, the signal data may indicate a signal strength at which the UE114receives the adjusted network. In some examples, the operation514can include the computing device132receiving signal data representing a RF signal captured by the UE114and broadcast by the radio source116. In some examples, the received signal data may include a result of an action performed by the UE114while the UE114is experiencing the adjusted output levels. For example, the signal data may indicate a speed at which an operation (e.g., initiating voice calls, transmitting and receiving data (messages, videos, music, etc.), running applications, browsing the Internet, and performing other operations) was performed at the adjusted output levels.

At operation516the computing device may store the signal data. For example, the radio protocol component406and/or the UE component408may store the signal data that is associated with the adjusted output levels in the memory404of the computing device132.

In some instances, the process500can be performed iteratively to substantially exhaustively test combinations of frequencies, actions, combinations, attenuations, and the like available to test for a radio source and/or UE. Accordingly, the systems, devices, and techniques discussed herein can efficiently and safely test a variety of devices in a repeatable manner.

Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific structural features or acts described. Rather, the specific structural features and acts are disclosed as exemplary forms of implementing the claims. The scope of the present disclosure and appended claims is not limited by these exemplary forms. In particular, numerous variations, whether explicitly provided for by the specification or implied by the specification, such as variations in structure features and/or methodological acts, whether now known in the art or subsequently developed, may be implemented by one of skill in the art in view of this disclosure.