Patent Description:
Modern communication devices are tested with regard to their totally radiated power by means of a test system that is configured to position the device under test at different measurement points that relate to spherical positions. Thus, the device under test is moved to the respective measurement points, wherein a certain measurement is performed at the respective measurement point. Afterwards, the device under test is moved to another measurement point, namely another spherical position, wherein another measurement is performed. Thus, several angular positions, namely several spherical positions, of the device under test are directly measured. In addition, a software is used to interpolate the respective measurement points in order to gather the totally radiated power.

<CIT> shows a method and apparatus for performing total radiated power (TRP) measurements of an antenna system wherein a sampling grid is used that takes into account the spherical geometry and the directivity of the antenna under test.

In <CIT>, a method is described that is used for performing radiated performance tests, wherein different positions of the device under test are logged.

<CIT> shows a test system for over the air measurements of transceiver performance metrics of a device under test, wherein a measurement antenna is moved around the device under test so as to reach different specific measurement points.

In the white paper "<NPL> as well as in "<NPL>, over the air performance test systems are described.

However, the approaches known in the state of the art result in less accurate as well as less repeatable measurements, which is undesired.

Accordingly, there is a need for a method and a test system ensuring accurate and repeatable measurements of the device under test.

The invention provides a method of measuring a totally radiated power of a device under test by means of a test system. The test system has a measurement antenna, a positioning system and a control and/or measurement equipment. The device under test is positioned on the positioning system. The method comprises the steps of:.

The device under test is assigned to certain time frames during which the device under test is permitted to send, resulting in the time dependent signal. The positioning system sends a trigger signal to the control and/or measurement equipment such that the control and/or measurement equipment gets aware of an upcoming measurement position in time. The control and/or measurement equipment receives and processes the trigger signal in order to prepare it for an upcoming measurement which corresponds to the reception of the time dependent signal from the device under test.

Further, the invention provides a test system for measuring a totally radiated power of a device under test. The test system comprises a control and/or measurement equipment, a measurement antenna and a positioning system for supporting a device under test. The positioning system is configured to move the device under test with respect to an azimuth axis and an elevation axis. The device under test is configured to transmit time-dependent signals. The test system is configured to record a correlation between the control and/or measurement equipment and a respective spherical position of the positioning system. The device under test is assigned to certain time frames during which the device under test is permitted to send, resulting in the time dependent signal. The positioning system sends a trigger signal to the control and/or measurement equipment such that the control and/or measurement equipment gets aware of an upcoming measurement position in time. The control and/or measurement equipment is configured to receive and process the trigger signal in order to prepare it for an upcoming measurement which corresponds to the reception of the time dependent signal from the device under test.

The invention is based on the finding that the respective angular positions, namely the spherical positions, can be reached in a highly accurate manner. Further, it is ensured that the respective spherical positions are reached in a repeatable manner due to the correlation between the respective positions taken and the control and/or measurement equipment, namely the measurement data obtained. Thus, it is possible to perform totally radiated power measurements of the device under test in an extremely fast manner for various applications. Furthermore, an angular error is very low, as no software control is required such as an interpolation between different measurement points effectively reached.

In general, the method as well as the test system ensure that a positioning error between the actual position of the device under test and the measurement data is reduced.

The respective device under test may relate to a user equipment, for instance a mobile phone, or a base station or any other wireless communication device to be tested by means of the test system.

For instance, a link antenna may be provided that is used for testing a mobile phone with regard to its totally radiated power. Thus, a respective signaling link is established between the device under test and the optional link antenna in order to maintain a respective signaling link.

The respective time frame is not used entirely by the device under test when transmitting its respective signals. For instance, the time-dependent signals may relate to pulsed continuous wave signals, <NUM> signals, particularly <NUM>-NR-FR2 signals, <NUM>-LTE signals, for instance <NUM>-LTE time division duplex (TDD) signals. The portion of the time frame used for sending the respective signal may vary.

The control and/or measurement equipment demands from the positioning system to identify its respective exact spherical position. In other words, the positioning system is asked by the control and/or measurement equipment to provide its exact spherical position. The request signal may be sent in real time.

The trigger signal is processed internally by the control and/or measurement equipment appropriately.

An aspect provides that the correlation is obtained by means of signals exchanged. The positioning system as well as the control and/or measurement equipment may communicate with each other in order to ensure the correlation.

Another aspect provides that the correlation is recorded in real time. This ensures to move the positioning system and, thus, the device under test located thereon at a high speed, particularly the maximum speed possible. Therefore, the entire measurement time required can be reduced appropriately, as it is not necessary that the positioning system stops or slows down when reaching a respective spherical position.

According to an embodiment not claimed, the control and/or measurement equipment transmits a request signal to the positioning system to return its exact spherical position.

According to the embodiment not claimed, the request signal may be sent whenever a respective time-dependent signal is transmitted by the device under test. Accordingly, the control and/or measurement equipment communicates simultaneously with the device under test as well as the positioning system. In fact, the device under test transmits the time-dependent signal to the control and/or measurement equipment via the measurement antenna, whereas the control and/or measurement equipment transmits the request signal to the positioning system.

According to the embodiment not claimed, the control and/or measurement equipment may know when the time dependent signal will be transmitted by means of the device under test. Therefore, the control and/or measurement equipment sends the request signal in due time, namely when the time dependent signal is outputted by the device under test. In other words, a synchronized communication may be provided, as the control and/or measurement equipment requests the exact spherical position of the positioning system when the device under test sends the time dependent signal, namely at the respective measurement position. Thus, a high resolution can be achieved.

According to the embodiment not claimed, the positioning system receives and processes the request signal. The positioning system may have an internal processing unit that is enabled to process the request signal receives.

According to the embodiment not claimed, the positioning system may await the request signal and saves information of its exact spherical position. The positioning system may have an internal buffer or storage medium for storing the exact spherical position. Accordingly, the positioning system is enabled to directly send the information concerning the exact spherical position.

According to the embodiment not claimed, the positioning system may send a return signal to the control and/or measurement equipment, indicating its exact spherical position. Therefore, the positioning system is configured to transmit signals to the control and/or measurement equipment in order to establish a bidirectional communication link with the control and/or measurement equipment. Accordingly, the respective information as well as the control signals can be exchanged between the control and/or measurement equipment and the positioning system that moves the device under test along a sphere. As mentioned above, the positioning system is enabled to process signals received from the control and/or measurement equipment in order to forward its exact spherical position to the control and/or measurement equipment.

According to the embodiment not claimed, the positioning system returns its current exact position in real time. The control and/or measurement equipment receives the respective return signal from the positioning system, wherein the respective information received, namely the exact spherical position of the positioning system, is processed in order to correlate the control and/or measurement equipment, namely the measurement data, with the exact spherical position of the positioning system.

Particularly, the trigger signal indicates that a certain spherical position will be reached by the positioning system. Therefore, the control and/or measurement equipment gets aware of an upcoming measurement position in time.

As mentioned above, the control and/or measurement equipment receives and processes the trigger signal in order to prepare itself for an upcoming measurement. The measurement corresponds to the reception of the time dependent signal from the device under test. In other words, the control and/or measurement equipment gets armed for the respective measurement.

The control and/or measurement equipment may transmit the request signal in response to the trigger signal received from the positioning system. Therefore, the trigger signal triggers the control and/or measurement equipment to prepare itself for an upcoming measurement while triggering the control and/or measurement equipment simultaneously to issue the request signal in order to get the exact spherical position of the positioning system.

Another aspect provides that the positioning system is moving continuously during the measurement of the totally radiated power of the device under test. The measurement time needed can be reduced, as the positioning system moves the device under test continuously.

Particularly, the positioning system is moving without stopping at respective measurement points, particularly without slowing down at the respective measurement points. Hence, the measurement time can be optimized.

For instance, the device under test is moved along the azimuth axis continuously. Additionally or alternatively, the device under test is moved along the elevation axis continuously or in a stepped manner. The device under test is moved at least along one of the axes in a continuous manner such that the device under test is moved continuously during the measurement of the totally radiated power.

Furthermore, a spherical position of the device under test may be derived from the spherical position of the positioning system. In fact, the positioning system has a certain location at which the device under test is to be mounted for testing purposes. Thus, the respective spherical position of the device under test can be determined from the exact spherical position of the positioning system that is transmitted.

In general, the test system is configured to perform a method of measuring a totally radiated power of a device under test as discussed above.

Generally, the features mentioned above also applies to the test system in a similar manner.

Accordingly, an extremely fast spherical data acquisition is ensured.

The control and/or measurement equipment may have freely configurable and/or signal depend request triggers (request signals). These request signals may be fed to a processing unit inside the positioning system that buffers (temporally stores) the true position of the positioning system, namely the exact spherical position. The duration of the request signals, namely the request triggers, is less than <NUM> which is more than sufficient for every kind of time dependent signal.

The maximum speed of the positioning system may be <NUM> deg/s, resulting in <NUM> seconds for one phi rotation. Assuming a signal repeatability of <NUM> (<NUM>-NR) this would result is roughly <NUM> measurements, i.e. an angular resolution of <NUM>°. This is ideal for a device under test with a highly directivity antenna, for instance a mobile phone.

When measuring both polarizations simultaneously, the total measurement time can be reduced to <NUM> Minutes in a stepped-continuous approach. The maximum expected angular error may be <NUM>°.

For the purposes of the present disclosure, the phrase "at least one of A, B, and C", for example, means (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B, and C), including all further possible permutations when greater than three elements are listed.

<FIG> shows a test system <NUM> for measuring a totally radiated power of a device under test <NUM>.

The test system <NUM> comprises an anechoic chamber <NUM> in which the device under test <NUM> is placed.

In fact, the device under test <NUM> is mounted on a positioning system <NUM> that is also located within the anechoic chamber <NUM>. The positioning system <NUM> is a <NUM>-dimensional positioning system such that the device under test <NUM> can be moved along a sphere for performing different measurements.

In general, the positioning system <NUM> is enabled to move the device under test <NUM> along an azimuth axis as well as along an elevation axis in a continuous manner. However, the positioning system <NUM> may also move the device under test <NUM> along the azimuth axis in a continuous manner, but along the elevation axis in a stepped manner.

Moreover, the test system <NUM> comprises a control and/or measurement equipment <NUM> that is connected with a measurement antenna <NUM> that is assigned to the anechoic chamber <NUM> as well, namely its interior.

In the shown embodiment, the test system <NUM> further comprises a reflector <NUM> which is located in the anechoic chamber <NUM>. The reflector <NUM> is assigned to the measurement antenna <NUM> as well as the device under test <NUM> such that far-field conditions can be achieved within the anechoic chamber <NUM>.

In the shown embodiment of <FIG>, the control and/or measurement equipment <NUM> comprises a signal generator <NUM>, an analyzer <NUM> as well as a trigger engine <NUM> that is used to communicate with the positioning system <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the trigger engine <NUM> has an input line <NUM> and an output line <NUM> that are assigned to the anechoic chamber <NUM>. Accordingly, the trigger engine <NUM> may issue a trigger via the output line <NUM> or receive a trigger via the input line <NUM>.

Moreover, the trigger engine <NUM> is connected with the analyzer <NUM>, for instance a spectrum analyzer, via its input line <NUM>. Thus, the trigger received via the input line <NUM> is also forwarded to the analyzer <NUM>.

In addition, the trigger engine <NUM> is connected with the signal generator <NUM> via its output line <NUM>.

The signal generator <NUM> as well as the analyzer <NUM> may be connected with the measurement antenna <NUM> such that radio frequency signals can be transmitted or received via the measurement antenna <NUM>.

Furthermore, a connection between a radio frequency signal processing unit <NUM> and the trigger engine <NUM> is established.

In any case, the control and/or measurement equipment <NUM> may know when the device under test <NUM> transmits a time-dependent signal, as this is processed by the respective components discussed above such that the respective information is forwarded to the trigger engine <NUM> if necessary, as will be discussed hereinafter with reference to <FIG>.

In a first step S1, the device under test <NUM> is moved along the azimuth axis and the elevation axis by means of the positioning system <NUM> in order to reach another measurement position at which the device under test <NUM> outputs the time dependent signal to be received by the measurement antenna <NUM> in order to gather measurement data. In fact, the measurement antenna <NUM> forwards the signal received to the control and/or measurement equipment <NUM> for further processing, for instance the analyzer <NUM>.

In a second step S2, the device under test <NUM> outputs the time dependent signal at the respective measurement position, wherein the time dependent signal is received and processed by the control and/or measurement equipment <NUM> to gather the measurement data.

In a third step S3, the control and/or measurement equipment <NUM>, according to an embodiment not claimed, transmits a request signal to the positioning system <NUM> to return its exact spherical position. The request signal may relate to a request trigger. Particularly, the request signal is sent by the trigger engine <NUM>. In fact, the request signal is sent whenever the respective time dependent signal is transmitted by the device under test <NUM>. This information is known to the control and/or measurement equipment <NUM>, particularly due to the signal processing unit <NUM> that has a communication link to the trigger engine <NUM>. The request signal is very short in time such that it can be sent during the transmission of the time dependent signal. Put differently, the request signal can be sent in real time.

In a fourth step S4 according to an embodiment not claimed, the positioning system <NUM> receives and processes the request signal. In fact, the positioning system <NUM> awaits the request signal and saves information of its exact spherical position, particularly buffers the information. Thus the positioning system <NUM> is enabled to output the information concerning its exact spherical position immediately.

In a fifth step S5 according to an embodiment not claimed, the positioning system <NUM> sends a response signal to the control and/or measurement equipment <NUM>, indicating its exact spherical position. The information is processed by the control and/or measurement equipment <NUM>, particularly the trigger engine <NUM>, in order to record a correlation between the positioning system <NUM> and the control and/or measurement equipment <NUM>. In fact, the correlation between the exact spherical positions of the positioning system <NUM> and the measurement data is recorded. In fact, the response signal may also be sent in real time.

Accordingly, the information concerning the exact spherical position of the positioning system <NUM> is gathered in real time.

Since the device under test <NUM> is located at a predefined position at the positioning system <NUM>, the spherical position of the device under test <NUM> can be derived from the position of the positioning system <NUM> received.

In a certain embodiment, the positioning system <NUM> may initially send a trigger signal to the control and/or measurement equipment <NUM>, particularly the trigger engine <NUM>. The trigger signal may indicate that a certain spherical position will be reached by the positioning system <NUM>. Hence, the control and/or measurement equipment <NUM> receiving and processing the trigger signal can prepare itself for an upcoming measurement.

Then, the control and/or measurement equipment <NUM> transmits the request signal in response to the trigger signal received from the positioning system <NUM>.

Alternatively, the control and/or measurement equipment <NUM> knows when the time dependent signal will be transmitted by means of the device under test <NUM>.

Generally, the communication between the control and/or measurement equipment <NUM> and the positioning system <NUM> is done in real time. This ensures that the positioning system <NUM> is enabled to move continuously during the measurement of the total radiated power of the device under test <NUM>, namely without stopping at respective measurement points, particularly without slowing down at the respective measurement points.

Claim 1:
A method of measuring a total radiated power of a device under test (<NUM>) by means of a test system (<NUM>), wherein the test system (<NUM>) has a measurement antenna (<NUM>), a positioning system (<NUM>) and a control and/or measurement equipment (<NUM>), wherein the device under test (<NUM>) is positioned on the positioning system (<NUM>), and wherein the method comprises the steps of:
- Moving the device under test (<NUM>) with respect to an azimuth axis and an elevation axis by means of the positioning system (<NUM>),
- Transmitting a time dependent signal by means of the device under test (<NUM>), and
- Recording a correlation between the control and/or measurement equipment (<NUM>) and a respective spherical position of the positioning system (<NUM>),
characterized in that
the device under test (<NUM>) is assigned to certain time frames during which the device under test (<NUM>) is permitted to send, resulting in the time dependent signal,
wherein the positioning system (<NUM>) sends a trigger signal to the control and/or measurement equipment (<NUM>) such that the control and/or measurement equipment (<NUM>) gets aware of an upcoming measurement position in time, wherein the control and/or measurement equipment (<NUM>) receives and processes the trigger signal in order to prepare it for an upcoming measurement which corresponds to the reception of the time dependent signal from the device under test (<NUM>).