Patent ID: 12192801

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of a measuring device and a measuring method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIRST EMBODIMENT

In the first embodiment, an example in which the measuring device of the present invention is applied to a base station simulator that tests a mobile terminal by simulating a base station will be described. First, the configuration of the base station simulator in the first embodiment will be described.

As shown inFIG.1, a base station simulator10in the present embodiment tests the communication function of a mobile terminal (User Equipment (UE))70by transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals to and from the UE70. The UE70is a terminal such as a mobile phone or a mobile terminal that transmits and receives a radio frequency signal corresponding to a predetermined communication standard, for example, a communication standard called 5G NR.

The base station simulator10includes a control unit20, a transmission/reception unit21, an analog signal processing unit (signal data calculation unit)22, an uplink layer processing unit23, a log data generation unit24, a trigger detection unit25, an IQ data memory unit26, an IQ data analysis unit27, a display unit28, and an operation unit29. The base station simulator10includes a microcomputer (not shown) including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, FPGA, an input/output circuit to which various interfaces are connected, and the like. That is, the base station simulator10causes the microcomputer to function as a base station simulator for testing the UE70by executing a control program stored in advance in the ROM. The base station simulator10constitutes a measuring device according to the present invention.

The control unit20is a function unit that controls the entire base station simulator10, and includes a pseudo base station control unit20a, a trigger setting unit20b, an analysis control unit20c, and a display control unit20d. The pseudo base station control unit20ais a control means for managing a plurality of pseudo base stations, transmits a radio frequency signal simulating each pseudo base station to the UE70according to a preset test scenario, receiving a radio frequency signal (signal to be measured) transmitted from the UE70that has received the radio frequency signal, and analyzing signal data included in the signal to be measured to execute a test for evaluating the communication function of the UE70.

The trigger setting unit20bperforms control to set a condition for instructing the acquisition (storage) timing of the signal data to be analyzed among the signal data (IQ data) calculated from the received signal to be measured. When the communication state satisfying this condition is entered, the trigger signal is output from the trigger detection unit25described later. The above conditions set by the trigger setting unit20bare hereinafter referred to as trigger conditions.

The analysis control unit20cexecutes analysis control for analyzing the IQ data (calculated by the analog signal processing unit22) stored in the IQ data memory unit26by receiving the trigger signal. The display control unit20dperforms display control for displaying various types of information such as IQ data analysis results on the display unit28.

The reception unit21ais a function unit that is provided corresponding to the uplink path in which the UE70transmits a signal (signal to be measured) to the base station simulator10, and receives the radio frequency signal which is the signal (uplink data).

A transmission unit21bis provided corresponding to a downlink path in which the UE70receives a signal from the base station simulator10. The transmission unit21btransmits the baseband data (hereinafter, simply referred to as “IQ data”) of an I-phase component (in-phase component) and a Q-phase component (orthogonal component) which are downlink data generated by a base station simulation calculation unit (not shown) described later under the control of the pseudo base station control unit20aof the control unit20to the UE70. When the UE70receives the baseband data transmitted from the transmission unit21b, the UE70transmits the baseband data as a response signal to the reception to the base station simulator10as the above-described signal to be measured.

The transmission/reception unit21is composed of the transmission unit21band the reception unit21a. The transmission/reception unit21communicates with the UE70via a Radio Frequency (RF) signal.

The analog signal processing unit22is an arithmetic processing function unit that receives an RF signal including uplink data from the UE70, received by the reception unit21a, as a signal to be measured, converts the signal to be measured from an analog signal to a digital signal, and performs a decoding process to calculate IQ data. The analog signal processing unit22constitutes the signal data calculation unit of the present invention together with the uplink layer processing unit23to be described later.

The uplink layer processing unit23is a part that performs signal processing of each layer of signal data calculated by the analog signal processing unit22. The uplink layer processing unit23includes a PHY processing unit23athat processes a Physical Layer (PHY layer), a MAC processing unit23bthat processes a Medium Access Control Layer (MAC layer) above the PHY layer, an RLC processing unit23cthat processes a Radio Link Control Layer (RLC layer) above the MAC layer, a PDCP processing unit23dthat processes a Packet Data Convergence Protocol Layer (PDCP layer) above the RLC layer, and an RRC processing unit23ethat processes a Radio Resource Control Layer (RRC layer) above the PDCP layer.

In the uplink layer processing unit23, the PHY processing unit23aperforms signal processing in the PHY layer on the signal data input from the analog signal processing unit22, and inputs the signal data to the MAC processing unit23b. Examples of physical layer level channels, control information, and reception status information related to signal processing in the PHY layer are shown below.

First, channels include UpLink-Random Access CHannel (UL-RACH), UpLink Shared CHannel (uplink data channel (UL-SCH)), Physical Random Access CHannel (physical channel for random access (PRACH)), Physical Uplink Shared CHannel (PUSCH), Physical Uplink Control CHannel (PUCCH) and the like.

As the control information, Uplink Control Information (UCI), Scheduling Request (SR), Channel State Information (CSI), Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest ACKnowledgement (request response signal (HARQ-ACK)), Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) and the like are used. Further, UCI (SR), which is a UCI in which SR is inserted, UCI (CSI), which is a UCI in which CSI is inserted, and UCI (HARQ-ACK), which is a UCI in which HARQ-ACK is inserted, are also used.

In addition, reception status information includes Discontinuous Transmission (voice signal non-input state information (DTX)), Cyclic Redundancy Check (redundancy check code for error detection (CRC)) failure information (CRC NG), CRC success information (CRC OK), decoding failure information (Decode NG), decoding success information (Decode OK) and the like.

It is disclosed that the PHY processing unit23ashown inFIG.1has a configuration capable of processing the above-described channel, control information, and reception status information. Further, a configuration is also disclosed in which the PHY processing unit23ahas a demultiplexer (DEMUX) and the uplink data from the PUSCH is separated into two parts, UL-SCH and UCI, and transmitted.

Since the PHY processing unit23ahas a configuration capable of processing the above-described channel, control information, and reception status information, the base station simulator10can perform tests according to various test scenarios such as the following test scenarios 1 to 3.

Test scenario 1: The pseudo base station transmits a test signal as downlink data to the UE70, and the UE70responds, for example, with UCI (SR), UCI (CSI), and UCI (HARQ-ACK).

Test scenario 2: The pseudo base station transmits a test signal as downlink data to the UE70, and grasps the reception status from the response with, for example, either DTX, CRC NG, CRC OK, or Decode NG, and Decode OK from the UE70.

Test scenario 3: Perform tests based on test scenarios 1 and 2 at each channel level.

The MAC processing unit23bprocesses each processing signal of the PHY layer input from the PHY processing unit23aas a signal of the MAC layer, and passes the processed signal to the RLC processing unit23c. The RLC processing unit23cprocesses each processing signal of the MAC layer input from the MAC processing unit23bas a signal of the RLC layer, and passes the processed signal to the PDCP processing unit23d. The PDCP processing unit23dprocesses each processing signal of the PLC layer input from the RLC processing unit23cas a signal of the PDCP layer, and passes the processed signal to the RRC processing unit23e. The RRC processing unit23eprocesses each processing signal of the PDCP layer input from the PDCP processing unit23das a signal of the PRC layer.

In the uplink layer processing unit23, the signal of each layer processed by the PHY processing unit23a, the MAC processing unit23b, the RLC processing unit23c, the PDCP processing unit23d, and the RRC processing unit23eis transmitted to the log data generation unit24. Of these, the signal of each layer processed by the PHY processing unit23aand the MAC processing unit23bis also is transmitted to the trigger detection unit25.

In this way, the uplink layer processing unit23is configured to perform a communication protocol process of each layer in accordance with a predetermined communication standard, processes the signal data from the analog signal processing unit22to output the signal data to the log data generation unit24, and outputs the signal data of the PHY layer and the MAC layer to the trigger detection unit25.

The log data generation unit24generates log data from the signal data output from the uplink layer processing unit23. The log data generated by the log data generation unit24includes time information and identifier information. The log data generated by the log data generation unit24is stored in a log data storage unit (not shown) composed of a large-capacity storage medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a flash memory, for example.

The log data generation unit24has an IQ analysis parameter generation unit24a. The IQ analysis parameter generation unit24agenerates IQ analysis parameters based on the signal data generated as described above, and transmits the generated IQ analysis parameters to a log data display unit28adescribed later.

The trigger detection unit25has a function of monitoring the communication state involved in the above-described channels, control information and reception status information of the PHY layer and the MAC layer, based on the signal data of the PHY layer and the MAC layer input from the PHY processing unit23aand the MAC processing unit23bof the uplink layer processing unit23, and determining (detecting) whether or not a communication state satisfies a preset trigger condition. The trigger condition is composed of, for example, a channel, a signal (for example, limited to the PHY layer and the MAC layer) type, and a reception status to be analyzed. The trigger condition can be set for each cell of a plurality of pseudo base stations (cells) under the control of the pseudo base station control unit20aprovided in the control unit20, for example. The trigger condition is set, under the control of the trigger setting unit20bconstituting the control unit20, by using the setting screen displayed on a trigger setting display unit28bof the display unit28described later.

Among the information constituting the trigger condition, the cell to be analyzed can be selectively designated from the plurality of pseudo base stations (cells) under the control of the pseudo base station control unit20a. As the signal or channel to be analyzed, any one of ULSCH, UCI (SR), UCI (CSI), UCI (HARQ-ACK), PRACH or SRS can be selectively designated from the channels or control information described in the explanation of the configuration of the PHY processing unit23a. Further, the reception status can also be selectively designated from the above-described DTX, CRC NG, CRC OK, Decode NG, or Decode OK. The trigger condition may further include the total received power (total Power) of the signal to be analyzed.

The trigger detection unit25has a function of transmitting a trigger signal instructing to store the signal data under the communication state in the IQ data memory unit26, when detecting that a communication state satisfying the trigger condition has occurred. The trigger detection unit25constitutes the trigger signal output unit of the present invention.

The IQ data memory unit26stores signal data calculated by the analog signal processing unit22, and is composed of, for example, a ring buffer memory. When the trigger signal is input from the trigger detection unit25, the IQ data memory unit26stores the signal data (IQ data) calculated by the analog signal processing unit22in the ring buffer memory.

Since the IQ data memory unit26is composed of a ring buffer memory, when the trigger is set, for example, as shown inFIG.5A, writing of IQ data to the buffer memory is started before the trigger signal is generated (input), and when the trigger signal is generated (input), the writing of the IQ data is stopped within the range that does not overwrite the previous data in the designated range. With such a structure, the IQ data memory unit26can acquire IQ data before the trigger signal is generated.

Here, the range of IQ data acquired from the timing when the trigger signal is generated is determined based on, for example, the time before the trigger signal (Trigger Offset O) and the data acquisition time (Data length L), as shown inFIG.5B.FIG.5Bshows an example in which the ratio of Trigger Offset O to Data length L is 1:6, and IQ data corresponding to the data acquisition time (Data length L) and the addition time of 5 times the data acquisition time is acquired. As described above, the IQ data memory unit26has a function of receiving a trigger signal and extracting IQ data in a predetermined section according to a predetermined timing from the signal data, and constitutes the signal extraction unit of the present invention. Further, the IQ data memory unit26stores the signal data calculated by the analog signal processing unit22in the ring buffer memory, and constitutes the storage unit of the present invention.

The IQ data analysis unit27is a processing function unit that analyzes and processes IQ data stored in the IQ data memory unit26under the control of the analysis control unit20c, and includes an IQ data reading unit27a, a parameter reading unit27b, and data analysis unit27c. The IQ data reading unit27aperforms a process of reading IQ data stored in the IQ data memory unit26. The parameter reading unit27bexecutes a process of reading the IQ analysis parameters generated by the IQ analysis parameter generation unit24aof the log data generation unit24in accordance with the IQ data reading by the IQ data reading unit27a. The data analysis unit27cexecutes a process of analyzing the IQ data read from the IQ data memory unit26based on the IQ analysis parameters. The IQ data analysis unit27and the IQ data memory unit26are preferably connected by a wired cable. The IQ data analysis unit27constitutes the IQ data analysis unit of the present invention.

The display unit28includes a log data display unit28a, a trigger setting display unit28b, and an analysis result display unit28c. The log data display unit28ais a part that displays a display screen for displaying a log, and the trigger setting display unit28bis a part that displays a setting screen30(seeFIG.2) for setting a trigger condition, and the analysis result display unit28cis a part that displays analysis result screens40a(seeFIG.6) and40b(seeFIG.7).

In the control unit20, the display control unit20dgenerates a display screen for displaying the log, reads the log data from the log data storage unit according to the operation content of the operation unit29, and displays the log based on the information included in the log data on the log data display unit28a. The display control unit20dalso generates the setting screen30(seeFIG.2) for setting the trigger condition, reads the setting screen30according to the operation content of the operation unit29, and displays the setting screen30on the trigger setting display unit28b. Further, the display control unit20dgenerates the analysis result screens40aand40b(seeFIGS.6and7) for displaying the analysis result of the IQ data by the IQ data analysis unit27, reads the analysis result screens40aand40baccording to the operation contents of the operation unit29, and displays the analysis result screens40aand40bon the analysis result display unit28c.

The operation unit29is composed of an input device such as a keyboard, dial or mouse, a display for displaying test conditions, control circuits and software for controlling these, and is operated by the examiner to input each test condition, and set display contents of the display unit28.

The operation of the base station simulator10having the above-described configuration will be described below. As described above, in the base station simulator10, in the test performed according to the test scenario under the control of the pseudo base station control unit20a, the RF signal (signal to be measured) including the uplink data from the UE70is received by the reception unit21a, and the signal data including the IQ data is calculated by the signal processing in the analog signal processing unit22.

The signal data calculated by the analog signal processing unit22is input to the uplink layer processing unit23and subjected to signal processing of each layer, and the signal data after signal processing of the PHY layer and the MAC layer is input to the trigger detection unit25. The signal data (IQ data) calculated by the analog signal processing unit22is also input to the IQ data memory unit26.

In the base station simulator10having such an uplink signal processing function, in order to analyze the signal data input from the analog signal processing unit22to the IQ data memory unit26, it is necessary to set the trigger condition for issuing the trigger signal that activates the acquisition operation of the IQ data to be analyzed in the IQ data memory unit26.

The trigger condition setting processing operation in the base station simulator10will be described with reference to the flowchart shown inFIG.3.

In order to set the trigger condition in the base station simulator10, first, the operation unit29performs a predetermined trigger setting start operation. By this trigger setting start operation, the trigger setting unit20bcauses the trigger setting display unit28bof the display unit28to display the trigger condition setting screen30(step S1).

As shown inFIG.2, the setting screen30includes, for example, a cell designation tool31, a trigger type designation tool32, a reception status designation tool33, an OK button34, and a cancel button35. The cell designation tool31is for selectively designating a pseudo base station (cell) to be analyzed for IQ data. The trigger type designation tool32is for selectively designating the signal type (trigger type) to be analyzed. The reception status designation tool33is for selectively designating the communication state (reception status) of the signal to be analyzed. The OK button34is a tool for instructing the start of setting, and the cancel button35is a tool for instructing cancellation of the setting.

After the setting screen30is displayed in step S1, the trigger setting unit20breceives the designation of the cell to be analyzed by the cell designation tool31on the setting screen30(step S2). The cell option is all pseudo base stations under the control of the pseudo base station control unit20a.

Next, the trigger setting unit20breceives the designation of the trigger type by the trigger type designation tool32on the setting screen30(step S3). The trigger type option is, for example, either ULSCH, UCI (SR), UCI (CSI), UCI (HARQ-ACK), PRACH or SRS.

Subsequently, the trigger setting unit20breceives the designation of the reception status of the signal to be analyzed by the reception status designation tool33on the setting screen30(step S4). Examples of the communication state options include DTX, CRC NG, CRC OK, or Decode NG, Decode OK and the like.

Further, the trigger setting unit20bmonitors whether or not the OK button34on the setting screen30is pressed, and when the OK button34is pressed, the trigger setting unit20bsets the trigger condition including each item designated in the above steps S2to S4(step S5), and completes a series of trigger condition setting processes.

FIG.2shows a display example of the setting screen30at the time of setting a trigger condition in which the cell to be analyzed is a cell having an identifier of “CELL #1”, the trigger type is “UL-SCH”, and the reception status is “CRC NG”.

The trigger condition set as described above is passed from the trigger setting unit20bto the trigger detection unit25. The trigger detection unit25monitors whether or not the communication state satisfies the trigger condition acquired from the trigger setting unit20b. When it is detected that the communication state satisfies the trigger condition, the trigger detection unit25outputs a trigger signal to the IQ data memory unit26at a predetermined timing.

According to the trigger condition set on the setting screen30shown inFIG.2, the base station simulator10outputs the trigger signal when the signal data using the UL-SCH of the uplink data from the UE70is CRC NG, in the simulated communication between the cell having the identifier of “CELL #1” and the UE70.

When the IQ data memory unit26receives the trigger signal, the IQ data memory unit26acquires (stores) IQ data in a predetermined section (corresponding to the predetermined timing) as an analysis target from the signal data calculated by the analog signal processing unit22. Then, the IQ data analysis unit27executes the analysis process on the IQ data stored in the IQ data memory unit26.

Next, the IQ data analysis processing operation in the base station simulator10will be described with reference to the flowchart shown inFIG.4. Here, it is assumed that the base station simulator10performs the test of the UE70according to the test scenario under the control of the pseudo base station control unit20aand transmit and receive a radio frequency signal to and from the UE70. It is premised that the IQ data analysis process in the base station simulator10is performed on the uplink data transmitted from the UE70to the base station simulator10in the test.

In performing the IQ data analysis process, the trigger detection unit25acquires and holds the trigger condition set by the trigger setting unit20b(step S11).

After that, when the test of the UE70is started under the control of the pseudo base station control unit20a, the radio frequency signal is transmitted and received to and from the UE70, and the uplink data from the UE70is received by the reception unit21a(step S12), and is input to the analog signal processing unit22.

Next, the analog signal processing unit22receives the uplink data input from the reception unit21aas a signal to be measured, converts the signal to be measured from an analog signal to a digital signal, and executes an arithmetic process for calculating signal data (IQ data) (step S13).

The signal data calculated by the arithmetic process in step S13is transmitted to the uplink layer processing unit23and the IQ data memory unit26(step S14).

The uplink layer processing unit23sequentially performs the processes of the PHY layer, the MAC layer, the RLC layer, the PDCP layer, and the RRC layer on the signal data from the analog signal processing unit22(step S15). Then, the processed signal data is transmitted to the log data generation unit24, and the signal data of the PHY layer and the MAC layer is transmitted to the trigger detection unit25.

The trigger detection unit25collates the input signal data of the PHY layer and the MAC layer with the trigger condition that has already been acquired (see step S11), and determines whether or not the communication state of the signal data satisfies the trigger condition (step S16). In a case where it is determined that the communication state of the signal data does not satisfy the trigger condition (NO in step16), the processes of step S12and subsequent steps are continued.

On the other hand, in a case where it is determined that the communication state of the signal data satisfies the trigger condition (YES in step16), the trigger detection unit25outputs the trigger signal to the IQ data memory unit26at a predetermined timing (step S17).

The IQ data memory unit26is composed of a ring buffer memory having a predetermined storage capacity, and always stores (secures) the latest signal data of the above storage capacity among the signal data input from the analog signal processing unit22. When the IQ data memory unit26receives the trigger signal output by the trigger detection unit25, the IQ data memory unit26extracts IQ data in a predetermined section corresponding to the predetermined timing described above from the secured signal data (step S18).

Next, in the IQ data analysis unit27, the IQ data reading unit27areads IQ data in a predetermined section from the IQ data memory unit26, and the data analysis unit27cexecutes an analysis process of the read IQ data (step S19). Here, the data analysis unit27canalyzes the read IQ data, based on the IQ analysis parameters read from the log data by the parameter reading unit27b.

During the execution of the IQ data analysis process in step S19, the display control unit20dexecutes a control for displaying the analysis result of the IQ data by the data analysis unit27con the analysis result display unit28c.FIGS.6and7show display examples of IQ data analysis results on the analysis result display unit28c. In both the analysis result screen40ashown inFIG.6and the analysis result screen40bshown inFIG.7, a so-called constellation display form in which points corresponding to each measured value of the signal to be measured (multi-level quadrature modulation signal) are arranged on the IQ coordinate plane is adopted.

The analysis result screen40ashown inFIG.6shows, for example, a display example of the analysis result of IQ data corresponding to the case where the reception status is set to a value corresponding to the communication failure such as “CRC NG”, for example, in the setting of the trigger condition using the setting screen30shown inFIG.2. According to the constellation display form of the analysis result screen40a, the points corresponding to the measured values on the IQ coordinate plane are observed to be present at positions significantly deviated from the ideal measurement points of the multi-level quadrature modulation signal.

The analysis result screen40bshown inFIG.7shows, for example, a display example of the analysis result of IQ data corresponding to the case where the reception status is set to a value corresponding to the communication success such as “CRC OK”, for example, in the setting of the trigger condition using the setting screen30shown inFIG.2. According to the constellation display form of the analysis result screen40b, the points corresponding to the measured values on the IQ coordinate plane are observed to be present at positions close to the ideal measurement points of the multi-level quadrature modulation signal.

When the IQ data analysis process in step S19is completed, the pseudo base station control unit20aperforms controls to end the series of IQ data analysis processes.

According to the base station simulator10that sets the trigger condition by using the setting screen30shown inFIG.2and executes the IQ data analysis process according to the flowchart shown inFIG.4, regarding the signal processing of the PHY layer of the uplink data from the UE70, it becomes possible to analyze IQ data according to the above-described test scenarios 1 to 3 and the like.

The present embodiment illustrates an example in which the signal data (the signal stored corresponding to the output of the trigger signal) extracted by the IQ data memory unit26is the signal data of the physical layer (PHY layer) and the trigger condition set by the trigger setting unit20bis contents including the trigger type and the reception status, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the trigger condition may be the information form including the information managed in accordance with each pseudo base station under the control of the pseudo base station control unit20a, for example, the act time (the period for activating the communication operation of the pseudo base station).

As described above, the base station simulator10according to the present embodiment includes a reception unit21athat receives a signal to be measured transmitted from the UE70, an analog signal processing unit22that converts the signal to be measured into a digital signal and calculates signal data, a trigger detection unit25that outputs a trigger signal at a predetermined timing when a predetermined trigger condition is satisfied, an IQ data memory unit26that receives the trigger signal and extracts IQ data in a predetermined section according to a predetermined timing from the signal data, and an IQ data analysis unit27that analyzes the extracted IQ data.

With this configuration, the base station simulator10according to the present embodiment can acquire IQ data in a predetermined section of the signal to be measured and analyze the IQ data only under a communication state satisfying the trigger condition, and can support a detailed analysis process of the IQ data at a desired signal type, channel, or reception status level, depending on the setting of the trigger condition.

Further, the base station simulator10according to the present embodiment has a configuration in which a predetermined section according to a predetermined timing starts before the predetermined timing. With this configuration, the base station simulator10according to the present embodiment can extract, as an analysis target, IQ data in a predetermined section starting from a time point before it is determined that the trigger condition is satisfied, and can reliably analyze the IQ data under the reception status satisfying the trigger condition.

Further, the base station simulator10according to the present embodiment further includes an IQ data memory unit26that stores the signal data calculated by the analog signal processing unit22in a ring buffer memory, and the IQ data memory unit26extracts signal data in a predetermined section from the signal data stored in the ring buffer memory.

With this configuration, the base station simulator10according to the present embodiment can always secure the latest fixed amount of signal data among the signal data sequentially calculated by the analog signal processing unit22in the ring buffer memory, and reliably extract IQ data in a predetermined section starting from a time point before it is determined that the trigger condition is satisfied.

Further, the base station simulator10according to the present embodiment has a configuration to output a trigger signal when the signal data extracted by the IQ data memory unit26is the signal data of the physical layer, and the predetermined trigger condition is either ULSCH, UCI (SR), UCI (CSI), UCI (HARQ-ACK), PRACH or SRS, the total received power (total Power) is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold, and the reception status is DTX, CRC NG, CRC OK, Decode NG, or Decode OK.

With this configuration, the base station simulator according to the present embodiment can implement detailed analysis of IQ data at the reception status level such as DTX, CRC NG, CRC OK, or Decode NG, Decode OK for ULSCH, UCI (SR), UCI (CSI), UCI (HARQ-ACK), PRACH, SRS, or the like which are related to communication at the physical layer, depending on the setting of a predetermined trigger condition.

Further, in the base station simulator10according to the present embodiment, the signal data extracted by the IQ data memory unit26is the signal data of the physical layer, and the trigger condition is managed in accordance with a pseudo base station that simulates communication with the UE70, and includes a period (act time) for activating the communication operation of the pseudo base station.

With this configuration, the base station simulator10according to the present embodiment operates to receive the signal to be measured at a timing managed by the pseudo base station by setting a predetermined act time as a predetermined trigger condition, and can reliably analyze the IQ data included in the signal to be measured at that time.

Further, the measuring method according to the present embodiment is a measuring method for measuring a signal to be measured received from a UE70by using a measuring device1(or a base station simulator10) that tests the operation of the communication function of the UE70by performing communication simulating a base station with the UE70that transmits and receives radio frequency signals, and includes a trigger condition acquisition step (S11) of acquiring an arbitrary channel of a physical layer used for receiving the signal to be measured, a predetermined trigger condition in which the reception status of the signal to be measured in the channel is designated, a reception step (S12) of receiving the signal to be measured from the UE70, a signal data calculation step (S13) of converting the signal to be measured into a digital signal and calculating signal data, a trigger signal output step (S17) of outputting a trigger signal at a predetermined timing when a predetermined trigger condition is satisfied, a signal extraction step (S18) of receiving the trigger signal and extracting IQ data in a predetermined section according to a predetermined timing from the signal data, and an IQ data analysis step (S19) of analyzing the extracted IQ data.

With this configuration, the measuring method according to the present embodiment can acquire IQ data in a predetermined section of the signal to be measured and analyze the IQ data only under a communication state satisfying the trigger condition, and can support a detailed analysis process of the IQ data at a desired signal type, channel, or reception status level, depending on the setting of the trigger condition.

Second Embodiment

Next, the configuration of the measuring device1according to a second embodiment will be described with reference toFIG.8.

As shown inFIG.8, a measuring device1according to the present embodiment has a system configuration in which a base station simulator signal processing device10A and a base station simulator control device50are communicably connected via a hub60. The base station simulator control device50is connected to the hub60by, for example, a network65using Ethernet (registered trademark).

The base station simulator signal processing device10A has a conceptual configuration equivalent to that of the base station simulator10(seeFIG.1) according to the first embodiment, except for some functional blocks. The base station simulator signal processing device10A according to the present embodiment operates as a base station simulator under the control of the base station simulator control device50, and a pseudo base station control function unit that performs communication simulating a base station with the UE70(equivalent to the UE70in the first embodiment), a function unit that controls the analysis of IQ data, a function unit that displays the analysis result of IQ data, or the like are entrusted to the control functions of the base station simulator control device50.

As shown inFIG.8, the base station simulator signal processing device10A includes a transmission/reception unit11having a reception unit11aand a transmission unit11b, a signal data calculation unit12, a trigger signal output unit13, a signal extraction unit14, a storage unit15, and an external interface (I/F) unit16.

In the base station simulator signal processing device10A, the reception unit11acorresponds to the reception unit21aof the base station simulator10according to the first embodiment. The signal data calculation unit12also corresponds to the analog signal processing unit22and the uplink layer processing unit23. The trigger signal output unit13also corresponds to the trigger detection unit25. The signal extraction unit14and the storage unit15also correspond to the IQ data memory unit26. The external interface (I/F) unit16is interface means for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the hub60.

The base station simulator control device50is composed of, for example, a computer device such as a personal computer (PC), and functions as a control PC that comprehensively controls various control operations of the base station simulator signal processing device10A for testing the UE70. As shown inFIG.8, the base station simulator control device50includes a control unit51, an IQ data analysis unit52, an external interface (I/F) unit53, a display unit54, and an operation unit55.

In the base station simulator control device50, the control unit51has a control function equivalent to that of the control unit20of the base station simulator10according to the first embodiment. That is, the control unit51includes a pseudo base station control unit51a, a trigger setting unit51b, an analysis control unit51c, and a display control unit51drespectively equivalent to the pseudo base station control unit20a, the trigger setting unit20b, the analysis control unit20c, and the display control unit20din the control unit20of the base station simulator10according to the first embodiment. Further, in the base station simulator control device50, the IQ data analysis unit52is equivalent to the IQ data analysis unit27of the base station simulator10according to the first embodiment. The display unit54and the operation unit55are equivalent to the display unit28and the operation unit29, respectively. The external interface (I/F) unit53is interface means for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the hub60via the network65.

In the measuring device1having the system configuration shown inFIG.8, the base station simulator signal processing device10A and the base station simulator control device50operate as follows, respectively. The reception unit11areceives the signal to be measured transmitted from the UE70(see step S12inFIG.4). The signal data calculation unit12converts the signal to be measured into a digital signal and executes a process of calculating the signal data (see step S13inFIG.4). The trigger signal output unit13outputs a trigger signal at a predetermined timing when a predetermined trigger condition is satisfied (see step S17inFIG.4). Upon receiving the trigger signal, the signal extraction unit14extracts IQ data in a predetermined section according to a predetermined timing from the signal data calculated by the signal data calculation unit (see step S18inFIG.4). Specifically, IQ data in a predetermined section is stored in the storage unit15composed of the ring buffer memory. Then, in the base station simulator control device50, the IQ data analysis unit52executes an analysis process of IQ data in a predetermined section stored in the ring buffer memory (see step S19inFIG.4).

As described above, in the measuring device1according to the second embodiment, the base station simulator signal processing device10A and the base station simulator control device50cooperate as a system to implement the IQ data analysis processing function similar to that of the single base station simulator10according to the first embodiment. That is, in the measuring device1according to the present embodiment, a control function for setting a trigger condition, outputting a trigger signal in a communication state satisfying the trigger condition, acquiring IQ data in a predetermined range in the PHY layer, and performing analysis thereof is the same as the base station simulator10according to the first embodiment. Thus, the measuring device1according to the second embodiment can be expected to have the same effect as the effect of the base station simulator10according to the first embodiment.

Further, the measuring device1according to the present embodiment has a configuration in which the signal extraction unit14(IQ data memory unit) and the IQ data analysis unit52are connected by a wired cable. With this configuration, the measuring device1according to the present embodiment can connect the same type of measuring devices in parallel when the number of base stations further increases, and can cope with the case where the signals to be transmitted and received increase.

In each of the above embodiments, the operation mode of 5G NR is illustrated, but the present invention can also be applied to an operation mode in which 5G NR and LTE are mixed, or a future operation mode in which 5G NR and the next communication standard are mixed.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above, a measuring device and a measuring method according to the present invention have an effect capable of setting conditions including a signal type, a channel, and a reception status, and performing detailed analysis of IQ data corresponding to a communication state satisfying the conditions, and are useful in general for measuring devices and measuring methods that perform analysis by setting conditions for uplink data from mobile terminals.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS AND SIGNS

1Measuring device10Base station simulator10A Base station simulator signal processing device11aReception unit12Signal data calculation unit13Trigger signal output unit14Signal extraction unit15storage unit21aReception unit22Analog signal processing unit (signal data calculation unit)23Uplink layer processing unit (signal data calculation unit)25Trigger detection unit (trigger signal output unit)26IQ data memory unit (signal extraction unit, storage unit)27IQ data analysis unit50Base station simulator control device52IQ data analysis unit70UE (User Equipment: mobile terminal)UL-RACH UpLink-Random Access ChannelUL-SCH Uplink Shared CHannelPRACH (Physical Random Access CHannel) Random access physical channelPUSCH Physical Uplink Shared CHannelPUCCH Physical Uplink Control CHannelUCI Uplink Control InformationSR (Scheduling Request) Schedule request signalCSI (Channel State Information) Channel status informationHARQ-ACK (Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest ACKnowledgement) Request response signalUCI (SR) UCI with SR insertedUCI (CSI) UCI with CSI insertedUCI (HARQ-ACK) UCI with HARQ-ACK insertedSRS (Sounding Reference Signal) Sounding reference signalDTX (Discontinuous Transmission) voice signal non-input state informationCRC NG Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) failure informationCRC OK CRC success informationDecode NG Decoding failure informationDecode OK Decoding success information