PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10621076-B2
Application Number: US-201615183980-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Methods for controlling mobile phones and instruments and systems using the same

Abstract:
Embodiments of the invention propose a method for mobile phone and instrument control a system using the method. The method for mobile phone and instrument control is performed by a processing unit and comprises the following steps: reading one script; determining what a destination is according to the script; if the destination is a mobile phone, transmitting a first control command to the mobile phone according to the script; and if the destination is one of a plurality of instruments, transmitting a second control command to the instrument according to the script.

Claims:
The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for mobile phone and instrument control performed by a processing unit of a standalone controller, the method comprising:
 reading, via the standalone controller, a set of scripts contained within a script text; 
 determining, via the standalone controller, for each script from among the set of scripts, (i) script content associated with a control command transmission, and (ii) a destination of the control command transmission according to the respective script, the destination being one of (i) a mobile phone, or (ii) one of a plurality of instruments, the mobile phone and the one of the plurality of instruments being simultaneously connected to the controller via a first connection and a second connection, respectively, as the set of scripts are read; 
 when the destination of the control command transmission is the mobile phone, transmitting the control command directly to the mobile phone via the first connection according to the respective script via a first bus controller associated with the standalone controller; and 
 when the destination is one of the plurality of instruments, transmitting the control command directly to the one of the plurality of instruments via the second connection according to the respective script via a second bus controller associated with the standalone controller, 
 wherein the first bus controller and the second bus controller are associated with different communication standards, 
 wherein additional scripts are read upon completion of the transmission of the control command to one of the mobile phone or the one of the plurality of instruments until each script from among the set of scripts is read, 
 wherein the one of the plurality of instruments is one of (i) an integrated tester, connected to the mobile phone, and configured to detect digital or analog signals output by the mobile phone, (ii) a power supplier configured to power the mobile phone on and off, or (iii) a signal emitter configured to transmit radio-frequency signals to the mobile phone, and 
 wherein the one of the plurality of instruments uses the transmitted control command received via the second connection to test the mobile device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method for mobile phone and instrument control of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first bus controller is a universal serial bus controller, and 
 wherein the second bus controller is a general-purpose instrumentation bus controller. 
 
     
     
       3. The method for mobile phone and instrument control of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 recording a first transmission log associated with transmitting the control command to the mobile phone; and 
 after receiving a first reply message from the mobile phone, recording a first reception log associated with receiving the first reply message. 
 
     
     
       4. The method for mobile phone and instrument control of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 storing or displaying the first transmission log and the first reception log. 
 
     
     
       5. The method for mobile phone and instrument control of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 recording a second transmission log associated with transmitting the control command to one of the plurality of instruments; and 
 after receiving a second reply message from the one of the plurality of instruments, recording a second reception log associated with receiving the second reply message. 
 
     
     
       6. The method for mobile phone and instrument control of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 storing or displaying the second transmission log and the second reception log. 
 
     
     
       7. A mobile phone and instrument control device including a standalone controller, the mobile phone and instrument control device comprising:
 a storage device configured to store, via the standalone controller, a script text including a set of scripts; and 
 a processing unit coupled to the storage device, the processing unit configured to, via the standalone controller:
 read each script from among the set of scripts included in the script text; 
 determine, for each script from among the set of scripts associated with a control command transmission, (i) script content associated with a control command transmission, and (ii) a destination of the control command transmission according to the respective script, the destination being one of (i) a mobile phone, or (ii) one of a plurality of instruments, the mobile phone and the one of the plurality of instruments being simultaneously connected to the standalone controller via a first connection and a second connection, respectively, as the set of scripts are read; 
 
 when the destination of the control command transmission is the mobile phone, transmitting the control command directly to the mobile phone via the first connection according to the respective script via a first bus controller associated with the standalone controller; and 
 when the destination is one of the multiple instruments, transmitting the control command directly to the one of the multiple instruments via the second connection according to the respective script via a second bus controller associated with the standalone controller, 
 wherein the first bus controller and the second bus controller are associated with different communication standards, 
 wherein additional scripts are read upon completion of the transmission of the control command to one of the mobile phone or the one of the plurality of instruments until each script from among the set of scripts is read, 
 wherein the one of the plurality of instruments is one of (i) an integrated tester, connected to the mobile phone, and configured to detect digital or analog signals output by the mobile phone, (ii) a spectrum analyzer configured to detect radio-frequency signals transmitted from the mobile phone, (iii) a power supplier configured to power the mobile phone on and off, or (iv) a signal emitter configured to transmit radio-frequency signals to the mobile phone, and 
 wherein the one of the plurality of instruments uses the transmitted control command received via the second connection to test the mobile device. 
 
     
     
       8. The mobile phone and instrument control device of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the first bus controller is a universal serial bus controller, and 
 wherein the second bus controller is a general-purpose instrumentation bus controller. 
 
     
     
       9. The mobile phone and instrument control device of  claim 8 , wherein the processing unit records a first transmission log associated with transmitting the first control command to the mobile phone and, after receiving a first reply message from the mobile phone, records a first reception log associated with receiving the first reply message. 
     
     
       10. The mobile phone and instrument control device of  claim 9 , wherein the processing unit stores or displays the first transmission log and the first reception log. 
     
     
       11. The mobile phone and instrument control device of  claim 9 , wherein the processing unit records a second transmission log associated with transmitting the second control command to the one of the plurality of instruments and, after receiving a second reply message from the one of the plurality of instruments, records a second reception log associated with receiving the second reply message. 
     
     
       12. The mobile phone and instrument control device of  claim 11 , wherein the processing unit stores and displays the second transmission log and the second reception log. 
     
     
       13. The method for mobile phone and instrument control of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 when, a script from among the set of scripts is not associated with a control command transmission, performing a corresponding operation according to the respective script. 
 
     
     
       14. The method for mobile phone and instrument control of  claim 13 , wherein the operation according to the respective script includes waiting for a period of time as indicated by the respective script. 
     
     
       15. The method for mobile phone and instrument control of  claim 1 , wherein the control command instructs a device associated with the destination of the control command transmission to perform at least one of powering off, performing an initialization action, or inquiring an identity code. 
     
     
       16. The method for mobile phone and instrument control of  claim 1 , wherein each script from among the set of scripts indicates a bus controller to be used for the mobile phone or the one of the plurality of instruments. 
     
     
       17. The method for mobile phone and instrument control of  claim 1 , wherein the act of reading the set of scripts occurs sequentially. 
     
     
       18. The mobile phone and instrument control device of  claim 7 , wherein the standalone controller is configured to operate in a standalone mode of operation that does not require communication with devices other than the mobile phone and the one of the plurality of instruments that are simultaneously connected to the standalone controller as the set of scripts are read. 
     
     
       19. The method for mobile phone and instrument control of  claim 1 , wherein the one of the plurality of instruments further includes a spectrum analyzer configured to detect radio-frequency signals transmitted from the mobile phone. 
     
     
       20. The method for mobile phone and instrument control of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of instruments includes each of the integrated tester, the spectrum analyzer, the power supplier, and the signal emitter.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a control technology, and particularly to a method for mobile phone and instrument control and a system using the method. 
     BACKGROUND 
     When a mobile phone is under test, instruments, for example, an integrated tester, a spectrum analyzer, a power supplier and a signal emitter, etc. are need to complete the test program. Conventionally, a script tool can only be connected to one of a mobile phone and an instrument for automatic control, while the other needs to be manually controlled. Therefore, there is a need for a method for mobile phone and instrument control and a system using the method to improve the above-mentioned issue. 
     SUMMARY 
     An embodiment of the present invention proposes a method for mobile phone and instrument control performed by a processing unit, the method comprising the following steps: reading a script; determining what a destination is according to the script; if the destination is a mobile phone, transmitting a first control command to the mobile phone according to the script; and if the destination is one of a plurality of instruments, transmitting a second control command to the instrument according to the script. 
     An embodiment of the present invention proposes a mobile phone and instrument control device, the device comprising at least a storage device and a processing unit. The storage device stores a script text. The processing unit coupled to the storage device reads a script from the script text; determines what a destination is according to the script; if the destination is a mobile phone, transmits a first control command to the mobile phone according to the script; and if the destination is one of a plurality of instruments, transmits a second control command to the instrument according to the script. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a system architecture according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram of a system architecture of a controller according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram of a system architecture for mobile phone and instrument control according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of a human-machine interface according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart of a method for mobile phone and instrument control according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following illustrations are preferred implementations of the present invention, with a purpose of describing the basic spirit of the present invention, instead of limiting the present invention. Reference must be made to the scope of the appended claims for actual contents of the invention. 
     It has to be appreciated that the terms such as “comprise” and “include” as used in the present description are used to indicate the presence of specific technical features, numerical values, method steps, action processing, elements and/or assemblies, but those terms do not exclude the addition of more technical features, numerical values, method step, action processing, elements, assemblies or any combinations thereof. 
     The terms such as “first”, “second”, “third” as used in the claims are used to define elements in the claims so as to merely distinguish the elements with the same name, and not to indicate any priority order or precedence relationship therebetween, one element preceding another, or a time sequence of implementing method steps. 
     An embodiment of the present invention proposes a system architecture for providing a testi for a mobile phone, the system architecture comprising a controller  110 , a mobile phone  130  and one or more instruments  150   a  to  150   n .  FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a system architecture according to an embodiment of the present invention. The controller  110  may be connected to the mobile phone  130  via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) and connected to the one or more instruments  150   a  to  150   n  via a General-Purpose Instrumentation Bus (GPIB), for transmitting a command to the mobile phone  130  and the instruments  150   a  to  150   n , respectively. The instruments  150   a  to  150   n  may be integrated testers, spectrum analyzers, power suppliers, or signal emitters, and the like. One of the instruments  150   a  to  150   n  may be connected to the mobile phone  130 . As an example, the instrument may be a power supplier connected to the mobile phone  130  for powering on/off the mobile phone. As another example, the instrument may be a spectrum analyzer for detecting radio-frequency signals transmitted from the mobile phone  130 . As still another example, the instrument may be an integrated tester connected to the mobile phone  130  for detecting digital or analog signals output by the mobile phone  130 . As yet another example, the instrument may be a signal emitter for transmitting radio-frequency signals to the mobile phone  130 . 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram of a system architecture of the controller  110  according to the embodiment of the present invention. This system architecture may be implemented in a desktop computer, a notebook computer or other computer devices, and at least comprises a processing unit  210 . The processing unit  210  may be implemented in various manners, for example, in a special purpose hardware circuit or a general purpose hardware, e.g., a single processor, a multiprocessor having a parallel processing capability, a graphics processor or other processors having computing capabilities, and provides functions described subsequently when executing program codes or software. The system architecture further comprises a memory  250  for storing data, eg. variables, data tables and playlists, required in the the process of execution and a storage unit  240  for storing various electronic files such as webpages, texts, audio files and video files. The system architecture further comprises a communication interface  260 , through which the processing unit  210  may communicate with other electronic devices. The communication interface  260  may include a universal serial bus controller and a general-purpose instrumentation bus controller. An input device  230  may include a keyboard, a mouse, or a touch panel, and the like. A user may press hard keys on a keyboard to enter characters, control a mouse through an operation thereof, or control an application in execution by making gestures on a touch panel. The gestures may include, but not limited to, a single-tap, a double-tap, a single-finger drag and a multi-finger drag, and the like. The display unit  220  may comprise a display panel (for example, a thin-film liquid crystal display panel, an organic light-emitting diode panel or other panels having display capabilities), for displaying input characters, numbers, symbols, moving tracks of a dragged mouse, drawn patterns or pictures presented by an application for a user to view. 
       FIG. 3  is a diagram of a system architecture for mobile phone and an instrument control according to an embodiment of the present invention. The processing unit  210  implements a function of a script tool  310  when loading and executing a related software instruction. The script tool  310  may read a script text  341  from a storage device  240 , and transmit a control command to the instruments  150   a  to  150   n  via the general-purpose instrumentation bus controller  361  and transmit a control command to the mobile phone  130  via the universal serial bus controller  363  according to a script of the script text  341 . The script tool  310  may additionally store the transmission log and messages replied by the instruments  150   a  to  150   n  and the mobile phone  130  in the log text  343  in the storage unit  240 , display the same on the display unit  220  or print file(s)  330 . The script tool  310  may comprise a human-machine interface, through which a required script text is started according to an operation of a user. 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of a human-machine interface according to an embodiment of the present invention. The human-machine interface comprises a function window  410  displayed on the display unit  220  and comprises a button  411  for activating the function of opening the script text. When detecting that the button  411  is pressed, the processing unit  210  drives the display unit  220  to display a text manager window  430 , such that the user can select and open a script text  431  in a text list. 
     An exemplary script of the script text is shown as follows:
         ETS, Id=CP Power, Power=Down   WAIT 500   ETS, Id=CP Init MS Cap Db   WAIT 500   ETS, Id=CP Init Nam   WAIT 500   Database=CP DB PSW MISC, Active NAM=NAM1, \   OpSid Entry for Last System=FALSE, \   Sprint PCS Only Mode=FALSE, \   Prl Enable=TRUE, Pending   Registration=PEND_REG_NONE, \   Pref Home MO Service Option=Reset All to default pref,\   Pref Home MT Service Option=Reset All to default pref,\   Pref Roam MT Service Option=Reset All to default pref,\   IS683 NamLock=FALSE   WAIT 500   PS:IDN?   TS:IDN?   Lognote afafafaf   end   loop 2   ETS, Id=CP Power, Power=Down   endloop       

     For example, the processing unit  210  transmits a control command to the mobile phone  130  according to the script “ETS, Id=CP Power, Power=Down”, for instructing the mobile phone  130  to power off. The processing unit  210  transmits a control command to the mobile phone  130  according to the scripts “ETS, Id=CP Init MS Cap Db” and “ETS, Id=CP Init Nam”, for instructing the mobile phone  130  to perform an initialization action. The processing unit  210  transmits a control command to the power supplier according to the script “PS:IDN?”, for inquiring for an identity code. The processing unit  210  transmits a control command to the integrated tester according to the script “TS:IDN?”, for inquiring for an identity code. 
     An exemplary log of the log text is shown as follows:
         20:56:32.046&lt;ETS, Id=CP Power, Power=Down   20:56:32.230&gt;OK   20:56:32.656&lt;ETS, Id=CP Init MS Cap Db   20:56:32.894&gt;OK   20:56:33.256&lt;ETS, Id=CP Init Nam   8:56:33 PM.654&gt;OK   20:56:33.675&lt;Database=CP DB PSW MISC, Active NAM=NAM1, OpSid Entry for Last System=FALSE, Sprint PCS Only Mode=FALSE, Prl Enable=TRUE, Pending Registration=PEND_REG_NONE, Pref Home MO Service Option=Reset All to default pref, Pref Home MT Service Option=Reset All to default pref, Pref Roam MT Service Option=Reset All to default pref, IS683 NamLock=FALSE   8:56:34 PM.042&gt;OK   20:56:34.484&lt;PS:IDN?   20:56:34.984&gt;Agilent Technologies, 66319D, MY43002618, A.03.01   20:56:38.465&lt;TS:IDN?   20:56:39.082&gt;Agilent Technologies, 8960Series 10E5515C, MY47512184, B.05.19       

     Each log comprises information about the time when a control command is transmitted or when a reply message is received. In addition, the symbol “&lt;” represents the transmission of a control command to the mobile phone  130  and one of the instruments  150   a  to  150   n , and the following words shows the control command actually transmitted. The symbol “&gt;” represents the receiving of a reply message from the mobile phone  130  and one of the instruments  150   a  to  150   n , and the following words shows the message actually received. 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart of a method for mobile phone and instrument control according to an embodiment of the present invention. This real-time broadcasting synchronization method is implemented by the processing unit  210  in the controller  110  when the processing unit  210  loads and executes the script tool. In this method, the script in the script text is periodically read, and corresponding operation is performed according to the content of the script. Specifically, after one (next) script is read (step S 511 ), it is determined whether to instruct the transmission of a control command (step S 531 ). If not, a corresponding operation, for example, waiting for a period of time, is performed (step S 533 ). If so, a determination is made as to what the destination of the transmission is (step S 535 ). When the destination of the transmission is a mobile phone (the left path in step S 535 ), a control command is transmitted to the mobile phone  130  via the universal serial bus controller  363  (step S 551 ), and one transmission log of transmitting the control command to the mobile phone  130  is recorded (step S 553 ); and after a reply message is received from the mobile phone  130  via the universal serial bus controller  363  (step S 555 ), one reception log of receiving the reply message from the mobile phone  130  is recorded (step S 557 ). When the destination of transmission is an instrument (the right path in step S 535 ), a control command is transmitted to one of the instruments  150   a  to  150   n  via the general-purpose instrumentation bus controller  361  (step S 571 ), and one transmission log of transmitting the control command to the instrument is recorded (step S 573 ); and after a reply message is received from the corresponding instrument via the general-purpose instrumentation bus controller  361  (step S 575 ), one reception log of receiving the reply message from the instrument is recorded (step S 577 ). Finally, the processing unit  210  determines whether all the scripts in the text are read completely (step S 591 ). If so, the entire flow ends; otherwise, continue to read a next script (step S 511 ). It should be noted herein that the transmission log and the reception log as described above may be stored in the log text  343  or displayed on the display unit  220 . 
     Although the elements described above are depicted in  FIG. 2 , it cannot be excluded that more other additional elements may be used to achieve better technical effects without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In addition, although the flowchart of the method in  FIG. 5  is performed in a specific order, persons skilled in the art could modify the order among the steps while achieving the same effects without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Hence, the present invention is not limited to only using the order as described above. 
     Although the present invention is described with the embodiments above, it should be noted that these descriptions are not intended to limit the present invention. Instead, the present invention encompasses modifications and similar settings apparent to persons skilled in the art. Hence, the scope of the claims of the present application should be construed in the broadest way so as to cover all the apparent modifications and similar settings.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20160616
Publication Date: 20200414
Grant Date: 20200414
Priority Date: 20150714
Inventors: XU, HAIBO
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H03F3/24", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/24", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B2001/0408", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F13/4282", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F11/2221", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F11/3688", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F11/3688", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F13/4282", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F11/2221", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/0475", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F13/4282", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 54579848