Test system as well as a method of testing a device under test

Abstract

A test system for testing a device under test comprises a testing device and a device under test. A beam control channel is established between the device under test and the testing device, via which a respective beam of the device under test to be applied is controlled such that beamforming of the device under test is carried out in the testing device. The testing device applies a transposed combined channel matrix, wherein the transposed combined channel matrix encompasses a transposed beamforming matrix of the device under test, a transposed channel matrix and a transposed beamforming matrix of an entity emulated by the testing device. Further, a method of testing a device under test is described.

Claims

1. A test system for testing a device under test, said test system comprising a testing device and a device under test, a beam control channel being established between said device under test and said testing device, via which a respective beam of said device under test to be applied is controlled by at least one beam control signal such that beamforming of said device under test is carried out in said testing device, said testing device processing said at least one beam control signal, said testing device applying a transposed combined channel matrix on a test signal for testing said device under test, said transposed combined channel matrix encompassing in sequence a transposed beamforming matrix of said device under test, a transposed channel matrix and a transposed beamforming matrix of an entity emulated by said testing device.

2. The test system according to claim 1, wherein said transposed combined channel matrix is established such that said transposed beamforming matrix of said device under test is applied prior to said transposed beamforming matrix of said entity emulated.

3. The test system according to claim 1, wherein said testing device corresponds to a network and channel emulator.

4. The test system according to claim 1, wherein said testing device is configured to simulate a communication entity for said device under test and parts of said device under test simultaneously.

5. The test system according to claim 1, wherein said testing device comprises a signaling circuit and a fading circuit.

6. The test system according to claim 5, wherein said signaling circuit comprises a baseband module, a first beamforming module and an input for said beam control channel, and wherein said fading circuit comprises a channel emulator and a second beamforming module.

7. The test system according to claim 6, wherein said baseband module is configured to generate said test signal, said first beamforming module being configured to adapt said test signal by applying said transposed beamforming matrix of said device under test, thereby generating a pre-adapted test signal, said channel emulator being configured to adapt said pre-adapted test signal by applying said transposed channel matrix, thereby generating an adapted test signal, said second beamforming module being configured to adapt said adapted test signal by applying said transposed beamforming matrix of said entity emulated, thereby generating an output test signal.

8. The test system according to claim 5, wherein said testing device has a housing that encompasses said signaling circuit and said fading circuit, said signaling unit and said fading unit being established by separate hardware circuits.

9. The test system according to claim 1, wherein said beam control channel is provided by an uplink interface.

10. The test system according to claim 9, wherein said uplink interface is an air interface.

11. The test system according to claim 9, wherein said uplink interface is at least one of a 5G-NR uplink interface and an LTE E-UTRA uplink interface.

12. The test system according to claim 1, wherein said testing device is configured to simulate multiple beams simultaneously.

13. The test system according to claim 1, wherein said testing device has an output and at least two baseband modules associated with said output.

14. A method of testing a device under test by a test system, comprising: establishing a beam control channel between a device under test and a testing device; submitting at least one beam control signal associated with said device under test from said device under test to said testing device via said beam control channel, said beam control signal defining the beam of said device under test to be applied; and processing said at least one beam control signal received by means of said testing device, thereby applying a transposed combined channel matrix on a test signal for testing said device under test, said transposed combined channel matrix encompassing in sequence a transposed beamforming matrix of said device under test, a transposed channel matrix and a transposed beamforming matrix of an entity emulated by said testing device.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein: said test signal is adapted by applying said transposed beamforming matrix of said device under test, thereby generating a pre-adapted test signal, said pre-adapted test signal is adapted by applying said transposed channel matrix, thereby generating an adapted test signal, and said adapted test signal is adapted by applying said transposed beamforming matrix of said entity emulated, thereby generating an output test signal.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said output test signal is forwarded to said device under test.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein said output test signal is forwarded via a downlink interface established between said device under test and said testing device.

18. A test system for testing a device under test, said test system comprising a testing device and a device under test, a beam control channel being established between said device under test and said testing device, via which a respective beam of said device under test to be applied is controlled by at least one beam control signal such that beamforming of said device under test is carried out in said testing device, said testing device configured to process said at least one beam control signal, said testing device configured to apply a transposed combined channel matrix on a test signal for testing said device under test, said transposed combined channel matrix encompassing a transposed beamforming matrix of said device under test, a transposed channel matrix and a transposed beamforming matrix of an entity emulated by said testing device, wherein said transposed combined channel matrix is established such that said transposed beamforming matrix of said device under test is applied prior to said transposed beamforming matrix of the emulated entity.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of the claimed subject matter will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 schematically shows a representative embodiment of a test system according to the present disclosure;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a more detailed overview of the test system of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a flow-chart of a representative method of testing a device under test according to the present disclosure; and

(5) FIG. 4 schematically shows another representative embodiment of a test system according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings, where like numerals reference like elements, is intended as a description of various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter and is not intended to represent the only embodiments. Each embodiment described in this disclosure is provided merely as an example or illustration and should not be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. The illustrative examples provided herein are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the claimed subject matter to the precise forms disclosed.

(7) FIG. 1 shows a test system 10 for testing a device under test 12, abbreviated by DUT. The test system 10 comprises the device under test 12 itself as well as a testing device 14, abbreviated by TD, which is established as a single-housed device with a housing 16.

(8) In the embodiment shown, the testing device 14 has a signaling circuit or unit 18 as well as a separately formed fading circuit or unit 20, wherein the signaling unit 18 and the fading unit 20 are connected with each other in a signal-transmitting manner. The signaling unit 18 and the fading unit 20 may be established by separately formed hardware circuits, for instance by different field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and/or different application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs).

(9) The signaling unit 18 has a baseband circuit or module 22 as well as a first beamforming module 24, whereas the fading unit 20 has a channel emulating circuit or channel emulator 26 and a second beamforming module 28.

(10) In FIG. 1, the baseband module 22 is abbreviated by “EE BB”, namely “entity emulated baseband”, the first beamforming module 24 is abbreviated by “DUT BF-Matrix” for “device under test Beamforming Matrix”, and the second beamforming module 28 is abbreviated by “EE BF-Matrix” for “entity emulated Beamforming Matrix”, which will be described later in more detail.

(11) In addition, the testing device 14 has a downlink interface 30 that is used to establish a downlink communication 31 with the device under test 12, which has a corresponding downlink interface 32. Further, the device under test 12 has an uplink interface 34 that establishes an uplink communication 35 with the testing device 14 having a corresponding uplink interface 36.

(12) In some embodiments, the respective downlink interfaces 30, 32 and the respective uplink interfaces 34, 36 may correspond to air interfaces, for instance a 5G-NR interface and/or an LTE E-UTRA interface. Hence, the downlink communication 31 and the uplink communication 35 are established over-the-air (OTA) without any cable connection.

(13) Moreover, the testing device 14, for example the signaling unit 18, has an input 38 that corresponds to the respective uplink interface 36 of the testing device 14. The signaling unit 18 may receive commands and/or signals via the input 38 from the device under test 12.

(14) In some embodiments, the testing device 14 and the device under test 12 have established a beam control channel 40 among each other, via which a respective beam of the device under test 12 to be applied can be controlled.

(15) The beam control channel 40 is provided by the respective uplink interfaces 34, 36, namely the uplink communication 35 established.

(16) Via the beam control channel 40, a beam control signal can be forwarded from the device under test 12 to the testing device 14. This means that information with regard to a beamforming function of the device under test 12 is submitted via the beam control channel 40 by at least one beam control signal.

(17) The respective information is processed by testing device 14, namely the signaling unit 18. Hence, the beamforming function of the device under test 12 is carried out in the testing device 14 while applying the respective information received via the beam control channel 14 on a signal generated within the signaling unit 18 of the testing device 12, as will be described later.

(18) In FIG. 2, the test system 10 of FIG. 1 is shown in more detail, as it is further illustrated, that the respective beamforming modules 24, 28 each comprise an antenna weighting component 42, 44 as well as a respective antenna array component 46, 48.

(19) In some embodiments, the first beamforming module 24 comprises the first antenna weighting component 42, abbreviated by “antenna weighting DUT”, as well as the first antenna array component 46, abbreviated by “antenna array DUT”, whereas the second beamforming module 28 comprises the second antenna array component 48, abbreviated by “antenna weighting EE”, as well as the second antenna weighting component 44, abbreviated by “antenna array EE”. The corresponding abbreviated names of the components 42-48 will become clear later when describing the operation of the test system 10 while referring to FIG. 3.

(20) The baseband module 22 of the signaling unit 18 is connected with the first beamforming module 24, namely the first antenna weighting component 42, as well as the second beamforming module 28, namely the second antenna weighting component 44. Hence, information may be forwarded from the baseband module 22 to the second antenna weighting component 44.

(21) Further, the device under test 12 also has a baseband circuit or module 50, abbreviated by “BB” in FIG. 2, which is assigned to a respective signaling circuit or unit 52.

(22) The signaling unit 52 of the device under test 12 is assigned to the uplink interface 34 such that the signaling unit 52 communicates via the beam control channel 40 with the first beamforming module 24 of the testing device 14, namely the first antenna weighting component 42 of the first beamforming module 24.

(23) In addition, FIG. 2 reveals that the testing device 14 has a digital to analog converter 54 as well as a high-frequency output 56, whereas the device under test 12 has a high-frequency input 58 and an analog-to-digital converter 60.

(24) The test system 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is generally configured to perform a method of testing the device under test 12 that will be described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 3. In some embodiments, the test system 10, or components thereof, is configured to carry out one or more steps of method claims 14-17.

(25) In a first step S1, the beam control channel 40 is established between the device under test 12 and the testing device 14, for example between the respective uplink interfaces 34, 36, namely as part of the uplink communication 35.

(26) In a second step S2, at least one beam control signal associated with the device under test 12 is submitted from the device under test 12, for example the signaling unit 52, to the testing device 14 via the beam control channel 40. The beam control signal defines the beam of the device under test 12 to be applied for testing purposes. In some embodiments, the beam control signal comprises the respective information of the beam to be applied.

(27) In a third step S3, the testing device 14 receives the beam control signal via the input 38 associated with the respective uplink interface 36.

(28) In a fourth step S4, the beam control signal is processed by the testing device 14, for example the first beamforming module 24, namely the first antenna weighting component 42 of the first beamforming module 24.

(29) In a fifth step S5, a test signal is generated by means of the signaling unit 18, namely the baseband module 22 of the signaling unit 18.

(30) The baseband module 22 is connected with the first beamforming module 24, for example the first antenna weighting component 42, such that the test signal initially generated by the baseband module 22 is forwarded to the first beamforming module 24, namely the first antenna weighting component 42.

(31) In a sixth step S6, the first beamforming module 24, namely the first antenna weighting component 42, adapts the initially generated test signal received from the baseband module 22 by applying a transposed beamforming matrix of the device under test 12, thereby generating a pre-adapted test signal.

(32) The respective information associated with the transposed beamforming matrix applied on the initially generated signal was obtained via the beam control channel 40 previously.

(33) Hence, the first beamforming module 24 applies the respective antenna weightings associated with the device under test 12 on the initially generated test signal in order to generate a pre-adapted test signal that is forwarded to the first antenna array component 46 of the first beamforming module 24, namely a component emulating the respective antenna array of the device under test 12.

(34) Generally, the first antenna weighting component 42 as well as the first antenna array component 46 both are associated with the device under test 12, namely a user equipment (“UE”), as illustrated in FIG. 2. Therefore, the first beamforming module 24 is labelled by “DUT BF-Matrix”, the first antenna weighting component 42 is labelled by “antenna weighting DUT”, and the first antenna array component 46 is labelled by “antenna array DUT”, as they relate to the device under test 12, for example its beamforming functionality.

(35) In other words, the components 42, 46 assigned with the first beamforming module 24 are used to apply the respective information associated with the beamforming weightings directly on the test signal initially generated by the baseband module 22.

(36) Accordingly, the first beamforming module 24 applies the transposed beamforming matrix of the device under test B.sub.DUT.sup.T on the test signal initially generated.

(37) In a seventh step S7, the first beamforming module 24 outputs the pre-adapted test signal to the channel emulator 26 of the fading unit 20, which is configured to adapt the pre-adapted test signal by applying the transposed channel matrix H.sup.T, thereby generating an adapted test signal.

(38) In an eighths step S8, the channel emulator 26 outputs the adapted test signal to the second beamforming module 28 that further adapts the adapted test signal by applying the transposed beamforming matrix of the entity emulated by the testing device 14, namely B.sub.EE.sup.T.

(39) As shown in FIG. 2, the second beamforming module 28 comprises the second antenna array component 48 as well as the second antenna weighting component 44, both associated with the entity emulated by the testing device 14, abbreviated by EE for “entity emulated”, for instance a base station or another communication device.

(40) The second antenna weighting component 44 of the second beamforming module 28 is connected with the baseband module 22 of the signaling unit 18 such that the respective beamforming weightings, used for establishing the transposed beamforming matrix of the entity emulated B.sub.EE.sup.T, is received by the second beamforming module 28, for example the second antenna weighting component 44. As mentioned above, the transposed beamforming matrix of the entity emulated B.sub.EE.sup.T is applied on the adapted test signal received from the channel emulator 26.

(41) In a ninth step S9, the second beamforming module 28 outputs the output test signal y that is processed by the digital-to-analog converter 52 as well as the high-frequency output 54.

(42) The output test signal y is forwarded via the respective downlink interfaces 30, 32, namely the downlink communication 31, to the device under test 12, which receives the respective output test signal via its high-frequency input 56 and the analog-to-digital converter 58.

(43) In general, the entire testing device 12 is configured to apply a transposed combined channel matrix H.sub.c.sup.T that encompasses the transposed beamforming matrix of the device under test 12, namely B.sub.DUT.sup.T, the transposed channel matrix, namely H.sup.T, as well as the transposed beamforming matrix of the entity emulated, namely B.sub.EE.sup.T.

(44) The transposed combined channel matrix H.sub.c.sup.T can be described as follows:
H.sub.c.sup.T=(B.sub.DUTHB.sub.EE).sup.T=B.sub.EE.sup.TH.sup.TB.sub.DUT.sup.T

(45) The baseband module 22 of the testing device 14 initially generates a test signal x, which is adapted by the testing device 14 by applying the transposed combined channel matrix H.sub.c.sup.T on this initially generated test signal. This can be described mathematically as follows:
y=B.sub.EE.sup.TH.sup.TB.sub.DUT.sup.T*x=(B.sub.DUTHB.sub.EE).sup.T*x=H.sub.c.sup.T*x,

(46) wherein y corresponds to the output test signal that is outputted via the high-frequency output 54 towards the device under test 12.

(47) In some embodiments, the beamforming functionality, namely the beamforming weightings, of the device under test 12 is carried out in the testing device 14.

(48) Therefore, the beamforming weightings are applied directly on the test signal initially generated, namely prior to the beamforming weightings of the entity emulated by the testing device 14, which are applied after applying the transposed channel matrix by the channel emulator 26 of the fading unit 20.

(49) In FIG. 4, another embodiment according to the present disclosure is shown that is enabled to simulate multiple beams simultaneously.

(50) In the shown embodiment, the testing device 14 comprises two baseband modules 22 assigned to a respective signal path 62.

(51) Each signal path 62 comprises a respective first beamforming module 24 that is connected with the corresponding channel emulator 26 that is connected with the corresponding second beamforming module 28.

(52) The respective output test signals of each signal path 62 are forwarded to an adder 64 located downstream of the digital-to-analog converter 52 and the high-frequency output 54.

(53) Accordingly, the signal paths 62 each provide an output test signal associated with a certain beam, which are added by the adder 64 prior to forwarding the summed output test signal to the digital-to-analog converter 52 and the high-frequency output 54 for outputting that signal to the device under test 12 for testing purposes.

(54) The present disclosure generally provides that the beamforming weightings, also called beamforming weights associated with the device under test 12, are carried out in the testing device 14 emulating an entity for the device under test 12. In some embodiments, the beamforming weightings associated with the device under test 12 are processed by the signaling unit 18 of the testing device 14, namely the first beamforming module 24, for example the first antenna weighting component 42.

(55) Therefore, the beamforming weightings associated with the device under test 12 are applied on the initially generated test signal, for example the one generated by the baseband module 22 that emulates the entity accordingly, by means of the transposed beamforming matrix of the device under test 12, namely B.sub.DUT.sup.T.

(56) Afterwards, the signal obtained is forwarded to the fading unit 20 for further adapting the signal appropriately, namely applying the transposed channel matrix H.sup.T as well as applying the transposed beamforming matrix of the entity emulated by the testing device 14, namely B.sub.EE.sup.T.

(57) In total, the testing device 14 applies the transposed combined channel matrix H.sub.c.sup.T on the initially generated test signal.

(58) Certain embodiments disclosed herein utilize circuitry (e.g., one or more circuits) in order to implement protocols, methodologies or technologies disclosed herein, operably couple two or more components, generate information, process information, analyze information, generate signals, encode/decode signals, convert signals, transmit and/or receive signals, control other devices, etc. Circuitry of any type can be used.

(59) In an embodiment, circuitry includes, among other things, one or more computing devices such as a processor (e.g., a microprocessor), a central processing unit (CPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a system on a chip (SoC), or the like, or any combinations thereof, and can include discrete digital or analog circuit elements or electronics, or combinations thereof. In an embodiment, circuitry includes hardware circuit implementations (e.g., implementations in analog circuitry, implementations in digital circuitry, and the like, and combinations thereof).

(60) In an embodiment, circuitry includes combinations of circuits and computer program products having software or firmware instructions stored on one or more computer readable memories that work together to cause a device to perform one or more protocols, methodologies or technologies described herein. In an embodiment, circuitry includes circuits, such as, for example, microprocessors or portions of microprocessor, that require software, firmware, and the like for operation. In an embodiment, circuitry includes an implementation comprising one or more processors or portions thereof and accompanying software, firmware, hardware, and the like.

(61) The present application may reference quantities and numbers. Unless specifically stated, such quantities and numbers are not to be considered restrictive, but exemplary of the possible quantities or numbers associated with the present application. Also in this regard, the present application may use the term “plurality” to reference a quantity or number. In this regard, the term “plurality” is meant to be any number that is more than one, for example, two, three, four, five, etc. The terms “about,” “approximately,” “near,” etc., mean plus or minus 5% of the stated value. For the purposes of the present disclosure, the phrase “at least one of A and B” is equivalent to “A and/or B” or vice versa, namely “A” alone, “B” alone or “A and B.”. Similarly, 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.

(62) The principles, representative embodiments, and modes of operation of the present disclosure have been described in the foregoing description. However, aspects of the present disclosure which are intended to be protected are not to be construed as limited to the particular embodiments disclosed. Further, the embodiments described herein are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. It will be appreciated that variations and changes may be made by others, and equivalents employed, without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it is expressly intended that all such variations, changes, and equivalents fall within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, as claimed.