Device, measurement system for testing the device, and method of operating the same

Abstract

A device (10; 20; 30), comprising: an antenna arrangement (12) including at least one antenna (14); a communication interface (24) for receiving a control signal (26); wherein the device is configured to use the antenna array (12) to use a first spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic (22) according to a predetermined test scenario independent of the control signal (26); and wherein the device is configured to use a second spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic (28) different from the predetermined test scenario in response to an instruction included in the control signal (26).

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the patent application with international application number PCT / EP2018 / 062990, international filing date May 17, 2018, Chinese application number 201880050368.5, and invention title "Device, Measurement System for Testing a Device, and Method of Operating the Same". Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to a device, in particular to a device for wireless communication using a wireless communication interface. The present invention also relates to a measurement system for testing a device by receiving a signal having spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristics from the device. The present invention also relates to a method for operating a device and a method for operating a measurement system. The present invention also relates to a closed-loop test and measurement process using a measurement control channel and an associated message space, and a protocol for "over-the-air" test and measurement processes. Background Art

[0003] Over-the-air (OTA) measurements have become an important means for measuring specific antenna properties (such as performance testing of an array antenna) when an antenna actively uses one, several, or many antenna elements. This is the case, for example, in the performance evaluation of beamforming (BF) algorithms in joint array signal processing. In addition, in many cases, the antenna ports of each antenna element are either not accessible for measurement, or measuring their isolated radio frequency (RF) performance is of little significance for characterizing the combined performance of many elements. Therefore, OTA test and measurement (T&M) has become an important aspect of the performance and compliance evaluation of wireless devices, especially 4G, 5G, and other current and future wireless communication systems.

[0004] Current candidate technologies being discussed for 5G are massive multiple-input multiple-output (Massive MIMO) systems and scenarios involving a large number of communication devices. They can operate in so-called enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine-type communication (mMTC) involving a large number (possibly millions) of communication links (such as sensor nodes), and / or narrowband (NB)-Internet of Things (IoT) scenarios.

[0005] Massive MIMO systems involve a large number of antennas (such as at least 2 antennas, at least 16 antennas, at least 32 antennas, or at least 64 antennas and up to thousands of antennas) on the base station (eNB) side, as well as multi-antenna technology on the user equipment (UE) side. As the number of communication or antenna links increases, the complexity of the entire system increases significantly. Therefore, these devices require a large amount of calibration and testing for all involved communication links. Ideally, this is performed directly on-site and under the actual constraints as opposed to performing this operation in an artificial scenario.

[0006] A measurement system for testing a device under test (DuT) can be used to perform such calibration and testing in over-the-air (OTA) measurements. Such OTA measurements can be performed for performance evaluation. The current T&M process mainly follows two options as shown in Figure 9a and Figure 9b shown.

[0007] Figure 9a An extension of 3GPP TR 37.842 [1] is shown, where the DuT 1002 is controlled from the measurement device via the OTA interface.

[0008] Figure 9b A schematic diagram of an extension of 3GPP TR 37.976 [2] is shown, where the DuT 1002 is controlled by the measurement device 1012 via the wireless extension of the OTA interface Figure 9a 1004.

[0009] In 3GPP TR 37.976, as shown in Figure 9b shown, some OTA test methods for MIMO LTE (Long Term Evolution) terminals have been discussed, and the (OTA) interface to be connected to the base station (BS) emulator and the waveforms to be used for testing have been proposed.

[0010] Using this available communication between the measurement device and the DuT, several parameters and predefined messages can be exchanged on the existing interface. This may involve a series of different key performance indicators (KPIs), such as:

[0011] · Test mode (test scenario),

[0012] · Transmit (Tx) power,

[0013] · Waveform,

[0014] · Channel allocation,

[0015] · Data mode,

[0016] · Reference signal,

[0017] ··········

[0018] · And so on

[0019] Therefore, there is a need to enhance the testing, test methods, and test results for wireless communication. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0020] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide a device for a DuT that can be used as a measurement system and a method for operating a device and a measurement system that allow enhanced testing.

[0021] This object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims.

[0022] The understanding of the present invention lies in that by defining another communication interface, which allows a device that can be tested as a DUT to receive control signals, such that the device can control its antenna array in a manner different from a predetermined test scenario, so that new devices and / or new test scenarios can be tested in existing standards, that is, "forward" compatibility can be obtained. Based on a large number of antennas of the DUT, during a test scenario using an existing interface for a predetermined test scenario, access to the physical antenna ports of the device operating as a DUT may be impossible or meaningless. Therefore, by implementing a special communication interface, other or different behaviors of the DUT can be triggered for detailed OTA measurements.

[0023] According to an embodiment, a device includes an antenna arrangement, which includes at least one antenna. The device includes a communication interface for receiving control signals. The device is configured to use an antenna array to receive or transmit using the antenna arrangement with a first spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic according to a predetermined test scenario independent of the control signal. The device is configured to use a second spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic different from the predetermined test scenario in response to an instruction included in the control signal. The predetermined test scenario may not allow for a complete test or testing of all critical scenarios. Using a spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic different from the predetermined test scenario can allow testing of scenarios different from the predetermined scenario and thus can achieve high-quality test results.

[0024] According to an embodiment, the device is configured to, in response to using the second spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic based on the control signal, use the second spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic in addition to the first spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic, or disable the first spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic. This can allow tests to be performed using a current measurement system and use the second spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic with a future measurement system configured to send control signals.

[0025] According to an embodiment, the device is configured to receive control signals from a test environment, which includes a measurement system and includes a plurality of sensor elements configured to receive signals having the second spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic. This can allow for a closed-loop test method or scheme.

[0026] According to an embodiment, the control signal is one of a set of control signals that form an associated message space associated with a communication channel utilized via the communication interface. This can allow for providing a new and potentially evolving message space for "forward" compatibility.

[0027] According to an embodiment, the control signal includes instructions for the device related to at least one of the following: a command to trigger an action; a command to synchronize timing, space, frequency band, or communication procedures; a command to configure settings; a command to indicate a request to perform measurements using an antenna array; a command to use an encryption protocol; and / or a command to perform identification, authentication, and / or traceability. This can allow testing of a large number of key performance indicators, which can be related to metrics other than the simple transmission of signals.

[0028] According to an embodiment, the device is configured to directly control the antenna array by performing at least one of the following: feeding output samples having a complex part and a real part to a circuit that controls the antenna array, where the output samples are indicated by the control signal; configuring phase shifters and / or gain values connected to the antenna array; providing to a baseband circuit a signal pattern in the baseband for communicating using the antenna array, where the pattern is indicated by the control signal; changing the baseband configuration of the baseband circuit; and / or applying independently to the baseband circuit a signal to be transmitted using the antenna array, where the signal to be transmitted is indicated by the control signal. This can allow direct addressing of one or more antennas in the antenna array to measure the behavior of the DUT, with little impact on modules that may be invisible to the configuration of the antenna array (such as applications that require the use of spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristics (such as beams in the current test scenario)).

[0029] According to an embodiment, the device is configured to use a communication interface to transmit an output signal. The device is configured to perform at least one of the following operations: receive input samples having a complex part and a real part from a circuit that controls the antenna array and include information indicating the input samples in the output signal; evaluate the baseband of the device and include information indicating the evaluation result in the output signal; and / or evaluate a command sent to the application hardware layer of the device and include information indicating the command in the output signal. This can allow obtaining feedback from the device based on the device's reception of signals.

[0030] According to an embodiment, the communication interface is configured to operate in a frequency range outside the band with respect to spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristics; and / or the device is configured to operate in a wireless communication network using the antenna array according to a first communication protocol, where the communication interface is configured to operate according to a different communication protocol. This can allow low inter-signal interference between the control signal and the operation of the DUT.

[0031] According to an embodiment, the communication interface is logically and physically separated from the communication performed using the antenna array. This can allow further reduction or even prevention of inter-signal interference.

[0032] According to an embodiment, a predetermined test scenario is according to a communication standard, where the device is configured to operate in a wireless communication network according to the communication standard. This can allow testing of scenarios not mentioned or included in the standard.

[0033] According to an embodiment, the apparatus is configured to receive a control signal during a first time interval and store information derived from the control signal in a memory, and to read the information derived from the control signal and use a second spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic during a second time interval. This can allow testing of the DUT in a manner different from a test scenario even when there is no continuous communication available between the measurement system and the apparatus, i.e., the test can be pre-scheduled. The DUT can store settings to be used for forming at least one second radio frequency beam and can execute commands offline.

[0034] According to an embodiment, the apparatus is configured to implement a security mechanism for communication performed using a communication interface. This can ensure the security of the measurement environment.

[0035] According to an embodiment, the apparatus is a base station configured to operate a wireless communication network cell or a user equipment configured to be operated by a base station. Thus, the base station can be controlled, for example, by using a control signal of the measurement system, and / or the user equipment can be controlled, for example, by using a control signal of the measurement system.

[0036] According to an embodiment, a measurement system includes a plurality of sensors configured to receive a signal having spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristics from an apparatus and provide a sensor signal based on the received signal. The measurement system includes a control unit configured to receive the sensor signal and send a control signal to the apparatus. The control signal includes an instruction to use a spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic different from a predetermined test scenario. This can allow instructing the apparatus to use the spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic according to a parameter to be studied during the test.

[0037] According to an embodiment, the control unit is configured to send a plurality of control signals to a corresponding plurality of apparatuses. This can allow testing a plurality of apparatuses simultaneously and / or testing the interference between them.

[0038] According to an embodiment, the measurement system is configured to send a control signal to an apparatus according to the embodiments described herein to control the apparatus to send an output signal using a communication interface. This step can be performed such that the output signal includes information related to at least one of the following: information related to an input sample received by the apparatus; information related to an evaluation of the baseband of the apparatus; and / or information related to an evaluation of a command sent to an application hardware layer of the apparatus. This can allow implementing a direct feedback link that can be used to feedback results estimated by the DUT to the measurement system.

[0039] According to an embodiment, the measurement system includes a measurement chamber, wherein the control unit is configured to operate the measurement chamber including a plurality of sensors, and wherein the chamber is constructed to accommodate the apparatus. This can cause a small amount of interference to the environment of the measurement system.

[0040] According to an embodiment, a measurement system includes a plurality of devices as described herein operating in a wireless communication network cell and a base station configured to operate the wireless communication network cell, the base station including a control unit configured to send at least one control signal to the plurality of devices to coordinate a test within the wireless communication network cell jointly performed by the plurality of devices. This allows for the execution of a distributed test coordinated by the base station.

[0041] According to an embodiment, a method for operating a device, the device including an antenna arrangement having at least one antenna and including a communication interface for receiving a control signal, wherein the device is configured to use the antenna arrangement to use a first spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic according to a predetermined test scenario independent of the control signal, and the method includes: using a second spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic different from the predetermined test scenario in response to an instruction included in the control signal.

[0042] According to an embodiment, a method for operating a measurement system including a plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors being configured to receive a signal having a spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic from a device and provide a sensor signal based on the received signal, the method includes: receiving the sensor signal; and sending a control signal to the device, the control signal including an instruction to use a spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic different from a predetermined test scenario.

[0043] Other preferred modifications are the subject of other dependent claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0045] Figure 1 A schematic block diagram of a device according to an embodiment is shown;

[0046] Figure 2a A schematic block diagram of a device implementing a plurality of hardware layers according to an embodiment is shown;

[0047] Figure 2b A schematic diagram showing the structure of an associated message space according to an embodiment is shown;

[0048] Figure 3a A schematic block diagram of a device including a memory according to an embodiment is shown;

[0049] Figure 3b A schematic diagram showing a plurality of devices being operated by another device according to an embodiment is shown;

[0050] Figure 4 A schematic block diagram of a measurement system including a plurality of sensors according to an embodiment is shown;

[0051] Figure 5 Shows a schematic block diagram of a measurement system including a measurement chamber according to an embodiment;

[0052] Figure 6a Shows a schematic block diagram of a measurement system according to an embodiment, the measurement system being operable to operate a user equipment;

[0053] Figure 6b Shows a schematic block diagram of a measurement system according to an embodiment, where nodes are indicated to exclude line-of-sight paths from beamforming;

[0054] Figure 7 Shows a schematic flowchart of a message for operating a device according to an embodiment;

[0055] Figure 8 Shows a schematic flowchart of a method for operating a measurement system according to an embodiment;

[0056] Figure 9a Shows a schematic diagram illustrating a test and measurement process according to 3GPP TR 37.842; and

[0057] Figure 9b Shows a schematic diagram illustrating a test and measurement process according to 3GPP TR 37.976. Detailed Description

[0058] In the following description, even if appearing in different drawings, the same or equivalent elements or elements having the same or equivalent functions are denoted by the same or equivalent reference numerals.

[0059] In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide a more thorough explanation of embodiments of the present invention. However, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that the embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form rather than specifically, to avoid obscuring the embodiments of the present invention. Additionally, unless otherwise specifically indicated, the features of the different embodiments described below may be combined with each other.

[0060] In the following, a device will be referred to. Such a device may include an antenna array that includes a plurality of antennas, and the device may be, for example, an eMBB device, an Internet of Things (IoT) device, and / or a massive MIMO device, which means a base station or a device operated by a base station, such as a user equipment (UE). Such a device may operate in a mobile communication network, for example, according to the Long-Term Evolution (LTE) standard, 5G, or New Radio. Before, during, and after bringing such a device to market, tests may be performed to verify the compliance of the device with different requirements. Among other things, compliance with specific test scenarios may be tested considering specific wireless communication standards and behavior in a wireless environment. This may include the ability to form specific beams using the antenna array, to use minimum and / or maximum transmit power, and / or to adapt to a specific scenario within a specific time. During these tests, the device is the device under test, i.e., the device under test (DuT). To test compliance with the specifications, a measurement system including sensors may be used, which are configured to sense and / or evaluate the transmissions of the DuT. During the tests, it may be desirable or required to change the operation of the DuT, for example, to sequentially test different operation modes in one test setup. Such an operation may be indirectly controlled by a hardware layer that is connected to each other and sends control signals to other layers, where the behavior of the source layer or the target layer may remain opaque to other layers, i.e., by simply changing the operation mode of the DuT, it may still be unclear what exactly is happening on the antenna array of the DuT. By using control signals and / or communication interfaces according to the embodiments described herein, direct control of the DuT may be achieved because, in addition to the operation mode, specific operations of the DuT may also be controlled.

[0061] Embodiments described herein may relate to a device configured to operate wirelessly in a wireless communication network. Such a device may be a single-antenna device configured to transmit and / or receive signals using an antenna arrangement having a single antenna element, where this may be achieved by a dedicated transmit antenna and a separate dedicated receive antenna and / or by using a combined antenna for receiving and transmitting signals. The following will refer to these two configurations as transceiver signals. Such a single-antenna transceiver may use different 2D or 3D spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristics, for example, by adapting the polarization for transmitting or receiving the corresponding signals. The pattern may have a center of gravity, but it is not necessary to have a center of gravity. It may have a preferred direction, but it is not mandatory. For example, although an antenna configured to transmit signals radially symmetrically is used, the spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristics may be or may include a pattern having a resolution depending on the polarization. Alternatively, the device may include an antenna arrangement that includes a plurality of antennas forming an antenna array. Such an antenna array may allow beamforming, that is, generating a preferred direction for transmitting and / or receiving (and thus, transceiving). The spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristics used may relate to forming a beam for transmitting and / or receiving. Although the embodiments are described below in connection with beamforming, the explanations given do not refer restrictively to a single-antenna arrangement.

[0062] Thus, the antenna arrangement may include a single antenna for transmitting and / or receiving. The first and second spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristics may be related to the polarization of the transceiver signal to which the antenna arrangement is adapted and at least one of at least two two-dimensional patterns transceived by the antenna. Alternatively, the antenna may be an antenna array including a plurality of antennas. The spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristics may relate to at least one beam that forms for transceiving signals using the antenna array.

[0063] The antenna arrangement may include a plurality of antennas that can be controlled by the device. The plurality of antennas may form a preconfigured antenna array or may be used as an antenna array under common control achieved by the device.

[0064] The beam generated by the antenna array formed by the plurality of antennas may be used to transmit and / or receive electromagnetic signals along and / or in the direction pointed by the beam. Thus, when referring to a beam, this may be understood as the direction of the antenna array for transmitting and / or receiving. Thus, different beams may point in different directions. Alternatively or additionally, different beams may include the same direction in space and may operate at different resources such as codes and / or frequencies. Thus, the direction of the beams may be the same, but the beams may operate at different bandwidths. In other words, a radio frequency beam may be understood to include a set of parameters such as bandwidth, direction / beam pattern, carrier frequency, spectrum allocation, time allocation, waveform, etc. At least one parameter of different beams may be different.

[0065] Figure 1FIG. 0 shows a schematic block diagram of an apparatus 10 according to an embodiment. As a non-limiting example, the apparatus 10 may be a user equipment (UE), an Internet of Things device (IoT), and / or a base station. The communication entity 10 includes an antenna array 12 having a plurality of antennas 14 1 to 14 N The antenna array 12 is shown with four antennas 14 1 、14 2 、14 3 and 14 N , but different numbers of antenna elements 14 may be implemented in the antenna array 12, for example, two or more, four or more, five or more, eight or more, 16 or more, 20 or more, 32 or more, 50 or more, 64 or more, and so on.

[0066] The apparatus 10 may include an OTA interface 16 for receiving a signal 18 indicating a test mode, a transmit (Tx) power, and / or a beam index to be implemented. The signal 18 may cause the apparatus 10 to operate according to a predetermined test scenario, which may be defined, for example, according to a test scenario, a test protocol, and / or a communication standard, where the apparatus 10 is configured to operate using the arrangement 12 according to the test scenario, the test protocol, and / or the communication standard, and the arrangement 12 may be an antenna array or may be implemented as a single receive antenna and / or a single transmit antenna. For example, the apparatus 10 may be configured to use a first spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic, such as forming at least one radio frequency beam 22 1 and / or 22 2 . Thus, the number of beams may be 1 or more, 2 or more, 3 or more, or even higher, such as 4. For example, the signal 18 may indicate which of the beams 22 1 and / or 22 2 to transmit, the power of transmitting one or more beams 22, etc.

[0067] Device 10 includes a communication interface 24 configured to receive a control signal 26. The control signal 26 may indicate information or commands for forming at least one radio frequency beam 28 different from a predetermined test scenario. Device 10 is configured to use a second spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic, such as forming the radio frequency beam 28, in response to an instruction included in the control signal 26. In a single antenna configuration, the predetermined test scenario may involve using polarization, etc. In a case different from the predetermined test scenario, a different polarization, etc. may be used. Contrary to signal 18, which may include instructions indicating a test scenario, beam index, etc. that are transformed or converted by device 10 into a specific behavior that may not be directly controllable by signal 18 (i.e., a specific test scenario may or may not be used), the control signal 26 may allow for more direct control because it at least allows for the implementation of a test scenario or test case different from the scenarios covered by signal 18. The number of second beams 28 may be 1 or more, 2 or more, 3 or more, or even higher, such as 4.

[0068] A measurement control channel (MCC) may be established between device 10 (i.e., communication interface 24) and a corresponding communication interface at a different device such as a measurement system. The MCC may define a logical channel between different devices and device 10. For example, a test measurement system may collect preconfigured KPIs and may store them for further benchmarking and / or system performance evaluation. The MCC may be implemented in various ways and selections. The communication interface 24 may be, for example, a cable interface, a wireless interface, an optical interface, an infrared interface, and / or a combination thereof. The communication interface 24 may be configured to establish a point-to-point connection, a connection via multiple instances (multi-hop), and / or network communication such as using the Internet. For example, the communication interface 24 may be a standardized and / or proprietary interface or an air interface channel, such as a 5G air interface (A1). Alternatively or additionally, the communication interface 24 may be an accessory interface that allows for the establishment of an accessory channel for communication not integrated in the antenna array 12.

[0069] In other words, the communication interface 24 can be configured to establish a connection outside the radio access network (RAN) under test when the device 10 is a device under test (DuT). Thus, the communication interface 24 can be a wireless and / or wired communication interface. The communication interface 24 implemented as a wireless communication interface can advantageously be implemented as a communication interface configured to operate in a frequency range outside the frequency bands of the frequency beams 22 and 28. This can allow for low interference between the control signal 26 and the communication performed within the frequency bands of the beams 22 and 28. Alternatively or additionally, the device 10 can be configured to operate in a wireless communication network according to a specific communication protocol, such as a protocol derived from LTE, 5G, etc. The communication interface 24 can be configured to operate according to a different communication protocol, which can allow the control signal 26 to be recognized as noise in the communication environment implementing the protocol for forming the beams 22 and 28. Thus, although the communication interface 24 is indicated as a different element with respect to the antenna array 12, the communication interface 24 can also be the antenna array 12.

[0070] The device 10 can include a processor 32, e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a microprocessor, etc. The processor 32 can be configured to evaluate the control signal 26 and control the antenna array 12 and / or the antenna elements 14 to form the beam 28. When compared with the beam 22 1 and 22 2 the beam 28 can include the same and / or different frequency ranges.

[0071] The control signal 26 can include an arbitrary structure, but can also include a structure according to an associated message space (AMS). The AMS can go beyond the definition of messages provided, for example, in 3GPP TS 37.320 [4] (radio measurement set for minimized drive test (MDT), called the MDT mode). The control signal 26 can include the following instructions, which can include but are not limited to commands to trigger actions, synchronization timings, commands for space, frequency bands, and / or communication processes (e.g., transmission of specific messages), commands for configuration settings, commands indicating a request to perform measurements using the antenna array, and / or commands indicating a request to report the results of these measurements, commands to communicate via the communication interface 24 and / or the antenna array 12 using an encryption protocol, and / or commands to perform identification, authentication, and / or traceability. The actions that these commands can trigger can include but are not limited to:

[0072] · Actions to prepare, coordinate, tune, and / or synchronize the operations of multiple devices;

[0073] · Actions to immediately trigger the above actions;

[0074] · Actions to trigger the above actions at some point in the future;

[0075] · Actions executed alternately for future trigger events;

[0076] · Actions that trigger certain network requests;

[0077] · Actions that trigger data downloads;

[0078] · Actions that trigger data uploads;

[0079] · Actions that trigger both data downloads and uploads;

[0080] · Actions that trigger predefined tests;

[0081] · The tests include self - tests, inter - device checks, and device - network tests;

[0082] · Actions that trigger calibrations;

[0083] · Actions that trigger maintenance operations;

[0084] Among them, this includes any combination of single actions or multiple actions. Traceability can involve actions that allow determining the movement or location of the corresponding node, such as triggering the receiver to send a message containing location information and / or allowing determination of the location (e.g., determining the beam that received the message).

[0085] Alternatively, the communication interface 24 can be logically and / or physically separated from the communication performed using the antenna array 12, which can allow low interference of the communication interface 24 and the communication performed thereon and thus affect the communication on the antenna array 12.

[0086] In response to the control signal 26, the device 10 can be configured to generate, in addition to the radio frequency beam 22 1 and / or 22 2 also generate the radio frequency beam 28. Alternatively, the device 10 can be configured to disable the radio frequency beam 22 in response to the control signal 26 (i.e., generate the radio frequency beam 28).

[0087] The control signal 26 can be received from a test environment including a measurement system. The measurement system can include a plurality of sensor elements configured to receive the radio frequency beam 28. This can allow for closed - loop testing.

[0088] The control signal 26 may include instructions for the device 10. The instructions may relate to one or more actions initiated by the device 10. By way of non-limiting example only, the instructions may relate to a command to trigger an action, a command to synchronize timing, space, frequency band, or communication processes. This may refer to network resources. For example, synchronization in space may refer to the synchronization of the direction or space into which the device 10 and the measurement system transmit the radio frequency beam 28, which indicates which space to monitor at a particular time. Alternatively or additionally, the control signal 26 may relate to a command for configuring settings, such as a particular control for the antenna array 12. Alternatively or additionally, the control signal 26 may relate to a command indicating a request to perform measurements using the antenna array. Such a command may indicate that the device 10 must monitor network resources using the antenna array 12. The device 10 may monitor network resources, i.e., it may receive signals via the antenna array 12 in response to such a command. The device 10, the processor 32 may be configured to evaluate parameters of such reception, which may include transmit power, transmit direction, bit error rate, or other parameters. Alternatively or additionally, the control signal 26 may relate to a command to apply an encryption protocol to the communication performed via the antenna array 12 and / or the communication performed via the interface 24, where such communication may involve transmission and / or reception. Alternatively or additionally, the control signal 26 may relate to a command for performing identification, authentication, and / or traceability (i.e., performing protocol-specific actions in the network). The measurement system that sends the control signal 26 may simulate or emulate such a network so that tests related to the behavior of the device 10 within the network can be performed.

[0089] As described above, the device 10 may be a DuT. The device 10 may be a base station configured to operate a wireless communication network cell. As will be described in more detail later, this is only one of the possible configurations implemented by the embodiments described herein. For example, a measurement system (e.g., in a laboratory where the measurement system coordinates tests, etc.) may be used to test the device 10 itself as a base station. Alternatively, the device 10 itself may trigger or indicate a test, for example, by instructing other nodes within range to participate in a test coordinated by the device 10 during actual operation. For example, a UE may be used as a measurement probe.

[0090] Figure 2a A schematic block diagram of a device 20 according to an embodiment is shown. The device 20 is shown as implementing a plurality of hardware layers 34a to 34c, where according to other embodiments, a different number of layers 34, such as one layer, two layers, four layers, or more layers, may be implemented.

[0091] Device 20 may include layer 34a, which implements a dedicated layer that is connected to the outside world via a communication interface such as USB, a memory such as an SD card, or a network such as a local area network (LAN). Device 20 may include another layer 34b, which is a baseband (BB) integrated circuit (IC). Layer 34b may be connected to layer 34a, for example, allowing the application layer to indicate signals or messages to be sent, as shown by arrow 36a. The baseband integrated circuit 34b may be configured to convert the dedicated information received from layer 34a into information in the baseband, for example, by defining the spectrum of the signal to be sent. Alternatively or additionally, and as shown by arrow 36b, layer 34b may provide information about signals received using antenna array 12 to layer 34a, where the signals may be transformed into the baseband. Layer 34b may provide information to layer 34c, which is, for example, a radio frequency (RF) IC for controlling RF transmission. Layer 34c may be configured to convert the baseband signal provided by layer 34b into an RF signal that can be transmitted by RF beams 22 and / or 28. As shown by arrows 36c and 36d, the connection between layers 34b and 34c may be bidirectional. As shown by arrows 36e and 36f, the connection of device 20 to the outside world via layer 34a may also be bidirectional.

[0092] Between the two layers, interface 38 may be arranged at least logically. A first interface 38a may be arranged between layers 34a and 34b. Another interface 38b may be arranged at or may be part of layer 34b (i.e., the BB-IC). Another interface 38c may be arranged between layers 34b and 34c. Interfaces 38a to 38c may allow the insertion or extraction of information and / or signals. Such insertion and / or extraction may be initiated or indicated by control signal 26, which is a version or part of control signal 26 1 to initiate or indicate. By way of non-limiting example only, control signal 26 may include commands interpreted by device 20 to directly control antenna array 12. For example, control signal 26 1 may instruct device 20 such that device 20 feeds the output samples to be transmitted through antenna array 12 to the interface RF-IC respectively. The output samples may include a complex part and a real part, namely the so-called I / Q samples, which are generated and / or controlled by layer 34c (i.e., the RF-IC circuit controlling antenna array 12). Thus, an I / Q sequence may be programmed to test RF performance. Alternatively or additionally, control signal 26 1 may include commands for configuring the phase shifters of antenna array 12 (e.g., modifying the transmission direction of device 20). Alternatively or in addition to configuring the phase shifters of the array, control signal 26 1 may include instructions for configuring the power assigned to the array elements (i.e., settings for configuring the gain values in the antenna array).

[0093] Alternatively or additionally, control signal 26, being a version or part of control signal 26 2 may instruct device 20 to write to the BB-IC, respectively, the spectrum to be transmitted and the test mode of the signal to be transmitted. Alternatively or additionally, control signal 26 2 may instruct device 20 such that device 20 changes the baseband system configuration including waveforms, etc. This may involve different configurations of the filters to be applied, the bandwidth to be occupied by the signal, or other baseband configurations.

[0094] Alternatively or additionally, control signal 26, being a version or part of control signal 26 3 may instruct device 20 such that device 20 applies the signal to be transmitted using the antenna array 12 independently to the baseband circuitry 34b. Thus, a specific message may be fed directly to the BB-IC via interface 38a without using the application layer 34a, i.e., without feeding the message through application processing. Thus, among or between specific layers of device 20, specific commands defining or manipulating the signal to be transmitted via the antenna array 12 may be inserted into the layer stack. Known test methods for switching between test modes are performed by indicating such test modes (e.g., as shown by arrow 36e). This information is manipulated by the application processing 34a, which may lead to unknown results, i.e., the behavior of device 20 may be unknown when using signal insertion on arrow 36e. In contrast, control signal 26 allows direct control of device 20 and / or its specific components and thus allows precise test methods.

[0095] As described above, the control signal may also instruct device 20 to perform measurements and report the measurement results and / or information derived therefrom. Using interface 38c, device 20 may be configured to read or monitor the network using the antenna array 12, e.g., reading I / Q samples in the time domain. Using processor 32, device 20 may be configured to evaluate the samples and include the results in a message to be sent to the measurement system.

[0096] Control signal 26, being a version or part of control signal 26 4 may instruct device 20 such that device 20 performs such I / Q measurements. Alternatively or additionally, control signal 26, being a version or part of control signal 26 5 may instruct device 20 such that device 20 evaluates the baseband of device 30, i.e., the baseband information of the signal received using the antenna array 12, and includes such information in the output signal. This may include reading channel state information (CSI), channel quality indication (CQI), modulation and coding scheme (MCS) levels, etc. Alternatively or additionally, control signal 26, being a version or part of control signal 26 6The device 20 can be instructed to read or evaluate data and / or control channels and evaluate the information contained therein. This can include evaluating commands sent to the application hardware layer (i.e., layer 34a). In response to the control signals 26 4 , 26 5 and 26 6 , the device 20 can be configured to send an output signal to the measurement system, for example, using a communication interface for receiving the control signal. That is, the MCS can be bidirectional.

[0097] In addition, a set of control signals can form an associated message space (AMS), which can be designed such that it can support interface connections with several or all of the available control interfaces at the DUT and all associated devices involved in the T&M process. This can include interface connections with internal interfaces of the UE (e.g., the DigRF of the UE) to capture the digitized raw signals between the RF-IC and the BB-IC, or capture the digitized raw signals from the interfaces provided inside the BB-IC (e.g., under the ETSI RRS [5, 6, 7] framework).

[0098] In other words, Figure 2a shown is an example where the UE acting as the DUT allows the exchange of different types of messages connected and terminated via the MCC to various control interface options supported by the UE, thereby enabling different levels of in-depth testing and measurement without bringing the device into a specific measurement laboratory.

[0099] Figure 2b Shown is a schematic diagram of the structure of the associated message space according to an embodiment. For example, N control signals or messages can be sent to the DUT. Each message can include one or more parameters 27, which can indicate the actions to be performed and / or details regarding specific actions. The actions shown can be, for example, triggering actions to; synchronize timing, frequency, and / or processes; configure settings; query / request reports / measurements; arrange or use functions, such as encryption protocols; request identification, authentication, traceability, but not limited to this.

[0100] The control signals (i.e., the selected messages of the associated message space) can be sent to one or more receivers / probes, such as the UE. This allows more than one receiver to be instructed to perform coordinated actions. For example, this kind of coordination can be used to coordinate the elements involved in the test and measurement process. According to an embodiment, this can be used to tune the UE to act as a distributed sensing or probing node. For example, one or more UEs can be instructed to transmit and / or one or more UEs can be instructed to receive in a cell operated by a base station, which can convert the control signal into a broadcast signal or a separate signal 2. Therefore, the measurement system can be implemented by the base station and / or the control signal can be adapted to configure multiple UEs to act as distributed probes for transmitting, receiving, and / or both.

[0101] Therefore, the AMS may exceed the definition of the messages in TS 37.320 [4] (radio measurement set for minimizing drive tests (MDT), referred to as the MDT mode). Details of a particular action may be, for example, details regarding encryption, identification, or other information related to authentication, the type of measurement to be performed and / or its timing, or any other suitable information. Optionally, the AMS may define the message type or category that can be indicated by field 29. Field 29 may indicate, for example, the action to be performed, thus allowing a high degree of freedom in the AMS.

[0102] The messages in the AMS may include, but are not limited to, a set of beamforming indices, patterns, or beamforming / precoding indices to be used in a continuous manner; reference signals; signal strengths of desired and undesired signal components; waveforms; timestamps; location or positioning information (e.g., GPS that can be derived from GPS information or WiFi); fingerprint information; azimuth obtained from gyroscopes, radar sensors, pressure sensors for measuring altitude; location information derived using network - based positioning at the base station; location information derived from other entities and / or any combination of the above (e.g., derived from sensor fusion of multiple KPIs). Alternatively or additionally, the AMS may include RAN - and cell - specific parameters, MCC - specific parameters, coordination of multiple probes (UE and / or BS). Alternatively or additionally, the AMS may include a request for a specific procedure to be followed during testing, a request for an RF configuration such as TRx diversity, selection, or multiplexing, a request for measurement information such as channel state information (CSI), partial CSI, or full CSI, respectively, a request for time and / or I / Q samples. Alternatively or additionally, if RAN supports and / or the T&M process requires, the AMS may include information related to a time session identifier, such as a token for recharge and billing mechanisms, etc. For example, this may apply to a specific tariff that may include that the subscriber's UE is agreed to be used for multiple measurements under certain conditions (e.g., depending on the battery state). As described above, the UE can be used as a distributed sensor / receiver and / or transmitter in a network cell, i.e., the T&M process may involve tests performed during cell operation and outside the measurement chamber.

[0103] Figure 3aA schematic block diagram of an apparatus 30 according to an embodiment is shown. The apparatus 30 may include a memory 42 configured to store the control signal 26 or information derived therefrom, such as specific instructions. Receiving and storing the control signal 26 may be performed by the apparatus 30 during a first time interval, for example during a time interval in which a connection with the measurement system exists. During a second time interval in which, for example, direct communication with the measurement system is offline or closed, the apparatus 30 may be configured to read the control signal 26 from the memory 42 and perform actions according to the instructions contained in the control signal 26. For example, the processor 32 and / or the layers 34a-34c may be used, for example, to provide the corresponding instructions to the apparatus 30 for controlling the antenna array 12. The processor 32 may be configured, for example, to implement a combination of Figure 2a The device 30 may be configured to generate and / or transmit an output signal 44 via the communication interface 24. The output signal 44 may include a combination of Figure 2a The device 20 is described in response to the control signal 26 4 , 26 5 and / or 26 6 Information provided.

[0104] Alternatively or in addition, the device 30 can be configured to implement security mechanisms for communications performed using the communication interface 24. Such security mechanisms can include encryption and / or decryption of the control signal 26 and / or the output signal 44. This can provide advantages in the subsequent real environment of the device 30. For example, the product sold can be used as a DuT in a measurement laboratory, and can also be sold to customers as a product, for example in a store or after manufacturing. This is, for example, the device 30. Therefore, the communication interface 24 can provide a communication interface with a measurement system that is configured to directly control the behavior of the device 30. Therefore, the communication interface 24 can be included in the product sold. Implementing a security mechanism for the signals 26 and / or 44 sent on the communication interface 24 can allow the security of the communications performed thereon to be ensured, and thus the misuse of the device 30 can be prevented.

[0105] By way of non-limiting example only, Figure 3bThe arrangement of apparatuses 10a and 10b, both of which are UEs, is shown. Another apparatus 10c may be an IoT device. The apparatuses 10a, 10b, and 10c may be operated by another apparatus 10d that serves as a base station. The base station 10d may send control signals 26a, 26b, and 26c to the apparatuses 10a, 10b, and 10c, for example, using a separate signal or a broadcast signal. Thus, the apparatus 10d may utilize some or all of the other nodes to coordinate a distributed test. According to other embodiments, any other apparatus 10a, 10b, 10c, or a possible external apparatus may coordinate and / or trigger a test, which will be described later. In such a case, the security mechanisms described herein may be implemented to ensure proper operation and / or prevent abuse.

[0106] The MCC may be used to control the operation of the DUT, for example, to control the DUT to form a beam 28. The MCC (i.e., the possibility of sending a control signal 26 to an apparatus) may also be used to send multiple identical or different control signals to multiple apparatuses at the same time or time interval, that is, the MCC may be used to coordinate multiple apparatuses. For example, multiple apparatuses 10a, 10b, and / or 10c may be jointly instructed to perform an action, such as forming respective beams 28a - 28c in a direction pointing towards a specific location. Thus, the specific location may be hit or covered by multiple beams being transmitted by multiple apparatuses.

[0107] At a specific location, measurements for evaluating reception parameters may be performed, where the reception parameters are, for example, reception quality, bandwidth, coverage range of a beam, etc. For example, the base station 10d may be located at the specific location. By instructing multiple UEs 10a and 10b to send signals or beams to the base station 10d, the base station 10d may, for example, after a storm that relocates one or more antennas of the base station, evaluate whether it can correctly receive signals or whether readjustment is necessary. The control signals 26a - 26c may be sent by the base station 10d or a different node. Thus, an apparatus 10d such as a base station may be configured to coordinate the operation of multiple UEs to perform a distributed test.

[0108] Alternatively or additionally, as combined with Figure 2a and Figure 2b the control signal 26 4 to 26 6As described, the control signals 26a - 26c can be used to instruct the device to perform measurements for evaluating reception at the device. That is, the devices 10a, 10b, and / or 10c can be instructed to perform tests via the MCC. The DuTs 10a, 10b, 10c can report the measurement results to, for example, the base station 10d, different nodes, or a measurement system using a conventional communication channel and / or using the MCC, respectively. Similar to sending the control signals 26a, 26b, and / or 26c to multiple devices for co - transmitting a beam, multiple devices can be instructed to perform measurements, where these two options can be performed simultaneously, that is, multiple devices can be instructed to transmit, and multiple devices can be configured to receive. This can allow, for example, using one or more devices as IoT devices to test behavior in complex scenarios. For example, such a test can be triggered by the base station 10d when sending the corresponding signal directly or indirectly to the base station 10d, but can also be triggered externally, which can be done using the MCC (as a non - limiting example only).

[0109] Thus, the MCC can be used to individually or jointly instruct the DuTs 10a, 10b, 10c, and possibly 10d, and the DuTs 10a, 10b, 10c, and possibly 10d may be tuned for specific behavior in the uplink (transmitting beam 28) or in the downlink (performing measurements). In other words, the measurement control channel and / or control signals can be used to set the devices 10a, 10b, 10, or 10d to receive (Rx) or transmit (Tx) mode to perform further actions. It should be noted that the naming of the DuT is used for differentiation purposes herein and does not limit the scope of the embodiments described herein. For example, in the above scenario, since the test is performed with respect to the position relative to the base station, the base station can be referred to as a DuT.

[0110] According to an embodiment, the MCC can be used to select a suitable service provider. For example, different base stations operated by different providers may be within the range of the device. For example, by using the MCC, the device can trigger a download test by sending a corresponding control signal to the base station and evaluate the most suitable base station by comparing the results.

[0111] Alternatively or additionally, the devices 10a, 10b, 10c, and / or 10d can be triggered via the MCC to cause such a test. Alternatively or additionally, the network can self - test. For example, the base station 10d can trigger the devices 10a, 10b, and / or 10c to receive data and report the amount or quality of the received data in order to evaluate the channel quality. Thus, the base station 10d (the device receiving the control signal) can also be set to a test mode by the user devices 10a, 10b, and / or 10c (the devices sending the control signal).

[0112] When referring again to Figure 1When this is the case, it can be noted that the device according to the embodiment can be a device whose radiation / reception should be tested with an external probe. When instructing other nodes to transmit, these probes can be part of the device, and / or when instructed to receive information from the DuT and feedback the results, these probes can be part of a measurement system operated by laboratory equipment or a device (UE) used by the user. In short, the DuT can be monitored internally or externally.

[0113] Figure 4 A schematic block diagram of a measurement system 40 according to an embodiment is shown. The measurement system 40 includes a plurality of sensors 46 1 and / or 46 2 , which are configured to receive radio frequency beams 28 from the devices described herein (e.g., devices 10, 20, and / or 30). The sensors 46 1 and / or 46 2 can be, for example, OTA probes in combination with Figure 9a and / or Figure 9b described. Although only two sensors 46 1 and 46 2 are shown, the measurement system 40 can include a different number of sensors, for example, three or more, four or more, ten or more, or even 20 or more.

[0114] The sensors 46 1 and 46 2 are configured to respectively provide sensor signals 48 1 , 48 2 based on the received radio frequency beams.

[0115] The measurement system 40 includes a control unit 52, which is configured to receive the sensor signals 48 1 and / or 48 2 , and is configured to send a control signal 26 to the device. Although the sensor signals 48 1 and 48 2 are shown as two separate signals, there may be a case where the sensors 46 1 and 46 2 are connected to each other to form a sensor array, where the formed sensor array is configured to provide a common sensor signal to the control unit 52, such that only a single sensor signal is sent. The sensors 46 1 and / or 46 2 can be implemented as or can include, for example, elements configured to transmit and / or receive electromagnetic energy in radio frequency, such as antennas. The control unit 52 can control the antennas to control the measurement settings. This can include the transmission and reception of protocol signals using the measurement sensors / antennas. The sensors 46 1 and / or 462 The control unit and the device can be the same or separate devices.

[0116] The measurement system 40 can be configured to send multiple control signals to multiple receiving devices. For example, the communication interface 54 of the measurement system 40 configured to provide the control signal 26 can be a wireless interface and / or can be a network interface. Based on this, one or even multiple control signals 26 can be directed to multiple devices, such that the measurement system 40 can be configured to test multiple devices simultaneously. The control unit 52 can be configured to send at least one control signal 26 to multiple devices. One or more control signals can contain information that is adapted to instruct the corresponding receivers to perform actions during a distributed test and / or act as receivers or transmitters during the distributed test. Thus, by using one or more control signals, it may be possible to coordinate the corresponding multiple devices to perform a test together. Coordination can involve showing coordinated behavior that can be coordinated by the measurement system. As described above, the measurement system can also be a base station operating a wireless communication network cell, where the DUT can be a UE and / or an IoT device operated by the base station.

[0117] The interface 54 can be configured to receive the output signal 44 optionally. The output signal 44 can include information related to the input samples (I / Q samples) received by the device that received the control signal 26. The output signal 44 can alternatively or additionally include information related to the evaluation of the baseband of the device and / or information related to the evaluation of the commands sent to the application hardware of the device.

[0118] Some more details regarding the coordination of the distributed test are disclosed hereinafter.

[0119] Figure 5 A schematic block diagram of a measurement system 50 including a measurement chamber 56 according to an embodiment is shown. The measurement chamber 56 can include sensors 46 connected to the control unit 52 1 and / or 46 2Chamber 56 can be configured to accommodate a DuT, such as devices 10, 20, and / or 30. Alternatively, chamber 56 can be constructed to accommodate multiple devices, i.e., multiple devices can be arranged inside chamber 56. The measurement chamber 56 can be an anechoic chamber, but can alternatively be a different chamber. An anechoic chamber can mainly provide passive absorption, and it may not necessarily be actively controlled by itself. The control or operation of the measurement chamber can thus alternatively or additionally involve tuning some or all of the sensors and transmitters inside the measurement chamber. Using interfaces 54 and 24, a measurement control channel can be implemented. The embodiments described herein relate to using control signals to control devices. This can allow obtaining situations different from a predetermined test scenario. Such a predetermined test scenario can be based on a communication standard such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), where the device to be tested is configured to operate in a wireless communication network according to this communication standard. Alternatively or additionally, antenna array performance measurements can be done using a specific signal that is not used in later actual use but is more suitable for accurate measurements.

[0120] In other words, the concept of the embodiments described herein is to define a common control channel that allows performing specific over-the-air (OTA) interface measurements between elements of a wireless network. Such a measurement control channel (MCC) can be implemented in various forms and can use an associated message space (AMS), which is designed to support current and future OTA test and measurement processes (T&M) in a proper and efficient manner. For such T&M processes, the DuT and the measurement device and / or the measurement system and / or the measurement environment can communicate with each other and perform reproducible measurement steps and processes. Ideally, this is implemented in a vendor-independent and standardized manner.

[0121] For such a process, a suitable communication channel can be provided to control the measurement process, which will be referred to as the measurement control channel (MCC). An appropriate associated message space (AMS) can be designed so that current and future T&M processes can be implemented in a proper and efficient manner. The embodiments provide an integrated combination of two parts in an overall solution. The current discussion is reflected in 3GPP TR 37.842 [1], which discusses the OAT test method for active antenna systems. TR 37.842 assumes manual setting of base station parameters. In addition, TS 36.141 [3] discloses some details of current base station conformance testing but does not define the communication protocol for test and measurement recommendations. Therefore, to provide means for controlling, for example, a base station from the outside or over the air using a measurement system, a standardized communication for test and measurement purposes is provided.

[0122] To control a base station from a type of user equipment emulator, embodiments described herein define an MCC that allows direct control of at least a portion of the device. The embodiments provide an extension and generalization of the interfaces in the context of TR 37.842 and TR 37.976 to add further capabilities for controlling and performing OTA T&M and in-field optimization (IFO) for wireless devices using multiple or large numbers of antennas. In addition to the current parameters on the existing interfaces (such as test mode (test case), Tx power, waveform, etc.), the embodiments also add a flexible message space that is designed such that current and future T&M processes can be supported. Thus, further extensions of TR 37.976 can be supported by defining new control interfaces to support, for example, controlling the base station from a UE emulator in addition to controlling the UE by a BS emulator. Accordingly, the described embodiments include components of the MCC and AMS.

[0123] Figure 6a A schematic block diagram of a measurement system 60 in accordance with an embodiment is shown. The measurement system 60 can be operable to operate a user equipment (potentially devices 10, 20, and / or 30) in a wireless network such as, for example, a 5G network. Thus, device 10 can include a primary air interface (AI) that can operate in a 5G communication scheme. The base station 58 can include a corresponding 5G AI to communicate with device 10 over the 5G network. The base station can be, for example, device 10, 20, or 30 and can be referred to as a coordinator node. The 5G AI can be referred to as the primary AI or channel 61. For example, multiple antennas of the base station 58 of the primary AI can be used as sensors for measuring signals received from device 10. The base station 58 can include a communication interface 54a that is configured to provide an MCC 62a between the base station 58 and device 10. This can be referred to as a secondary AI, which can be integrated in terms of being an integrated function of the base station 58. The secondary AI 54a can operate, for example, according to the WiFi standard or according to another communication protocol such as the 2G, 3G, or 4G standards.

[0124] Alternatively or additionally, the measurement system 60 may include a different communication interface 54b. For example, the communication interface 54b is configured to communicate with a public access point operating according to a communication protocol (e.g., WiFi, as a non-limiting example only). This may be referred to as an external assisted AI implemented in addition to the base station 58 of the operating device 10. The communication interface 54b may be connected to the base station 58 via a network 64 such as the Internet, and is also connected to a control unit 66, which may operate according to the description in conjunction with the control unit 52. The control unit may include an instance 68a that provides a gateway (GW of MNO) of a mobile network operator connecting to an instance 68b (e.g., a network operations center (NOC)), such that the base station 58 is connected to the communication interface 54b via the control unit 66 and the network 64, thereby establishing an MCC 62b between the device 10 and the base station 58. Although described as being performed by the control unit 66, the functions described for the control unit 52 may also be performed at the base station 58 and / or at another node connected to the network 64.

[0125] In other words, on the Figure 6a left - hand side, an MCC is shown as its integrated version established by the assisted / affiliated AI within the radio access network (RAN) under test, while on the Figure 6a right - hand side, its external version is shown, as some parts of the signal flow leave the RAN under the control of the NOC. In the right - hand - side case via the public Internet, the MCC 62b may have to communicate via instances such as the gateway 68a and the network operations center 68b to be able to address, for example, a specific base station. The MCCs 62a and 62b may be established simultaneously and / or as alternatives to each other.

[0126] The MCC may have attributes according to the following principles: It can be separated from the main AI and the radio access network under test and can be implemented via a wireless interface. In this case, the AI or RAN under test can be regarded as the main AI where the actual measurements are performed, while the MCC can operate on the auxiliary / secondary AI separately logically and / or physically using independent radio resources. In this way, interference between the MCC and the actual performance measurement OTA can be avoided, and the amount of protocol overhead (e.g., detailed measurement reports) can scale independently of the capabilities of the main AI under test. The selection of the secondary AI for the MCC can depend on the availability and / or appropriate capacity, reliability, and latency of the secondary AI. To improve the reliability of the control channel, a specific fail-safe protocol sequence can be embedded in the communication protocol of the MCC. This can involve reliability protection mechanisms, the common level of cyclic redundancy check (CRC). These should be adaptively selected according to a combination of the capabilities of the secondary AI, some of the available, and / or the actual wireless transmission conditions (e.g., control from deep indoors to the cellular network around the building). That is, the device and / or measurement system can be configured to encode and / or decode the control signal 26. To further optimize the MCC, the data can be compressed and stored on the DUT and transmitted to the measurement system at a later stage. This can enable the optimization of the measurement system and can enable testing even if the connection between the DUT and the measurement system is temporarily unavailable. The MCC can use any available communication connection between the measurement system and the DUT. If there are multiple alternative options, the preferred option can be defined as any selection or combination of the following: a) the best effective wireless connection, available data rate, redundancy / reliability, link security, and / or b) the shortest effective link via multiple network elements in the network (e.g., via the public Internet transit gateway (GW) of the mobile network operator (MNO), etc.), and / or c) the evolved protocol layer to be transmitted and the message flow that results in synchronous / asynchronous transmission of messages (packets).

[0127] Delay resilient, robust, interruption and packet loss tolerant communication protocols may be used, including, for example, buffering and / or storage of data and samples. The level of security provided by the MCC may also enable end-to-end (e2e) authentication mechanisms within the AI / RAN under test between the measurement equipment / system and the DuT. Alternatively or in addition, multi-radio access technology (RAT) interconnection mechanisms such as those defined in 3GPP-non-3GPP interconnection may be utilized. Alternatively or in addition, trusted multicast to other entities such as network optimization entities may be supported. Alternatively or in addition, authenticated tunnels through various security areas may be supported, for example, by third parties including legal crossovers, allowing access to network elements for T&M recommendations after authentication. Alternatively or in addition, encryption of measurement data using state-of-the-art (SOTA) encryption / decryption algorithms such as public key infrastructure (PKI) may be supported.

[0128] The control interface interface exemplarily drawn above may allow, among other things, the following tests: Reading of I / Q samples directly after the RF-IC interface. Furthermore, specific detection sequences may be uploaded into a memory / buffer to be emptied at specific trigger events, in order to allow detection of the DuT, for example, upon receipt of a corresponding control command.

[0129] The embodiments described herein allow for flexible establishment of a measurement communication channel between the DuT and the measurement setup, independent of the AI / RAN being tested. The embodiments also allow for the generation or implementation of flexible interfaces to various communication entry points / levels to the DuT side and the measurement equipment / environment. In addition, the embodiments allow for extensions of the MCC to be carried across multiple network domains, protocol layers, and / or security areas. An associated message space is provided to support actual and future T&M procedures. The embodiments allow for the control of any network device under this framework, whether it is a base station, user equipment, forwarding element (repeater), or any other node / device used to send / receive signals over the air in the first network.

[0130] The measurement system 60 may be implemented such that it is implemented in a wireless communication network cell operated by a base station 58. The base station 58 may operate multiple devices (UE and / or IoT) in the wireless communication network cell. The base station may include a control unit such as the control unit 52 and / or 66, and may be configured to send at least one control signal 26 to multiple UEs to coordinate tests within the wireless communication network cell performed jointly by the multiple devices. The test may be, for example, a download test as described herein, a test for testing channel fading parameters, and / or a test for testing the location / direction of a base station.

[0131] The base station 58 can, but does not have to be, the base station with which the UE 10 is associated for regular network operations, i.e., the base station of the service provider. The device can subscribe to different service providers, which can include that regular operations are typically coordinated by different base stations of different service providers associated with the UE. To perform the test, i.e., to use the second spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic, the base station can send control signals using MCC 62a and / or 62b. This can allow the UE to switch from a subscribed service provider to another service provider and can become part of the test for different service providers.

[0132] For example, the device 10 can subscribe to a list that indicates a set of devices that have agreed (possibly by rewarding the user) to be used during the coordinated test. Such coordinated tests can be coordinated or orchestrated in a timely or real-time manner. When multiple nodes are indicated, such real-time tests may consume a large amount of data to be sent. According to an embodiment, a pre-scheduled test is implemented. A coordinator node (e.g., a base station or a different node that triggers the test) can send a control signal that includes information indicating an instruction to perform an action at a time indicated in the control signal (e.g., 2 am). The action can be any action described herein, e.g., performing a dedicated measurement. The device can store the information and can perform the action at the indicated time. Thus, data can be sent over a long period of time before the test is executed and thus using a low bit rate. This can further allow control signals to be sent to devices that are currently unavailable (i.e., when they become available later but before the scheduled test). When performing the action, other potentially user-triggered actions may not be considered during the test. Thus, the action of the test may override other operating modes at the scheduled action time point. Alternatively or additionally, the device 20 and / or 30 can be used or arranged.

[0133] A coordinator node including a control unit can be configured to send one or more control signals (26) to a plurality of devices to coordinate a test within a wireless communication network cell jointly performed by the plurality of devices. In some embodiments, it is sufficient to use only a subset of available devices / available UEs (e.g., only devices or UEs with specific technical attributes or devices or UEs minus the minimum reward provided to the user for testing their UEs). The coordinator node can be configured to select a subset of the plurality of devices that participate during the test and select other devices of the plurality of devices that do not participate during the test. That is, only those devices selected by the coordinator are addressed by dedicated or common control signals. As described above, the coordinator node can be a base station, but can also be a different entity, such as a UE or other possible external node.

[0134] Accordingly, the device can store to perform the indicated test, i.e., the device can be configured to receive a control signal (26) and store information derived from the control signal, the information including instructions for performing an action at a time indicated in the control signal, wherein the device is configured to perform the action at the indicated time.

[0135] The device can send a signal such as an acknowledgement to the coordinator.

[0136] Certain situations may occur that cause the device to be unable to participate in a pre-scheduled test. For example, the device may have run out of battery, may have been turned off or be in flight mode, or may be out of range. The device can be configured to send a response signal to the transmitter of the control signal. Such a response signal can indicate that the stored pre-scheduled action to be performed will not be or is unlikely to be performed. For example, when out of range for a long time (possibly on an airplane), it can be determined that the device is not available for testing. According to other examples, the battery may be low or an important call may be expected, so although unlikely, the device may still participate in the test. For example, a response signal can be sent in response to a user command using, for example, an App on the UE. Optionally, the device can be configured to automatically send a response signal after having received an instruction to change its operation in the network and before changing its operation in the network. As a non-limiting example, this can include the device sending an automatic response signal to the coordinator when being turned off, switching to flight mode, entering "Do Not Disturb" mode, running out of battery, etc., in order to indicate that the UE is unlikely to be available for testing, or at least to indicate that the node will probably not participate in the test.

[0137] In response to the received response signal, the coordinator node can be configured to re-coordinate the test as a response.

[0138] In addition, the device can be configured to determine to resume its operation before the change occurred in the network. For example, the battery may be charged, the flight mode may be turned off, or the device may return to the network cell. The device can send a notification signal indicating that the action to be performed will be executed manually or preferably automatically to the coordinator. This can allow for further re-coordination or re-scheduling of the test at the coordinator.

[0139] As described above, the coordinator can select specific devices to participate in the test. The selection criteria can be arbitrary, such as battery power, technical equipment, or cost (money or data), etc. To ensure that the correct nodes are sending or receiving control signals on one or both sides (UE and coordinator), the coordinator can access, for example, a local or distributed database. The database can contain information about entities, such as software keys used at the UE, hardware keys used at the UE, serial numbers of the UE or at least one component, MAC-ID of the UE, and / or transceiver-ID of the UE. Such information can be used to authenticate the coordinator to the UE, authenticate the UE to the coordinator, and / or authenticate a specific component to be addressed. For example, a node can be identified by one or more of the information listed above and / or by other information. By using an identifier related to a specific component of another node (e.g., the transmitter of the UE), information indicating which transmitter IC is requested to perform an action can be transmitted.

[0140] In addition, by monitoring information with other data such as location, abuse that may occur when a node, although not a reliable node, acts as a similar coordinator / base station or when a UE forges other users can be prevented. Therefore, a device according to an embodiment can be configured to authenticate the transmitter of a control signal by using at least one of a software key, a hardware key, a serial number of a part of the device (application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and / or field-programmable gate array (FPGA)), a MAC-ID, and a transceiver-ID contained in the control signal, and use a second spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic only when the authentication is successful. The device can be configured to determine an action to be performed when using the second spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic based on using at least one of a software key, a hardware key, a serial number, a MAC-ID, and a transceiver ID by associating the information with a component in the device to be used for using the second spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic. In other words, an authentication mechanism can include a software key, a hardware key from an encryption chip, a serial number from an FPGA / ASIC, a MAC-ID, a transceiver ID (commonly used for a baseband chip) (especially when the device does not carry a SIM card), thereby enabling authentication of the UE. The DuT can ensure that the other end is authenticated. Therefore, the authentication can be passed by both ends. The authentication process can work for some and / or any layer of the processing chain, that is, it can address some layers independently of other layers. For example, see Figure 2a .

[0141] As an embodiment, using information different from the SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) identifier allows the use of devices configured to operate without a SIM card in a wireless communication network.

[0142] In other words, the pre-scheduled OTA can be coordinated. When OTA actions are pre-scheduled, these actions can override other operating modes at the scheduled action time points. Alternatively or additionally, a signal from the AMS can be used to return an early warning (response signal) to the OTA measurement coordinator via the MCC in order to re-schedule / re-configure the OTA measurement and / or re-configure other options for the action to prevent interference with the expected OTA measurement. According to an embodiment, the tests or measurements described herein can be performed / run simultaneously in CA (Carrier Aggregation) or another radio access technology (RAT). Other actions near the target time for OTA measurement can include, for example, re-scheduling, preparing, or re-configuring one or more devices to keep the "action window" open for the coordinated OTA measurement.

[0143] Figure 6b A schematic block diagram of a measurement system 60’ according to an embodiment is shown. To illustrate this embodiment, assume a scenario where a coordination test has revealed information about the existence of a line-of-sight (LoS) path 59 between a base station 58 and another device 10. Additionally, it is known that there are at least one non-LoS (nLoS) path 63 including portions 63 1 and 63 2 between a reflector structure 65 and the device 10, and between the base station 58 and the reflecting structure or reflector cluster 65. The reflecting structure can be a repeater, a passive structure such as a metal or other reflecting element (e.g., a building). Compared with the nLoS path, the LoS path can contain a high SNR / SINR, e.g., about 20 dB, 30 dB, or even 40 dB higher than the nLoS path. Due to the limited dynamic range of the hardware and / or software, some LoS paths can block the nLoS paths from being considered as noise due to their low SNR / SINR. The coordinator node (base station 58) can be configured to include information in the transmitted control signal 26 that indicates that the radiation characteristics of the device 10 will be adapted to exclude the line-of-sight path 59 from the radiation characteristics and / or alternatively direct the beam along the nLoS path 63 (i.e., portion 63 2 ).

[0144] This can allow the use of high dynamics and a large amount of information, especially when there are multiple nLoS paths that can be evaluated, e.g., for evaluating phase shifts, etc. Thus, the device 10 can be configured to use the spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristics in order to exclude the LoS path from the radiation pattern or at least use a different polarization along that direction. Alternatively or additionally, the coordinator 58 can also prevent transmission along the direction of the LoS path 59. For such behavior or coordination in a cell, a distributed test according to an embodiment can be used, i.e., the DuT (coordinator) can know what properties the probes (UEs) have and, in short, what they are doing.

[0145] In other words, coordination can refer to the transmission scenario and / or the reception scenario. Additionally, both transmission and reception can achieve time synchronization of measurements in the uplink and downlink, for example, by scheduling different actions to different nodes in the test, making some actions related to the uplink and other actions related to the downlink. In the case where one or more transmit sources include an antenna array and are capable of creating spatial beams, these beams can be pointed or aligned or directed towards a reflection cluster in situ between the two ends of the radio link. An example: If the LoS is blocked / excluded and the energy is misdirected towards one or more clusters, the measurement resolution in the nLoS direction may be significantly improved.

[0146] Figure 7 A schematic flowchart of a message 700 for operating a device such as device 10, 20, or 30 is shown. The device includes a plurality of antennas and includes a communication interface for receiving control signals. The device is configured to form a first radio frequency beam using the antenna array according to a predetermined test scenario independent of the control signal. Method 700 includes step 710, in which a second spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic different from the predetermined test scenario is formed in response to an instruction included in the control signal.

[0147] Figure 8 A schematic flowchart of a method 800 for operating a measurement system such as measurement system 40, 50, or 60 is shown. The measurement system includes a plurality of sensors configured to receive radio frequency beams from a device and provide sensor signals based on the received radio frequency beams. The method includes step 810, in which sensor signals are received. In step 820, a control signal is sent to the device, where the control signal includes an instruction to form a spatial electromagnetic radiation characteristic different from the predetermined test scenario.

[0148] Although some aspects have been described in the context of a device, it will be clear that these aspects also represent a description of the corresponding method, where a block or device corresponds to a method step or a feature of a method step. Similarly, aspects described in the context of method steps also represent a description of the corresponding block or item or a feature of the corresponding device.

[0149] Depending on certain implementation requirements, embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in hardware or in software. The implementation can be carried out using a digital storage medium (e.g., a floppy disk, DVD, CD, ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, or FLASH memory) on which an electronically readable control signal is stored, in cooperation with (or capable of cooperating with) a programmable computer system, such that the corresponding method is executed.

[0150] Some embodiments according to the present invention include a data carrier having an electronically readable control signal, which is capable of cooperating with a programmable computer system in order to execute one of the methods described herein.

[0151] In general, embodiments of the present invention can be implemented as a computer program product having program code that is operable to execute one of the methods when the computer program product is run on a computer. The program code can be stored, for example, on a machine-readable carrier.

[0152] Other embodiments include a computer program stored on a machine-readable carrier for performing one of the methods described herein.

[0153] In other words, an embodiment of the method of the present invention is thus a computer program having program code for executing one of the methods described herein when the computer program is run on a computer.

[0154] Thus, another embodiment of the method of the present invention is a data carrier (or digital storage medium or computer-readable medium) on which a computer program is recorded for performing one of the methods described herein.

[0155] Thus, another embodiment of the method of the present invention is a data stream or signal sequence representing a computer program for performing one of the methods described herein. The data stream or signal sequence can be configured to be transmitted, for example, via a data communication connection (such as via the Internet).

[0156] Another embodiment includes a processing device, such as a computer or a programmable logic device, configured or adapted to perform one of the methods described herein.

[0157] Another embodiment includes a computer on which a computer program is installed for performing one of the methods described herein.

[0158] In some embodiments, a programmable logic device (such as a field programmable gate array) can be used to perform some or all of the functions of the methods described herein. In some embodiments, a field programmable gate array can cooperate with a microprocessor to perform one of the methods described herein. In general, the methods are preferably performed by any hardware device.

[0159] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention. It should be understood that modifications and variations of the arrangements and details described herein will be apparent to other persons skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended patent claims rather than by the specific details given by the description and explanation of the embodiments herein.

[0160] References

[0161] [1]3GPP Technical Report TR 37.842

[0162] [2] 3GPP Technical Report TR 37.976

[0163] [3] 3GPP Technical Specification TS 36.141

[0164] [4] 3GPP Technical Specification TS 37.320

[0165] [5] DIRECTIVE 2014 / 53 / EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 16 April 2014 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to the making available on the market of radio equipment and repealing Directive 1999 / 5 / EC

[0166] [6] ETSI EN 303 095: Reconfigurable Radio Systems (RRS); Radio Reconfiguration related Architecture for Mobile Devices, 2015

[0167] [7] ETSI TR 102 967: Reconfigurable Radio Systems (RRS); Use Cases for dynamic equipment reconfiguration, ETSI, 2015.

Claims

1. A method for testing multiple devices, the method comprises: operating multiple devices; sending at least one control signal (26) to the multiple devices to coordinate a test jointly performed by the multiple devices, the at least one control signal including instructions related to participating in a test within at least one wireless communication network cell, wherein the test is coordinated within the at least one wireless communication network cell, wherein the at least one control signal is sent via the wireless communication network cell; wherein the multiple devices coordinate to act as distributed sensing nodes or probing nodes, or wherein the at least one control signal includes instructions indicating a device among the multiple devices to cause the device to independently provide a signal to a baseband circuit, the signal being for an RF signal to be transmitted using an antenna array of the device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the multiple devices is operated within the at least one wireless communication network cell.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one control signal (26) is received using an antenna array of the multiple devices for communicating within the wireless communication network cell.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, the multiple devices are multiple UEs served by the wireless communication network cell and receiving the control signal through a network interface of the wireless communication network cell.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, the multiple devices are served by the wireless communication network cell operated by a base station, and wherein the base station sends the at least one control signal (26) to the multiple devices.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, the at least one control signal includes instructions related to synchronization of a direction or space to which radio frequency beams (28) are sent by the multiple devices, and which space to monitor at a specific time.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprises: selecting a subset of the multiple devices participating during the test, and selecting other devices among the multiple devices not participating during the test.

8. The method according to claim 7, comprises: selecting the subset of devices by evaluating at least one of a software key, a hardware key, a serial number, a MAC-ID, and a transceiver-ID of the selected devices, and including information indicating the data used in the control signal (26).

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprises: including in the control signal information indicating actions to be performed in the test and scheduling multiple actions for multiple devices.

10. A coordinator node for a wireless communication network, configured to send at least one control signal (26) to multiple devices to coordinate a test within at least one wireless communication network cell, the at least one control signal including instructions related to participating in a test within at least one wireless communication network cell, the test being jointly performed by the multiple devices, wherein, Transmitting the at least one control signal (26) via the wireless communication network cell, wherein the plurality of devices coordinate to act as distributed sensing nodes or detection nodes, or wherein the at least one control signal includes an instruction indicating a device among the plurality of devices to cause the device to apply a signal independently to the baseband circuitry, the signal for an RF signal to be transmitted using the antenna array of the device.

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