Vehicle-mounted antenna OTA spherical multi-probe test system and method

Abstract

The invention belongs to the field of vehicle-mounted antenna testing, and discloses a vehicle-mounted antenna OTA spherical multi-probe testing system and method.The performance of a vehicle-mounted antenna can be effectively simulated and measured during testing through the synergistic effect of an annular probe system, a lifting platform, a testing rotary table and a control system, and the performance of the vehicle-mounted antenna can be effectively simulated and measured through introduction of a human body physical model; the shielding effect of the human body on the radio frequency signal can be simulated, and the antenna performance of the vehicle in practical application can be accurately evaluated. Through the combination of the lifting platform and the test turntable, the position and posture of the test vehicle can be accurately adjusted, so that the test vehicle is located in the optimal test area of the annular probe system. The positioning accuracy of the vehicle in the test process is ensured, the test error possibly caused by the inaccurate vehicle position is effectively eliminated, and the antenna performance under different vehicle postures and different vehicle-mounted environments can be simulated, so that reliable data support is provided for the optimization design of the vehicle-mounted antenna.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of vehicle-mounted antenna testing, and in particular relates to a vehicle-mounted antenna OTA spherical multi-probe testing system and method. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of wireless communication technology, smart cars equipped with Internet of Vehicles technology continue to emerge, and the communication needs between cars and external infrastructure, as well as internal communication equipment in cars are becoming more and more important. Intelligent transportation and communication systems are also booming accordingly. Modern cars not only exist as a means of transportation, but also integrate a variety of advanced technologies. Real-time data interaction between vehicles and external Internet of Vehicles and V2X (vehicle to everything) systems, in-vehicle entertainment, navigation, and autonomous driving systems also rely on a strong and stable in-vehicle communication network. Therefore, the normal operation of the vehicle antenna is crucial. It ensures that the vehicle can receive key information from the inside of the car, external traffic, road condition warnings, etc. in a timely manner, helping the intelligent driving system to make accurate decisions.

[0003] With the transition of vehicle communication systems to 5G and 6G in the future, the performance requirements of vehicles for high-frequency antennas are constantly increasing, especially in the development of millimeter wave bands (24GHz and above), which makes antenna design face increasingly higher challenges. At the same time, vehicle antennas must not only meet the traditional transceiver functions, but also adapt to the ever-changing communication needs in complex environments inside and outside the vehicle, such as different vehicle speeds, different geographical locations, and even different communication effects inside and outside the vehicle. In order to ensure that the car can maintain efficient communication capabilities in various environments, performance testing of vehicle antennas is crucial.

[0004] Historically, vehicle-mounted antenna testing has mostly used testing methods for individual antennas or some vehicle components, which have certain limitations. First, the testing of individual antennas cannot accurately simulate the actual impact of the entire vehicle, especially when testing the performance of vehicle-mounted antennas, the vehicle's own metal frame, electronic equipment, body shape, and materials will significantly affect the propagation of wireless signals. This traditional testing method often cannot fully reflect the performance of the antenna in the entire vehicle environment, resulting in deviations in the test results. In addition, with the increase in the number of on-board communication devices in vehicles, how to reasonably evaluate the collaborative working effect of the entire vehicle antenna, the transmission attenuation of the signal, and the communication capabilities of the vehicle in various working modes have become urgent issues to be solved. Therefore, the vehicle-level on-board OTA (Over-the-Air, air download technology) testing technology urgently needs innovation and improvement.

[0005] At the same time, with the development of intelligent driving technology, the impact of the human body has also become an important consideration in the performance evaluation of vehicle antennas. Especially in autonomous or semi-autonomous driving environments, passengers inside the vehicle (including drivers and passengers) may affect the reception and transmission of vehicle antennas. In the current test schemes, most of them only consider the communication performance of the vehicle in the absence of obstacles, ignoring the potential impact of human occlusion. However, in actual use, the presence of the human body will greatly change the characteristics of signal propagation, especially in the front seat area of ​​the car. Human body occlusion may cause signal attenuation or multipath effects, which in turn affects the communication stability and data transmission quality of the vehicle.

[0006] At present, there is no mature vehicle-mounted antenna test solution in the industry that can simulate the impact of human body occlusion. Existing test methods often rely on standardized test models or virtual environment simulations, but these solutions are difficult to fully reflect the complex situations in actual use. Therefore, how to introduce the consideration of human body occlusion in vehicle-mounted antenna testing and accurately evaluate its impact on antenna performance has become a difficult problem that needs to be solved urgently in the field of vehicle-mounted antenna research and development and testing. To this end, innovative test methods and technologies must come into being, such as multi-probe test systems based on actual vehicle environments and precise evaluation methods that introduce human body physical models.

[0007] In summary, with the rapid development of smart cars and Internet of Vehicles technology, the performance test of vehicle antennas faces unprecedented challenges. In order to ensure the communication capabilities of vehicles in various real environments, how to improve vehicle-level OTA test technology and accurately evaluate factors such as human occlusion will become the core direction of future vehicle antenna research and testing. Summary of the invention

[0008] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned deficiency of lack of mature human body occlusion test scheme and provide a vehicle-mounted antenna OTA spherical multi-probe test system and method.

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a vehicle-mounted antenna OTA spherical multi-probe test system and a human body physical model, including a ring probe system, a test turntable is provided in the ring probe system, a lifting platform is provided on the test turntable, and the human body physical model is placed at a desired position in the test vehicle; A loop probe system for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals of different frequencies to test the test vehicle; A lifting platform is used to support the test vehicle and adjust the phase center of the test vehicle antenna by moving up and down; Test turntable for clockwise and counterclockwise rotation; The control system is connected to the ring probe system, the test turntable and the lifting platform. The control system is used to control the test turntable and the lifting platform to place the test vehicle at the required position in the ring probe system, control the ring probe system to transmit or receive the radio frequency signal of the required frequency, and analyze it to obtain the test results.

[0010] A further improvement of the present invention is that the annular probe system comprises a supporting structure, an arch frame is arranged on the supporting structure, a measuring probe is arranged on the arch frame, and the measuring probe is covered with absorbing material all around.

[0011] A further improvement of the present invention is that a cross hole is provided on the wave absorbing material, and the measuring probe extends out of the cross hole.

[0012] A further improvement of the present invention is that the measuring probe adopts a dual-polarized antenna to cover the frequency band, and the measuring probe includes a first measuring probe group, a second measuring probe group and a third measuring probe group. The frequencies of the first measuring probe group, the second measuring probe group and the third measuring probe group are different. The first measuring probe group is arranged on one side of the arch frame, and the second measuring probe group and the third measuring probe group are alternately arranged on the other side of the arch frame.

[0013] A further improvement of the present invention is that the frequency range of the first measuring probe group is 0.1-4 GHz, the frequency range of the second measuring probe group is 4-18 GHz, and the frequency range of the third measuring probe group is 18-50 GHz.

[0014] A further improvement of the present invention is that the first measuring probe group and the second measuring probe group are connected to the control system in a direct connection manner, and the third measuring probe group is connected to the control system in a mixing manner.

[0015] A further improvement of the present invention is that the first measuring probe group, the second measuring probe group and the third measuring probe group are randomly connected to a number of receivers, all the receivers are connected to a control system, and the control system is used to control the collection of radio frequency signals received by all the receivers.

[0016] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a working method of a vehicle-mounted antenna OTA spherical multi-probe test system, comprising the following steps: Placing the physical model of the human body at the desired location within the test vehicle; Placing the test vehicle on a test turntable; The lifting platform drives the test vehicle to rise and places the test vehicle in the annular probe system; The test turntable rotates to rotate the test vehicle to the required angle; The control system controls the ring probe system to transmit a radio frequency signal of a required frequency, or to receive a radio frequency signal; Analyze the RF signal and get the test result.

[0017] A further improvement of the present invention is that the control system controls the ring probe system to transmit a radio frequency signal of a required frequency, and when receiving a radio frequency signal, the ring probe system includes several measuring probes with different frequencies. The control system controls the measuring probe of the required frequency to transmit a radio frequency signal of a corresponding frequency, the radio frequency signal is reflected after passing through the test vehicle, and then the reflected radio frequency signal is received.

[0018] A further improvement of the present invention is that when the control system controls the ring probe system to transmit a radio frequency signal of a desired frequency or to receive a radio frequency signal, the ring probe system includes a plurality of measurement probe groups of different frequencies, the measurement probe groups of different frequencies are randomly connected to a plurality of receivers, and all the receivers are connected to the control system; The control system can control several measuring probe groups with different frequencies to transmit or receive radio frequency signals in parallel, and can also control a single measuring probe group to transmit or receive radio frequency signals.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: The present invention can effectively simulate and measure the performance of the vehicle-mounted antenna during testing through the synergistic effect of the ring probe system, the lifting platform, the test turntable and the control system. By introducing the human body physical model, the present invention can simulate the shielding effect of the human body on the radio frequency signal, and help accurately evaluate the antenna performance of the vehicle in practical applications. The present invention can accurately adjust the position and posture of the test vehicle antenna through the combination of the lifting platform and the test turntable, so that it is in the best test area of ​​the ring probe system. This not only ensures the positioning accuracy of the vehicle during the test, but also effectively eliminates the test error that may be caused by the inaccurate position of the vehicle, and can also simulate the antenna performance under different vehicle postures and different vehicle-mounted environments. In particular, when the vehicle is affected by human body shielding, the present invention can provide accurate test results in these complex environments, thereby providing reliable data support for the optimal design of the vehicle-mounted antenna. The ring probe system of the present invention can transmit radio frequency signals at different frequencies, and perform comprehensive signal radio frequency reception and analysis. Through the multi-probe design, the present invention can comprehensively evaluate the performance of the antenna at different angles and different frequency bands, and improve the coverage of the test and the accuracy of the data.

[0020] Furthermore, the several parallel receivers designed in the present invention can not only perform parallel transmission and reception control, but also perform parallel data acquisition during the test process. Since each measurement probe group can work simultaneously under different polarization states, especially the ability of polarization parallel acquisition, more information can be obtained simultaneously during the test process. The present invention can greatly improve the overall test capability and throughput in large-scale vehicle-mounted antenna testing. The several receivers of the present invention can perform receiving or transmitting operations at the same time, especially each measurement probe group can independently control the transmission and reception state, thereby avoiding the inefficiency problem of having to repeat multiple transmission and reception operations in the traditional method. The parallel transmission and reception method enables each measurement probe group to complete more signal acquisition within one cycle, saving test time and avoiding potential errors caused by frequent switching of test states. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 is a system structure diagram of the present invention; Figure 2 It is a connection diagram of the receiver and the measuring probe in the present invention; Figure 3 It is a work flow chart of the present invention; Among them, 1. Support structure; 2. Measuring probe; 3. Absorbing material; 4. Arch frame. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] In order to further understand the content of the present invention, the present invention is described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the embodiments are only for explaining the present invention and are not intended to limit it.

[0023] Embodiment 1: See also Figure 1 The vehicle-mounted antenna OTA spherical multi-probe test system includes a ring probe system and a human physical model. The ring probe system is provided with a test turntable, the test turntable is provided with a lifting platform, and the human physical model is placed at the required position in the test vehicle.

[0024] The ring probe system is used to transmit radio frequency signals of different frequencies to test the test vehicle; the lifting platform is used to support the test vehicle and adjust the phase center of the test vehicle antenna by moving up and down; the test turntable is used to rotate clockwise and counterclockwise; the control system connects the ring probe system, the test turntable and the lifting platform, and the control system is used to control the test turntable and the lifting platform to place the test vehicle at the desired position in the ring probe system, control the ring probe system to transmit or receive radio frequency signals of the desired frequency, and analyze them to obtain test results.

[0025] Embodiment 2: This embodiment further defines the structure of the annular probe system, which includes a support structure 1, an arch frame 4 is provided on the support structure 1, a measuring probe 2 is provided on the arch frame 4, and the measuring probe 2 is covered with absorbing material 3 on all sides. A cross hole is provided on the absorbing material 3, and the measuring probe 2 extends from the cross hole. The measuring probe 2 uses a dual-polarized antenna for frequency band coverage, and the measuring probe 2 includes a first measuring probe group, a second measuring probe group, and a third measuring probe group. The frequencies of the first measuring probe group, the second measuring probe group, and the third measuring probe group are different. The first measuring probe group is arranged on one side of the arch frame 4, and the second measuring probe group and the third measuring probe group are alternately arranged on the other side of the arch frame 4. The frequency range of the first measuring probe group is 0.1~4GHz, the frequency range of the second measuring probe group is 4~18GHz, and the frequency range of the third measuring probe group is 18~50GHz.

[0026] This embodiment adopts a multi-band measurement probe design, covering 0.1~4GHz, 4~18GHz and 18~50GHz respectively, so that this embodiment can fully test the vehicle antenna in different frequency ranges. This design provides a wider range of testing capabilities, covering multiple communication bands from low frequency to high frequency, and is particularly suitable for different communication technologies involved in modern vehicles, such as V2X, 5G, Wi-Fi, millimeter wave radar, etc. Each measurement probe group specifically covers a specific frequency band, which can effectively avoid interference between frequency bands, making the signal acquisition of each frequency band more accurate and independent, which helps to improve the test accuracy.

[0027] This embodiment adopts a dual-polarized antenna design so that each measuring probe 2 can test signals in two polarization directions at the same time, which is very important in the test link of vehicle-mounted communications. Dual polarization can provide more comprehensive signal propagation information and effectively improve the comprehensive evaluation capability of vehicle-mounted antennas. For the performance evaluation of vehicle-mounted antennas, especially in complex environments, dual-polarized antennas can better simulate real signal propagation conditions. The test of polarization direction can simulate the performance under different antenna configurations and different signal environments, making this embodiment closer to actual application scenarios and providing more accurate antenna optimization suggestions.

[0028] The arch frame 4 and the support structure 1 of this embodiment enable the measuring probe 2 to be accurately positioned within a circular range. By setting the second measuring probe group and the third measuring probe group arranged alternately, a uniform coverage area can be provided, the signal reception dead angle caused by the improper position of the measuring probe group can be reduced, and all-round and multi-angle signal acquisition can be ensured. The cross-hole design enables the measuring probe 2 to penetrate the absorbing material 3 and extend, which not only ensures the effective signal transmission and reception of the measuring probe group, but also reduces unnecessary reflection or interference from the outside. The coverage of the absorbing material 3 effectively suppresses unnecessary background noise and improves the accuracy of the measurement. The application of the absorbing material 3 effectively isolates the interference between the measuring probes 2. By surrounding the absorbing material 3 of the measuring probe 2, the reflection and interference of the radio frequency signal are significantly reduced, and the purity of the radio frequency signal of each measuring probe 2 is improved. This design is particularly suitable for high-frequency band measurements (such as millimeter wave bands). At these frequencies, even slight interference will have a greater impact on the test results, so the design of the absorbing material 3 is particularly important.

[0029] Embodiment 3: See also Figure 2 This embodiment further limits the measuring probe 2. The first measuring probe group and the second measuring probe group are directly connected to the control system. The third measuring probe group is connected to the control system in a mixing manner. The measuring probe groups of different frequencies are randomly connected to a number of receivers. All receivers are connected to the control system. The control system is used to control the collection of radio frequency signals received by all receivers.

[0030] In the conventional test scenario, the test time of this embodiment is reduced from 33 minutes to 18 minutes, and the efficiency is improved by 45%. By shortening the conventional test time from 33 minutes to 18 minutes, this embodiment greatly improves the processing speed and efficiency of the test, and is particularly suitable for application scenarios that require a large number of efficient tests. The shortening of time not only makes each test link more compact, but also helps to shorten the entire test cycle, thereby improving the work efficiency of the test process. This embodiment enables this embodiment to obtain RF signal data from multiple angles at the same time through parallel acquisition and transceiver control. This multi-probe parallel working mode improves the comprehensive performance evaluation capability of the vehicle antenna in complex scenarios. Since this embodiment can handle multiple signal states, especially when considering the design and environmental factors of different vehicle antennas, it can provide more comprehensive and accurate data analysis. This embodiment can shorten the test time while still maintaining high test accuracy and data reliability, and testers can handle more test tasks in the same time. This not only improves the utilization rate of the equipment, but also may reduce the consumption of personnel and resources during the test process, thereby reducing the test cost.

[0031] Embodiment 4: See also Figure 3The working method of the vehicle-mounted antenna OTA spherical multi-probe test system includes the following steps: S1, placing the human body physical model at the desired location within the test vehicle.

[0032] S2, placing the test vehicle on the test turntable.

[0033] S3, the lifting platform drives the test turntable to rise and places the test vehicle in the annular probe system.

[0034] S4, test turntable rotation, is to test the vehicle to rotate to the required angle.

[0035] S5, the control system controls the ring probe system to transmit a radio frequency signal of a required frequency and receive a radio frequency signal.

[0036] S6, analyzing the radio frequency signal to obtain a test result.

[0037] Embodiment 5: Based on Embodiment 4, this embodiment further defines the specific method by which the control system controls the ring probe system to transmit a radio frequency signal of a required frequency and receives the radio frequency signal.

[0038] The ring probe system includes several measuring probe groups with different frequencies. The control system controls the measuring probe group with the required frequency to transmit the radio frequency signal of the corresponding frequency. The radio frequency signal is reflected after passing through the test vehicle, and then the reflected radio frequency signal is received.

[0039] All receivers are connected to a control system, which can control several measurement probe groups with different frequencies to transmit or receive radio frequency signals in parallel, and can also control a single measurement probe group to transmit or receive radio frequency signals.

[0040] This embodiment can obtain RF signal data from multiple angles simultaneously through the design of parallel acquisition and transceiver control. This way of working in parallel with multiple measurement probe groups improves the comprehensive performance evaluation capability of the vehicle-mounted antenna in complex scenarios. Since the present embodiment can handle multiple signal states, it can provide more comprehensive and accurate data analysis, especially when considering the design and environmental factors of different vehicle-mounted antennas. The control system plays a key role in the design of parallel acquisition of several measurement probes, multiple transceiver states and polarization. The automated operation reduces manual intervention, avoids human errors, and improves the consistency and reliability of the test. In addition, the control system can also automatically adjust the test parameters and positions according to the collected data, thereby achieving more flexible and intelligent testing. While shortening the test time, the present embodiment still maintains a high test accuracy and data reliability, and the tester can handle more test tasks in the same time. This not only improves the utilization rate of the equipment, but also may reduce the consumption of personnel and resources during the test process, thereby reducing the test cost.

[0041] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, ordinary technicians in the relevant field should understand that the specific implementation methods of the present invention can still be modified or replaced by equivalents. Any modification or equivalent replacement that does not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. The vehicle-mounted antenna OTA spherical multi-probe test system is characterized by: It includes a ring probe system and a human body physical model. The ring probe system is provided with a test turntable, the test turntable is provided with a lifting platform, and the human body physical model is placed at a required position in the test vehicle; A loop probe system for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals of different frequencies to test the test vehicle; A lifting platform is used to support the test vehicle and adjust the phase center of the test vehicle antenna by moving up and down; Test turntable for clockwise and counterclockwise rotation; The control system is connected to the ring probe system, the test turntable and the lifting platform. The control system is used to control the test turntable and the lifting platform to place the test vehicle at the required position in the ring probe system, control the ring probe system to transmit or receive the radio frequency signal of the required frequency, and analyze it to obtain the test results.

2. The vehicle-mounted antenna OTA spherical multi-probe test system according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The annular probe system comprises a support structure (1), an arch frame (4) is arranged on the support structure (1), a measuring probe (2) is arranged on the arch frame (4), and the measuring probe (2) is covered with absorbing material (3) on all sides.

3. The vehicle-mounted antenna OTA spherical multi-probe test system according to claim 2 is characterized in that: A cross hole is provided on the wave absorbing material (3), and the measuring probe (2) extends out from the cross hole.

4. The vehicle-mounted antenna OTA spherical multi-probe test system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The measuring probe (2) uses a dual-polarized antenna to perform frequency band coverage. The measuring probe (2) comprises a first measuring probe group, a second measuring probe group and a third measuring probe group. The first measuring probe group, the second measuring probe group and the third measuring probe group have different frequencies. The first measuring probe group is arranged on one side of the arch frame (4), and the second measuring probe group and the third measuring probe group are alternately arranged on the other side of the arch frame (4).

5. The vehicle-mounted antenna OTA spherical multi-probe test system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The frequency range of the first measuring probe group is 0.1-4 GHz, the frequency range of the second measuring probe group is 4-18 GHz, and the frequency range of the third measuring probe group is 18-50 GHz.

6. The vehicle-mounted antenna OTA spherical multi-probe test system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first measuring probe group and the second measuring probe group are connected to the control system in a direct connection manner, and the third measuring probe group is connected to the control system in a mixing manner.

7. The vehicle-mounted antenna OTA spherical multi-probe test system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The first measuring probe group, the second measuring probe group and the third measuring probe group are randomly connected to a number of receivers, and all the receivers are connected to a control system, which is used to control the collection of radio frequency signals received by all the receivers.

8. A working method of a vehicle-mounted antenna OTA spherical multi-probe test system, based on the vehicle-mounted antenna OTA spherical multi-probe test system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Placing the physical model of the human body at the desired location within the test vehicle; Placing the test vehicle on a test turntable; The lifting platform drives the test vehicle to rise and places the test vehicle in the annular probe system; The test turntable rotates to rotate the test vehicle to the required angle; The control system controls the ring probe system to transmit radio frequency signals of a required frequency and receive radio frequency signals; Analyze the RF signal and get the test result.

9. The working method of the vehicle-mounted antenna OTA spherical multi-probe test system according to claim 8, characterized in that: The control system controls the ring probe system to transmit the radio frequency signal of the required frequency, and when receiving the radio frequency signal, the ring probe system includes several measurement probe groups with different frequencies. The control system controls the measurement probe of the required frequency to transmit the radio frequency signal of the corresponding frequency. The radio frequency signal is reflected after passing through the test vehicle, and then the reflected radio frequency signal is received.

10. The working method of the vehicle-mounted antenna OTA spherical multi-probe test system according to claim 8, characterized in that: When the control system controls the ring probe system to transmit a radio frequency signal of a required frequency or receive a radio frequency signal, the ring probe system includes a plurality of measurement probe groups with different frequencies, and the measurement probe groups with different frequencies are randomly connected to a plurality of receivers, and all the receivers are connected to the control system; The control system can control several measuring probe groups with different frequencies to transmit or receive radio frequency signals in parallel, and can also control a single measuring probe group to transmit or receive radio frequency signals.

Images