Testing system of wireless communication equipment and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention provides a test system of wireless communication equipment and a control method thereof. The test system comprises a radio frequency shielding box and a radio frequency attenuator arranged in the radio frequency shielding box, the radio frequency shielding box is used for placing a wireless communication device and a signal transmitter, and the signal transmitter is used for transmitting a radio frequency signal to the wireless communication device through the radio frequency attenuator; the test system further comprises a power detection device and a reference antenna, the power detection device is connected with the reference antenna, and the power detection device is used for acquiring the actual receiving power of the radio frequency signal at the reference antenna; the test system further comprises a control device, the control device is in communication connection with the power detection device and the radio frequency attenuator, and the control device is configured to adjust the attenuation value of the radio frequency attenuator if the error between the actual receiving power and the target receiving power of the radio frequency signal is larger than a first threshold value. The error between the actual receiving power and the target receiving power is smaller than or equal to the first threshold value.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of testing technology, specifically to a testing system and control method for a wireless communication device. Background Technology

[0002] When wireless communication equipment leaves the factory, it typically undergoes testing to assess signal strength and / or signal quality to ensure proper operation. Related technologies use shielding boxes and attenuators to simulate signal variations and test signal strength and / or quality. However, this method offers relatively coarse control precision and cannot meet the demands of high-precision, automated testing. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the embodiments of this application aim to provide a testing system and control method for wireless communication devices, so as to achieve high-precision and automated testing of wireless communication devices.

[0004] In a first aspect, a test system for wireless communication devices is provided. The test system includes an RF shielding box and an RF attenuator disposed within the RF shielding box. The RF shielding box is used to house the wireless communication device and a signal transmitter. The signal transmitter is used to transmit RF signals to the wireless communication device through the RF attenuator. The test system also includes a power detection device and a reference antenna. The power detection device is connected to the reference antenna and is used to obtain the actual received power of the RF signal at the reference antenna. The test system also includes a control device, which is communicatively connected to the power detection device and the RF attenuator. The control device is configured to adjust the attenuation value of the RF attenuator if the error between the actual received power and the target received power of the RF signal is greater than a first threshold, so that the error between the actual received power and the target received power is less than or equal to the first threshold.

[0005] In some implementations, the test system further includes a coupler connected to an RF attenuator and a power detection device, the power detection device also being used to detect the output power at the coupling end of the coupler; the control device is further configured to: if the power difference between the output power at the coupling end and the measured power value at the reference antenna is greater than a second threshold, then take the difference between the measured power value at the reference antenna and the compensated power value as the actual received power; if the power difference between the output power at the coupling end and the measured power value at the reference antenna is less than or equal to the second threshold, then take the measured power value at the reference antenna as the actual received power.

[0006] In some implementations, the test system also includes a statistics module, which is used to test and record the packet loss rate of the wireless communication device at the target received power.

[0007] In some implementations, the statistics module is communicatively connected to the control device, which is further configured to: acquire multiple actual received powers within a first time period using the received power detection device; determine whether the actual received power meets the stability condition based on the multiple actual received powers; and if the actual received power meets the stability condition, trigger the statistics module to start recording the packet loss rate of the wireless communication device at the target received power.

[0008] In some implementations, the stability conditions include at least one of the following: the standard deviation of multiple actual received powers is less than or equal to a third threshold; the error between the actual received power and the target received power is less than or equal to a fourth threshold; the fluctuation range of multiple actual received powers is less than or equal to a fifth threshold; and the packet loss rate of the wireless communication device at the target received power is less than or equal to a sixth threshold.

[0009] In some implementations, the power detection device is also used to measure the power value at the reference antenna based on the target measurement frequency; wherein the target measurement frequency is equal to the statistical frequency of the packet loss rate calculated by the statistics module.

[0010] In some implementations, the power detection device is also used to detect the signal-to-noise ratio of the wireless communication device at the target received power, and the statistics module is also used to record the mapping relationship information between the actual received power, signal-to-noise ratio, and packet loss rate.

[0011] In some implementations, the received power range to be tested for the wireless communication device includes a first power range and a second power range. In the first power range, the attenuation value corresponding to the RF attenuator is a first value, and in the second power range, the attenuation value corresponding to the RF attenuator is a second value. The first value and the second value are different.

[0012] Secondly, a control method for a test system of a wireless communication device is provided. The test system includes an RF shielded box and an RF attenuator disposed within the RF shielded box. The RF shielded box is used to house the wireless communication device and a signal transmitter. The signal transmitter is used to transmit RF signals to the wireless communication device through the RF attenuator. The test system also includes a power detection device and a reference antenna. The power detection device is connected to the reference antenna and is used to obtain the actual received power of the RF signal at the reference antenna. The control method includes: if the error between the actual received power and the target received power of the RF signal is greater than a first threshold, adjusting the attenuation value of the RF attenuator so that the error between the actual received power and the target received power is less than or equal to the first threshold.

[0013] In some implementations, the test system further includes a coupler connected to an RF attenuator and a power detection device, the power detection device also being used to detect the output power at the coupling end of the coupler; the control method further includes: if the power difference between the output power at the coupling end and the measured power value at the reference antenna is greater than a second threshold, then the difference between the measured power value at the reference antenna and the compensated power value is taken as the actual received power; if the power difference between the output power at the coupling end and the measured power value at the reference antenna is less than or equal to the second threshold, then the measured power value at the reference antenna is taken as the actual received power.

[0014] In some implementations, the test system also includes a statistics module, which is used to test and record the packet loss rate of the wireless communication device at the target received power.

[0015] In some implementations, the control method further includes: the receiving power detection device acquiring multiple actual received powers within a first time period; determining whether the actual received power meets the stability condition based on the multiple actual received powers; if the actual received power meets the stability condition, triggering the statistics module to start recording the packet loss rate of the wireless communication device at the target received power.

[0016] In some implementations, the stability conditions include at least one of the following: the standard deviation of multiple actual received powers is less than or equal to a third threshold; the error between the actual received power and the target received power is less than or equal to a fourth threshold; the fluctuation range of multiple actual received powers is less than or equal to a fifth threshold; and the packet loss rate of the wireless communication device at the target received power is less than or equal to a sixth threshold.

[0017] In some implementations, the power detection device is used to measure the power value at the reference antenna based on the target measurement frequency; wherein the target measurement frequency is equal to the statistical frequency of the packet loss rate calculated by the statistics module.

[0018] In some implementations, the power detection device is also used to detect the signal-to-noise ratio of the wireless communication device at the target received power, and the statistics module is also used to record the mapping relationship information between the actual received power, signal-to-noise ratio, and packet loss rate.

[0019] In some implementations, the received power range to be tested for the wireless communication device includes a first power range and a second power range. In the first power range, the attenuation value corresponding to the RF attenuator is a first value, and in the second power range, the attenuation value corresponding to the RF attenuator is a second value. The first value and the second value are different.

[0020] The testing system provided in this application includes a power detection device and a reference antenna. The power detection device can be used to obtain the actual received power of the radio frequency signal transmitted by the signal transmitter at the reference antenna (the actual received power at the reference antenna represents the actual received power of the wireless communication device). In this way, the control device in the testing system can perform closed-loop control based on the actual received power until the error between the actual received power and the target received power is small. This application embodiment uses closed-loop control for test control, which is beneficial for achieving high-precision and automated testing. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 The diagram shown is a structural example of a test system for a wireless communication device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0022] Figure 2 The diagram shown is a flowchart illustrating the control method of a test system provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0023] Figure 3 The diagram shown is a flowchart illustrating the control method of a test system provided in another embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments.

[0025] It should be noted that the term "comprising" and its variations mentioned in the embodiments of this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a circuit that includes a series of components, unit circuits, or control timings is not limited to clearly listing all of these components, unit circuits, or control timings, but may include components, unit circuits, or control timings that are inherent to these circuits but are not clearly listed.

[0026] It should also be noted that the terms "connection" and / or "connected" and their variations mentioned in the embodiments of this application can refer to direct connection or indirect connection. Furthermore, the terms "connection" and / or "connected" and their variations mentioned in the embodiments of this application can refer to electrical connection or control connection (such as signal connection), and the embodiments of this application do not limit this to either.

[0027] When wireless communication devices leave the factory, they typically undergo testing to assess signal strength and / or signal quality to ensure proper operation. For example, the wireless fidelity (WiFi) performance of a wireless communication device can be tested using a testing system. Related technologies use shielding boxes and attenuators to simulate signal variations to test signal strength and / or signal quality. However, these testing systems have several drawbacks, such as coarse control precision, limited testing dimensions, poor synchronization, and uncontrollable system errors, failing to meet the demands for high-precision, automated testing.

[0028] For example, patent CN113630806A provides a testing system and method for testing WiFi performance. While this patent uses a programmable attenuator (or variable attenuator) to simulate the distance change between the access point (AP) and the station (STA), the attenuation step size of this programmable attenuator is only 2 dB, which is too large. Furthermore, this patent uses open-loop control for WiFi performance testing, resulting in a large deviation between the set and actual signal strength values, making it impossible to accurately characterize performance changes in signal edge areas.

[0029] For example, patent CN111432425A provides a testing system and method to test the access performance of a router under different signal strengths. However, this patent judges the quality of network modes based on the upload / download rate of the file transfer protocol (FTP), which is difficult to support high-precision performance modeling.

[0030] Based on this, embodiments of this application provide a testing system and control method for wireless communication devices to achieve high-precision, automated testing of wireless communication devices. The testing system provided in the embodiments of this application will be described below first.

[0031] Figure 1 The diagram shows a schematic representation of a test system 10 for a wireless communication device according to an embodiment of this application. This test system 10 can, for example, be used to test the packet loss rate and / or throughput of a wireless communication device under different reception levels. Figure 1 As shown, the test system 10 includes an RF shielding box 110, an RF attenuator 120, a power detection device 130, a reference antenna 140, and a control device 150.

[0032] The radio frequency shielding box 110 can be used to place (or contain) wireless communication devices (or devices under test, devices under test) and signal transmitters. Wireless communication devices may include, for example, electronic products with communication functions such as mobile phones, computers, tablets, headphones, and robot vacuum cleaners. Wireless communication devices may be, for example, WiFi communication devices, HaLow devices, or Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The signal transmitter can transmit radio frequency signals to the wireless communication devices. This application embodiment does not limit the radio frequency signal. Taking a test system used to test WiFi performance as an example, the radio frequency signal transmitted by the signal transmitter may include WiFi signals. In this scenario, the signal transmitter can also be called or understood as a test AP, and the wireless communication device can also be called or understood as a device under test (STA). Taking a test system used to test cellular signal performance as an example, the radio frequency signal transmitted by the signal transmitter may include cellular signals (such as 4G signals, 5G signals). In this scenario, the signal transmitter can also be called or understood as a test base station, and the wireless communication device can also be called or understood as a terminal under test.

[0033] It should be noted that the wireless communication device and / or signal transmitter may or may not be part of the test system 10, and this application embodiment does not limit this. For example, the wireless communication device may not be part of the test system 10, but the signal transmitter is. As an example, during the test, the RF shielding box 110 of the test system 10 may contain the wireless communication device and / or signal transmitter. In this case, the test system 10 can be considered to include the wireless communication device and / or signal transmitter. As another example, during non-testing processes, the RF shielding box 110 may not contain the wireless communication device and / or signal transmitter. In this case, the test system 10 can be considered to not include the wireless communication device and / or signal transmitter. Figure 1 The example described is based on a wireless communication device and / or signal transmitter placed in the test system 10. The wireless communication device and / or signal transmitter may not be part of the test system 10.

[0034] The radio frequency shielding box 110 can be used to shield against external electromagnetic interference. In other words, the radio frequency shielding box 110 can be used to shield against stray signals such as external WiFi signals, cellular signals, and Bluetooth signals to ensure a clean testing environment.

[0035] In some implementations, the inner wall of the RF shielding box 110 can be lined with absorbing material to provide high isolation (e.g., isolation greater than or equal to 80 dB). For example, the inner wall of the RF shielding box 110 can be lined with programmable absorbing material, such as a P-type intrinsic, N-type, PIN diode array. In this way, by controlling the absorbing material, the reflection coefficient can be changed (e.g., changing the reflection coefficient within the range of 0.1 to 0.9), thereby simulating multiple-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) multipath propagation, such as simulating 0–40 nanosecond (ns) multipath propagation, which is manually controllable. By simulating MU-MIMO multipath propagation, the test results obtained by the test system are closer to real-world home multipath scenarios, thus improving the validity of the test results.

[0036] The RF attenuator 120 can be housed within the RF shielding enclosure 110. The RF attenuator 120 can be connected in series between the wireless communication device and the signal transmitter. The RF attenuator 120 can be a programmable RF attenuator. In some implementations, the RF attenuator 120 can adjust its output level within the range of the received power under test with small attenuation values ​​(or attenuation steps, attenuation increments, attenuation intervals). For example, the RF attenuator 120 can adjust its output level within the range of the received power under test with an attenuation value less than or equal to 1 dB, such as a minimum attenuation value of 0.25 dB.

[0037] The embodiments of this application do not limit the range of received power to be tested. For example, the range of received power to be tested may include the range of -90dBm to -30dBm. As another example, the range of received power to be tested may include the range of -80dBm to -40dBm.

[0038] In some implementations, the received power range to be tested for the wireless communication device may include a first power range and a second power range. Specifically, in the first power range, the attenuation value corresponding to the RF attenuator 120 is a first value; in the second power range, the attenuation value corresponding to the RF attenuator 120 is a second value. The first and second values ​​can be different. Using different attenuation values ​​for different power ranges within the received power range to be tested helps balance test time and test result resolution. For example, embodiments of this application can set a smaller attenuation value in the packet loss rate (or error rate) sensitive area and a larger attenuation value in the packet loss rate non-sensitive area. This can shorten the overall test time and ensure high resolution in critical intervals. Taking the first power range as the power range corresponding to the packet loss rate sensitive area and the second power range as the power range corresponding to the packet loss rate non-sensitive area as an example, the first value can be smaller than the second value. For example, suppose the received power range of the wireless communication device to be tested includes -90dBm to -30dBm. A first power range includes a packet loss rate sensitive area (e.g., -85dBm to -70dBm), and a second power range includes a packet loss rate non-sensitive area (e.g., -90dBm to -85dBm and -70dBm to -30dBm). Within the first power range, the attenuation value corresponding to the RF attenuator 120 can be 0.25dB; within the second power range, the attenuation value corresponding to the RF attenuator 120 can be 1dB. In this scenario, the overall test time can be reduced by 35%, and the resolution of the critical interval can be improved by 4 times.

[0039] In some implementations, embodiments of this application may connect a switching switch in series at the front end of the RF attenuator 120 to achieve switching between different frequency bands. For example, embodiments of this application may connect a single-pole six-throw RF switch array in series at the front end of the RF attenuator 120. In this way, the control device 150 can achieve unattended switching between the 2.402-2.484 GHz and 5.15-7.125 GHz frequency bands by switching. It should be noted that the insertion loss change introduced by the frequency band switching in embodiments of this application may be less than or equal to 0.05 dB.

[0040] A power detection device (or power meter, spectrum analyzer, power probe) 130 can be housed within the radio frequency shielding enclosure 110. The power detection device 130 can be connected to a reference antenna 140 to obtain (or determine) the actual received power of the radio frequency signal at the reference antenna 140. For example, the power detection device 130 can obtain the actual received power of the radio frequency signal at the reference antenna 140 in real time.

[0041] In some implementations, the power detection device 130 can also be used to detect the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the wireless communication device at the target received power. This allows the subsequent statistics module to record the mapping relationship between the actual received power, SNR, and packet loss rate. It should be noted that SNR refers to the ratio of active signal power to background noise power, measured in dB. A higher SNR results in fewer demodulation errors. Common SNR values ​​for WiFi communication include: 25dB (excellent signal), 10 to 25dB (moderate signal), and less than 10dB (very poor signal). Packet loss rate refers to the percentage of data packets in a batch of transmitted packets that are not correctly acknowledged by the receiving end. Packet loss rate = (number of lost packets ÷ total number of transmitted packets) × 100%. Acceptance requirements for packet loss rate in WiFi communication are typically: a packet loss rate less than or equal to 0.1%, or a packet loss rate less than or equal to 0.05%.

[0042] The reference antenna 140 can have the same polarization as the antenna in the wireless communication device. In this way, the actual received power of the radio frequency signal at the reference antenna 140 is basically the same as the actual received power of the radio frequency signal at the wireless communication device. Therefore, the actual received power of the radio frequency signal at the reference antenna 140 can be used to represent the actual received power of the radio frequency signal at the wireless communication device.

[0043] The control device 150 is communicatively connected to the power detection device 130 and the RF attenuator 120. The control device 150 can be located outside the RF shielding enclosure 110. The control device 150 can be configured to adjust the attenuation value of the RF attenuator 120 so that the error between the actual received power at the reference antenna 140 and the target received power of the RF signal is greater than a first threshold if the error exceeds a first threshold. In other words, the control device 150 can be configured to perform the following closed-loop control: if the error between the actual received power at the reference antenna 140 and the target received power of the RF signal is greater than a first threshold, adjust the attenuation value of the RF attenuator 120 so that the error between the actual received power at the reference antenna 140 and the target received power is less than or equal to the first threshold. However, this application embodiment is not limited to this. The control device 150 can also be configured to perform the following closed-loop control: if the error between the measured power value at the reference antenna 140 and the target received power of the radio frequency signal is greater than a first threshold, then the attenuation value of the radio frequency attenuator 120 is adjusted so that the error between the measured power value at the reference antenna 140 and the target received power is less than or equal to the first threshold. A description of the measured power value can be found below.

[0044] In one implementation, the control device 150 can compare the target received power with the actual received power at the reference antenna 140. If the error between the two is greater than a first threshold, it sends an adjustment command to the RF attenuator 120 based on a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) algorithm and / or a calibration table until the error between the actual received power at the reference antenna 140 and the target received power is less than or equal to the first threshold. In other words, this embodiment can perform closed-loop control based on a PID algorithm and / or a calibration table, returning the real-time reading from the power detection device 130 to the RF attenuator 120, enabling the RF attenuator 120 to automatically converge within the range of the received power to be tested with a small attenuation value (e.g., 0.25 or higher). In another implementation, this embodiment can utilize methods such as a Python application programming interface (API) to achieve automatic convergence of the RF attenuator 120 with a small attenuation value, using a closed-loop stability triggering statistical module for testing.

[0045] It should be noted that the actual received power and / or target received power mentioned in the embodiments of this application can be indicated by the received signal strength indicator (RSSI). That is, the control device 150 can be configured to adjust the attenuation value of the RF attenuator 120 if the error between the actual RSSI and the target RSSI at the reference antenna 140 is greater than a first threshold, so that the error between the actual RSSI and the target RSSI at the reference antenna 140 is less than or equal to the first threshold. Here, RSSI can be used to reflect the instantaneous RF power level at the receiving antenna port. The unit of RSSI is dBm. The larger the RSSI value (closer to 0 dBm), the stronger the signal. Typical RSSI ranges from -30 dBm (extremely strong signal) to -90 dBm (extremely weak signal).

[0046] The embodiments of this application do not impose a specific limitation on the first threshold, which can be flexibly set according to the actual situation. For example, the first threshold can be set to 0.5dB. Another example is that the first threshold can be set to 1dB. Yet another example is that the first threshold can be set to 0.3dB.

[0047] The testing system provided in this application includes a power detection device and a reference antenna. The power detection device can be used to obtain the actual received power of the radio frequency signal transmitted by the signal transmitter at the reference antenna (the actual received power at the reference antenna represents the actual received power of the wireless communication device). In this way, the control device in the testing system can perform closed-loop control based on the actual received power until the error between the actual received power and the target received power is small. This application embodiment uses closed-loop control for test control, which is beneficial for achieving high-precision and automated testing.

[0048] See also Figure 1 In some embodiments, Figure 1 The test system 10 shown may also include a coupler (such as a directional coupler) 160. Coupler 160 may be connected to RF attenuator 120 and power detection device 130. For example, the input of coupler 160 may be used to connect to a signal transmitter, the output of coupler 160 may be used to connect to RF attenuator 120, and the coupling end of coupler 160 may be used to connect to power detection device 130. In this case, power detection device 130 may also be used to detect the output power of the coupling end of coupler 160.

[0049] In this scenario, the control device 150 can be configured to: if the power difference between the output power at the coupling end of the coupler 160 and the measured power value at the reference antenna 140 is greater than a second threshold, then the actual received power can be corrected based on the measured power value at the reference antenna 140 and the compensation power value. For example, the control device 150 can be configured to: if the power difference between the output power at the coupling end of the coupler 160 and the measured power value at the reference antenna 140 is greater than the second threshold, then the difference between the measured power value at the reference antenna 140 and the compensation power value is taken as the actual received power; if the power difference between the output power at the coupling end of the coupler 160 and the measured power value at the reference antenna 140 is less than or equal to the second threshold, then the measured power value at the reference antenna 140 is taken as the actual received power. That is, the actual received power mentioned in the embodiments of this application can be determined based on the measured power value at the reference antenna 140. For example, the actual received power is equal to the measured power value at the reference antenna 140. Another example is that the actual received power is equal to the difference between the measured power value at the reference antenna 140 and the compensation power value.

[0050] The output power at the coupling terminal of coupler 160 refers to the received power measured at the coupling terminal of coupler 160 (P mentioned below). CH1 The measured power value at reference antenna 140 refers to the received power measured at reference antenna 140 (as mentioned below, P). CH2 ).

[0051] The embodiments of this application do not limit the second threshold, which can be flexibly set according to actual conditions. For example, the second threshold can be set to 0.1dB. Another example is that the second threshold can be set to 0.15dB. Yet another example is that the second threshold can be set to 0.2dB.

[0052] In some implementations, the aforementioned compensation power value is obtained by looking up a table. For example, the compensation power value is obtained by looking up a temperature-insertion loss lookup table. This temperature-insertion loss lookup table can be used to record the effect of temperature on the RF attenuator 120, such as recording the compensation power value (or insertion loss) corresponding to different temperatures.

[0053] This embodiment introduces a power detection device 130, a reference antenna 140, and a coupler 160. The coupling ends of the reference antenna 140 and the coupler 160 are simultaneously connected to the power detection device 130, forming a differential power sampling path (i.e., forming a "conduction-space" dual-channel differential calibration). This helps eliminate system drift introduced by factors such as coaxial cable temperature coefficient and connector repeatability, making test results from different laboratories and different batches reproducible, and more conducive to meeting certification or mass production calibration requirements. Alternatively, this embodiment forms a "reference-test" dual-channel within the RF shielding box, offsetting cable drift and ensuring the reproducibility of test results (e.g., ensuring daytime repeatability is less than or equal to ±0.3dB).

[0054] In some implementations, the test system 10, in addition to the coupler 160, may further include a circulator. Alternatively, the coupler 160 can be replaced by a circulator and coupler. This circulator and coupler can be used to simultaneously perform differential power sampling of the output power at the coupling end of the coupler and the actual received power at the reference antenna 140. In this way, the control device 150 can compensate for temperature drift in real time based on the power difference between the two paths, resulting in a smaller fluctuation range in the received power (e.g., making the RSSI fluctuation less than or equal to 0.2 dB over 72 consecutive hours).

[0055] See also Figure 1 In some embodiments, Figure 1The test system 10 shown may further include a statistics module (or, flow and statistics module) 170. The statistics module 170 can be communicatively connected to the control device 150. The statistics module 170 can be used to test and record the packet loss rate of the wireless communication device at a target received power. In some implementations, the statistics module 170 can record other information besides the packet loss rate of the wireless communication device at the target received power. For example, the statistics module can record the throughput of the wireless communication device at the target received power. Another example is that the statistics module 170 can record the mapping relationship between the actual received power and the packet loss rate. Yet another example is that the statistics module 170 can record the mapping relationship between the actual received power, the signal-to-noise ratio of the wireless communication device at the target received power, and the packet loss rate. Yet another example is that the statistics module 170 can record the mapping relationship between the actual received power, signal-to-noise ratio, packet loss rate, and throughput. This embodiment of the application establishes a quantitative mapping relationship between signal strength and communication quality by recording key radio frequency indicators such as actual received power, signal-to-noise ratio, and packet loss rate, enabling multi-dimensional analysis of test results, which can be used as thresholds for subsequent test pass / fail. This approach is beneficial for supporting high-precision performance modeling and makes test results reproducible, thereby facilitating the achievement of the requirements for high-precision, reproducible, and automated testing.

[0056] This application does not specifically limit the statistics module 170, as long as it can test and / or record test indicators such as packet loss rate and throughput. For example, the statistics module 170 may include the iPerf tool (such as iPerf3). Another example is that the statistics module 170 may include the Wireshark tool.

[0057] In some implementations, when the power detection device 130 tests the actual received power at the reference antenna 140, the statistics module 170 can perform data stream testing and packet loss rate statistics in parallel within the same time window to establish a mapping relationship between the actual received power and the packet loss rate, or to establish a mapping relationship between the actual received power, signal-to-noise ratio, and packet loss rate.

[0058] In some implementations, the statistics module 170 records the packet loss rate of the wireless communication device at the target received power under certain conditions. For example, the control device 150 can be configured to trigger the statistics module 170 to start recording the packet loss rate of the wireless communication device at the target received power when the actual received power at the reference antenna 140 meets the stability condition, in order to avoid recording false dead pixels caused by temperature drift. Exemplarily, the control device 150 can be further configured to: acquire multiple actual received powers within a first time period using the received power detection device 130; determine whether the actual received power meets the stability condition based on these multiple actual received powers; and if the actual received power meets the stability condition, trigger the statistics module 170 to start recording the packet loss rate of the wireless communication device at the target received power. In some implementations, if the actual received power at the reference antenna 140 does not meet the stability condition, the control device 150 can automatically extend the dwell time until the stability condition is met or a timeout occurs. If the stability condition is still not met after the timeout, the control device 150 can report a "loop failure" and exit abnormally. In some implementations, embodiments of this application may use a timeout timer to record whether a timeout has occurred. Embodiments of this application do not limit the duration of the timeout timer; for example, the duration may be 120 seconds, or for another example, it may be 180 seconds.

[0059] This application does not specifically limit the stability condition in its embodiments. The stability condition may be related to one or more of the following: the standard deviation of multiple actual received powers, the error between the actual received power and the target received power, the fluctuation range of multiple actual received powers, and the packet loss rate of the wireless communication device at the target received power. For example, the stability condition may include one or more of the following: the standard deviation of multiple actual received powers is less than or equal to a third threshold, the error between the actual received power and the target received power is less than or equal to a fourth threshold, the fluctuation range of multiple actual received powers is less than or equal to a fifth threshold, and the packet loss rate of the wireless communication device at the target received power is less than or equal to a sixth threshold. As an example, the stability condition may include: the standard deviation of multiple actual received powers is less than or equal to a third threshold, and the error between the actual received power and the target received power is less than or equal to a fourth threshold. As another example, the stability condition may include: the fluctuation range of multiple actual received powers is less than or equal to a fifth threshold, and the packet loss rate of the wireless communication device at the target received power is less than or equal to a sixth threshold.

[0060] It should be noted that when multiple actual received powers are obtained, the error between the actual received power and the target received power can be realized as the error between the average value of the multiple actual received powers and the target received power; or it can be realized as the error between the minimum (or maximum) value of the multiple actual received powers and the target received power; or it can be realized as the error between each of the multiple actual received powers and the target received power.

[0061] This application does not limit the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth thresholds, which can be flexibly set according to actual conditions. For example, the third threshold can be 0.05dB, 0.03dB, or 0.08dB. Similarly, the fourth threshold can be 0.18dB, 0.5dB, or 0.15dB. The fifth threshold can be 0.5dB, 0.6dB, or 0.8dB. Finally, the sixth threshold can be 0.1%, 0.08%, or 0.05%.

[0062] In some implementations, the fourth threshold can be equal to the first threshold. For example, both the fourth and first thresholds are set to 0.2 dB. In other implementations, the fourth threshold can be unequal to the first threshold. For example, the fourth threshold can be less than the first threshold. As an example, the fourth threshold is set to 0.18 dB, and the first threshold is set to 0.5 dB.

[0063] In some implementations, the statistics module 170 can further perform a target waketime (TWT) low-power listening test. For example, the statistics module 170 can send a quality of service null frame (QoS-Null frame) and calculate the acknowledgment (ACK) loss rate of the wireless communication device in TWT mode, thereby expanding the system's testing capabilities for the wireless communication device.

[0064] See also Figure 1 In some embodiments, Figure 1 The test system 10 shown may further include a polarization rotary stage 180. The polarization rotary stage 180 may be, for example, a two-dimensional step polarization rotary stage. The polarization rotary stage 180 can be used to traverse horizontal, vertical, and circular polarization angles at each received power level (e.g., each RSSI level) to capture edge packet loss caused by polarization adaptation. This application embodiment does not limit the step angle of the polarization rotary stage 180. For example, the step angle of the polarization rotary stage 180 may be less than or equal to 5 degrees. As another example, the step angle of the polarization rotary stage 180 may be less than or equal to 8 degrees.

[0065] In some implementations, the power detection device 130 can measure the measured power value based on a target measurement frequency; that is, the power detection device 130 can measure the measured power value of the radio frequency signal at the reference antenna 140 based on the target measurement frequency. This target measurement frequency can be equal to (or close to) the statistical frequency of the packet loss rate set by the statistics module 170. For example, if the statistical frequency of the packet loss rate set by the statistics module 170 is a millisecond-level statistical frequency, the target measurement frequency can also be the same millisecond-level statistical frequency. Taking a received frequency range of -30dBm to -90dBm and an attenuation value of 0.25dB as an example, during testing, 241 levels of measurement power points (such as RSSI points) can be scanned simultaneously, with traffic and packet statistics for each point completed within the same timestamp window. Alternatively, the power detection device 130 can sample 1000 times per second, aligned with the JSON timestamp of the statistics module 170 in milliseconds. The target measurement frequency is equal to (or close to) the statistical frequency of packet loss rate by the statistical module 170, so that the timing of the measurement of the power value at the reference antenna and the statistical statistics of packet loss rate by the statistical module 170 can be aligned. This means that the sampling of the power value at the reference antenna and the packet loss rate test are in the same time window, and the data timing is aligned, which helps to improve the accuracy and repeatability of the test.

[0066] In some implementations, the test system can automatically calculate the expanded uncertainty U according to relevant specifications based on the three-phase inputs of the power detection device's accuracy (such as PID algorithms and / or calibration tables), connector repeatability, and temperature drift (such as temperature-insertion loss lookup tables).

[0067] The above text combined Figure 1 The testing system for wireless communication equipment has been introduced, and the following text combines... Figure 2 and Figure 3 The control method for the testing system is described below. It should be noted that the method embodiments described below correspond to the device embodiments described above; therefore, any content not detailed below can be found in the description of the device embodiments above.

[0068] Figure 2 This is a schematic flowchart of a control method for a test system of a wireless communication device according to an embodiment of this application. The control method can be executed by a control device within the test system. The control method includes step S210. In step S210, if the error between the actual received power at the reference antenna and the target received power of the radio frequency signal is greater than a first threshold, the attenuation value of the radio frequency attenuator is adjusted so that the error between the actual received power and the target received power is less than or equal to the first threshold.

[0069] In some implementations, the control method further includes: if the power difference between the output power at the coupling end and the measured power value at the reference antenna is greater than a second threshold, then the difference between the measured power value at the reference antenna and the compensated power value is taken as the actual received power; if the power difference between the output power at the coupling end and the measured power value at the reference antenna is less than or equal to the second threshold, then the measured power value at the reference antenna is taken as the actual received power.

[0070] In some implementations, the control method further includes: the receiving power detection device acquiring multiple actual received powers within a first time period; determining whether the actual received power meets the stability condition based on the multiple actual received powers; if the actual received power meets the stability condition, triggering the statistics module to start recording the packet loss rate of the wireless communication device at the target received power.

[0071] In some implementations, the stability conditions include at least one of the following: the standard deviation of multiple actual received powers is less than or equal to a third threshold; the error between the actual received power and the target received power is less than or equal to a fourth threshold; the fluctuation range of multiple actual received powers is less than or equal to a fifth threshold; and the packet loss rate of the wireless communication device at the target received power is less than or equal to a sixth threshold.

[0072] In some implementations, the power detection device is used to measure the power value at the reference antenna based on the target measurement frequency; wherein the target measurement frequency is equal to the statistical frequency of the packet loss rate calculated by the statistics module.

[0073] In some implementations, the power detection device is also used to detect the signal-to-noise ratio of the wireless communication device at the target received power, and the statistics module is also used to record the mapping relationship information between the actual received power, signal-to-noise ratio, and packet loss rate.

[0074] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the control method of a test system for a wireless communication device according to another embodiment of this application. The following is in conjunction with... Figure 3 An example of the control process of the test system is provided.

[0075] In step 1, initialize the parameters.

[0076] For example, one or more of the following parameters can be initialized: target received power (e.g., target RSSI), attenuation value, PID coefficient, drift threshold, stabilization window, and timeout limit (e.g., the duration of a timeout timer). As an example, embodiments of this application can set the target received power So = -30dBm, attenuation value ∆S = -0.25dB, PID coefficient Kp = 0.8, PID coefficient Ki = 0.2, PID coefficient Kd = 0.1, drift threshold Dth = 0.1dB, stabilization window N = 10 times (1 second / timeout), and timeout limit Tmax = 120 seconds.

[0077] In step 2, sample the dual-channel power.

[0078] For example, the control device can simultaneously read two channels of the power detection device, namely channel (CH)1: the coupling end of the coupler (conducted power); CH2: the receiving end of the reference antenna (spatial power).

[0079] In step 3, the differential is calibrated.

[0080] For example, the control device can calculate the drift amount ∆P, such as ∆P equals P CH1 -P CH2 Among them, P CH1 P represents the received power at CH1. CH2 This represents the received power at CH2.

[0081] In some implementations, if ∆P is greater than a second threshold (e.g., 0.1 dB), then ∆P can be used to correct P. CH2 The actual received power at the reference antenna, Sr = P, is obtained. CH2 -ΔP; otherwise, directly take Sr=P CH2 In some implementations, the temperature-insertion loss lookup table can be updated if ∆P is greater than a second threshold (e.g., 0.1 dB).

[0082] In step 4, the PID closed-loop calculation is performed.

[0083] For example, the control device can calculate the error e(k) = So - Sr, and the error change ∆e = e(k) - e(k-1). Furthermore, the control device can output an adjustment ∆A(k) = Kp × e(k) + Ki × Σe + Kd × ∆e, limited to ±5dB.

[0084] In step 5, update the value of the RF attenuator.

[0085] Update the current value A of the RF attenuator to A+∆A(k). In some implementations, after updating the value A of the RF attenuator, a certain period of mechanical stabilization can be waited for, such as waiting 100 milliseconds for mechanical stabilization.

[0086] In step 6, stability is determined.

[0087] For example, N=10 sets of Sr can be continuously acquired, and the standard deviation σ(Sr) can be calculated. In some implementations, if the difference σ(Sr) is less than or equal to a third threshold (e.g., 0.05 dB) and e(k) is less than or equal to a fourth threshold (e.g., 0.18 dB), then step 7 is executed; otherwise, the timeout timer is incremented by 1 second. In some implementations, if the accumulated time of the timeout timer is greater than the timeout limit (e.g., 120 seconds), the control device reports "closed-loop failure" and abnormally exits the test.

[0088] In step 7, start the traffic test.

[0089] For example, the statistics module can be triggered to run for a period of time (e.g., 10 seconds) to synchronously record: actual received power (Sr), signal-to-noise ratio, packet loss rate, and throughput.

[0090] In step 8, the attenuation value of the RF attenuator is reduced.

[0091] The target received power So is reduced by an attenuation value of ∆S = -0.25dB. In some implementations, if So > -90dBm, return to step 2; otherwise, the test ends.

[0092] In step 9, save the data.

[0093] For example, a record can be stored at each attenuation point: {So, Sr, signal-to-noise ratio, packet loss rate, throughput, attenuation value of RF attenuator, timestamp}, forming a multi-dimensional (e.g., three-dimensional) standard matrix.

[0094] In other words, the control device can read the dual-channel power detection device at a certain period (such as 100 milliseconds), first use differential calibration to eliminate temperature drift, and then use the PID algorithm to calculate the adjustment amount of the RF attenuator until the standard deviation of 10 consecutive samples is less than or equal to the third threshold and the error between Sr and So is less than or equal to the fourth threshold. Only then will the statistical module test be triggered to ensure that the data of each received power point (such as RSSI point) is recorded in a stable state.

[0095] It should be understood that in the embodiments of this application, "B corresponding to A" means that B is associated with A, and B can be determined based on A. However, it should also be understood that determining B based on A does not mean that B is determined solely based on A; B can also be determined based on A and / or other information.

[0096] It should be understood that the term "and / or" in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0097] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the order of the above-mentioned processes does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0098] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0099] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0100] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0101] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved entirely or partially through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented entirely or partially in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can read or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available media may be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., digital video discs (DVDs)), or semiconductor media (e.g., solid-state disks (SSDs)).

[0102] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A testing system for wireless communication devices, characterized in that, The test system includes an RF shielding box and an RF attenuator installed inside the RF shielding box. The RF shielding box is used to house the wireless communication device and the signal transmitter. The signal transmitter is used to transmit RF signals to the wireless communication device through the RF attenuator. The test system also includes a power detection device and a reference antenna. The power detection device is connected to the reference antenna and is used to obtain the actual received power of the radio frequency signal at the reference antenna. The test system further includes a control device, which is communicatively connected to the power detection device and the RF attenuator. The control device is configured to: If the error between the actual received power and the target received power of the radio frequency signal is greater than a first threshold, the attenuation value of the radio frequency attenuator is adjusted so that the error between the actual received power and the target received power is less than or equal to the first threshold.

2. The testing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The test system also includes a coupler connected to the RF attenuator and the power detection device, and the power detection device is also used to detect the output power of the coupling end of the coupler. The control device is also configured to: If the power difference between the output power at the coupling end and the measured power value at the reference antenna is greater than the second threshold, then the difference between the measured power value at the reference antenna and the compensated power value is taken as the actual received power. If the power difference between the output power at the coupling end and the measured power value at the reference antenna is less than or equal to the second threshold, then the measured power value at the reference antenna is taken as the actual received power.

3. The testing system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The testing system also includes a statistics module, which is used to test and record the packet loss rate of the wireless communication device at the target received power.

4. The testing system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The statistics module is communicatively connected to the control device, and the control device is further configured to: Receive multiple actual received powers acquired by the power detection device within a first time period; Determine whether the actual received power satisfies the stability condition based on multiple actual received powers; If the actual received power meets the stability condition, the statistics module is triggered to start recording the packet loss rate of the wireless communication device at the target received power.

5. The testing system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The stability condition includes at least one of the following: The standard deviation of multiple actual received powers is less than or equal to a third threshold; The error between the actual received power and the target received power is less than or equal to the fourth threshold. The fluctuation range of the actual received power in multiple cases is less than or equal to the fifth threshold. The packet loss rate of the wireless communication device at the target receiving power is less than or equal to the sixth threshold.

6. The testing system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The power detection device is also used to measure the measured power value at the reference antenna based on the target measurement frequency; wherein the target measurement frequency is equal to the statistical frequency of the packet loss rate by the statistical module.

7. The testing system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The power detection device is also used to detect the signal-to-noise ratio of the wireless communication device under the target received power, and the statistics module is also used to record the mapping relationship information between the actual received power, the signal-to-noise ratio and the packet loss rate.

8. The testing system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The received power range to be tested for the wireless communication device includes a first power range and a second power range. In the first power range, the attenuation value corresponding to the RF attenuator is a first value, and in the second power range, the attenuation value corresponding to the RF attenuator is a second value. The first value and the second value are different.

9. A control method for a test system of a wireless communication device, characterized in that, The test system includes an RF shielding box and an RF attenuator installed inside the RF shielding box. The RF shielding box is used to house the wireless communication device and the signal transmitter. The signal transmitter is used to transmit RF signals to the wireless communication device through the RF attenuator. The test system also includes a power detection device and a reference antenna. The power detection device is connected to the reference antenna and is used to obtain the actual received power of the radio frequency signal at the reference antenna. The control method includes: If the error between the actual received power and the target received power of the radio frequency signal is greater than a first threshold, the attenuation value of the radio frequency attenuator is adjusted so that the error between the actual received power and the target received power is less than or equal to the first threshold.

10. The control method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The test system also includes a coupler connected to the RF attenuator and the power detection device, and the power detection device is also used to detect the output power of the coupling end of the coupler. The control method further includes: If the power difference between the output power at the coupling end and the measured power value at the reference antenna is greater than the second threshold, then the difference between the measured power value at the reference antenna and the compensated power value is taken as the actual received power. If the power difference between the output power at the coupling end and the measured power value at the reference antenna is less than or equal to the second threshold, then the measured power value at the reference antenna is taken as the actual received power.

11. The control method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, The testing system also includes a statistics module, which is used to test and record the packet loss rate of the wireless communication device at the target received power.

12. The control method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The control method further includes: Receive multiple actual received powers acquired by the power detection device within a first time period; Determine whether the actual received power satisfies the stability condition based on multiple actual received powers; If the actual received power meets the stability condition, the statistics module is triggered to start recording the packet loss rate of the wireless communication device at the target received power.

13. The control method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The stability condition includes at least one of the following: The standard deviation of multiple actual received powers is less than or equal to a third threshold; The error between the actual received power and the target received power is less than or equal to the fourth threshold. The fluctuation range of the actual received power in multiple cases is less than or equal to the fifth threshold. The packet loss rate of the wireless communication device at the target receiving power is less than or equal to the sixth threshold.

14. The control method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The power detection device is used to measure the power value at the reference antenna based on the target measurement frequency; wherein the target measurement frequency is equal to the statistical frequency of the packet loss rate by the statistical module.

15. The control method according to claim 14, characterized in that, The power detection device is also used to detect the signal-to-noise ratio of the wireless communication device under the target received power, and the statistics module is also used to record the mapping relationship information between the actual received power, the signal-to-noise ratio and the packet loss rate.

Images