A network simulation system and test method applied to vehicle OTA upgrade test
By building a cellular communication simulation network, the problems of environmental distortion and incomplete scenario coverage in vehicle OTA upgrade testing were solved, achieving efficient and reliable network testing, reducing costs and improving testing efficiency.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- CHINA AUTOMOTIVE ENG RES INST
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-14
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-02
Smart Images
Figure CN122138199A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to the field of vehicle OTA upgrade testing technology, and in particular relates to a network simulation system and testing method for vehicle OTA upgrade testing. Background Technology
[0002] The statements in this section are merely background information related to the present invention and do not necessarily constitute prior art.
[0003] Current OTA upgrade evaluations primarily rely on laboratory instrument testing and live cellular network testing. Laboratory instrument testing simulates network environments, but it cannot replicate the complex topology and dynamic interaction characteristics of commercial networks, particularly lacking coverage of typical scenarios such as roaming and edge network switching. This environmental distortion directly leads to significant discrepancies between test results and real-world driving scenarios, making it difficult to accurately verify the reliability of OTA upgrades. Live cellular network testing focuses on traditional road testing, but it struggles to comprehensively cover various communication environments and extreme conditions. Furthermore, it suffers from low testing efficiency, is constrained by external factors such as geographical scope and traffic conditions, and has a lengthy testing cycle. Additionally, the testing process is not repeatable, requiring multiple replications of the same scenario, exacerbating cost pressures. Summary of the Invention
[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides a network simulation system and testing method for vehicle OTA upgrade testing, so as to realize non-road evaluation of OTA upgrades in a cellular simulated network environment, effectively reducing testing costs and improving testing efficiency.
[0005] One aspect of the present invention provides a network simulation system for vehicle OTA upgrade testing, comprising a cellular communication simulation network, a programmable attenuation and channel simulation device, and a user terminal. The cellular communication simulation network includes an access network, a bearer network, and a core network. A base station controller and multi-band base stations are deployed in the access network. The radio frequency signal output from the access network is connected to the test environment via the programmable attenuation and channel simulation device. The user terminal is connected to the access network, the bearer network, and the programmable attenuation and channel simulation device, respectively. The user terminal sends commands to the base station controller to configure the base station to turn on and off, and to adjust the base station's transmit power. Commands are sent from the user terminal to the programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment to control each channel simulation mode and signal strength adjustment. The user terminal sends instructions to the bearer network equipment to configure network transmission link parameters.
[0006] In some embodiments, the user terminal sends instructions to the base station controller to configure the PCI of the same type base station, set the same type handover threshold and handover delay, and configure the offline maintenance duration and base station signal switching timing.
[0007] In some embodiments, the user terminal sends instructions to the bearer network equipment to configure network transmission link parameters; sends instructions to the base station controller to set cross-system cell reselection priority and cross-standard handover signal threshold; and sends instructions to the core network to configure frequency band priority and set core network signaling interaction timeout parameters.
[0008] In some embodiments, the user terminal sends instructions to the bearer network equipment to complete the interconnection configuration between the bearer network and base stations of various standards and core network elements; sends instructions to the base station controller to configure different standard rate adaptation rules, base station shutdown / start timing, and offline delay duration; and sends instructions to the core network to configure access blacklists and whitelists, cell access load thresholds, and access restriction triggering conditions.
[0009] In some embodiments, the user terminal sends instructions to the core network to configure target operator adaptation parameters, trigger offline scenarios, and configure access restrictions; sends instructions to the base station controller to configure target area standard activation, corresponding frequency band switching, and transmit power calibration; sends instructions to the programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment to configure localized attenuation, local channel simulation mode, and frequency band interference simulation; and sends instructions to the bearer network equipment to configure overseas leased line connections, network link delay, and packet loss rate.
[0010] A second aspect of the present invention provides an OTA upgrade testing method applied to the network simulation system, applied to a user terminal, comprising: Receive a test dataset, which includes a set of test cases and network test scenario configuration parameters corresponding to each test case; According to the preset script sequence, the test process is started, and the corresponding network test scenario configuration parameters are sent to the network simulation system for each test case in turn. At the same time, the test cases are sent to the OTA upgrade platform and test instructions are issued. During the testing process, the network status and upgrade progress are monitored in real time to determine if any anomalies exist.
[0011] In some embodiments, network testing scenarios include network mobility scenarios: By sending the same-system base station PCI and handover threshold configuration commands to the base station controller and the handover delay configuration command to the core network, the base station handover scenario simulation in the 4G or 5G system can be realized. By sending cross-system handover signal threshold configuration instructions to the base station controller, and sending frequency band priority configuration instructions and core network signaling interaction timeout parameter setting instructions to the core network, the handover scenario simulation between 4G and 5G systems is realized. By sending cross-system cell reselection priority setting instructions and cross-standard handover signal threshold configuration instructions to the base station controller, and sending different standard rate adaptation rules to the core network, the simulation of reselection and handover scenarios between 2G, 3G, and 4G multi-standard networks is realized.
[0012] In some embodiments, the network testing scenarios include OOS offline recovery scenarios: By sending instructions to the core network to trigger the configuration of the offline scenario and the duration of offline maintenance, and sending instructions to the radio frequency unit to adjust the threshold of the base station signal recovery strength, the simulation of offline and recovery scenarios in 4G or 5G systems can be realized. By sending base station switch timing configuration instructions to the base station controller and cross-system reselection enable parameter configuration instructions to the core network, the simulation of offline and cross-system recovery scenarios between 4G and 5G systems can be realized. By sending multi-standard base station shutdown / start timing configuration commands to the base station controller, and sending low-standard network priority access configuration commands and offline delay duration setting commands to the core network, the simulation of offline and recovery scenarios between 2G, 3G, and 4G multi-standards can be realized.
[0013] In some embodiments, the network testing scenarios include special scenarios: By sending target operator adaptation parameter configuration instructions to the core network, sending corresponding frequency band switching configuration instructions to the base station controller, and sending overseas leased line connection and link delay and packet loss rate configuration instructions to the bearer network, the simulation of domestic / international cross-operator roaming scenarios can be realized. By sending access blacklist / whitelist and cell access load threshold configuration instructions to the core network, and sending access restriction trigger condition configuration instructions to the base station controller, the scenario of terminal access being restricted due to subscription abnormality or cell overload is simulated. By sending network transmission link parameter configuration instructions to the bearer network and base station congestion control related parameter configuration instructions to the base station controller, network congestion scenario simulation is achieved. By sending access restriction configuration commands to the core network and adjusting the core network HSS subscription data configuration, a scenario simulation of terminal registration failure is achieved. By sending access-related parameter configuration commands to the core network and service switch status control commands to the bearer network equipment, the simulation of abnormal terminal dialing scenarios can be achieved.
[0014] In some embodiments, the network testing scenarios include extremely weak scenarios: extremely weak network scenarios are simulated by sending signal strength adjustment commands, localized attenuation amount and channel simulation mode configuration commands to the programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment, and network link delay and packet loss rate configuration commands to the bearer network equipment.
[0015] One or more of the above technical solutions reproduce the commercial network environment through real network equipment. Combined with parameter configuration capabilities, they can comprehensively cover various typical and extreme test scenarios such as edge handover, roaming, and extremely weak networks. This provides a comprehensive and realistic network test environment for vehicle OTA upgrades, enabling non-road testing of OTA upgrades in a cellular simulated network environment. This fundamentally reduces the high cost of real vehicle road testing and significantly improves testing efficiency and repeatability. Attached Figure Description
[0016] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the invention.
[0017] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the network architecture of a cellular communication simulation network is shown in several embodiments of the present invention; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a network simulation system applied to vehicle OTA upgrade testing is shown in several embodiments of the present invention; Figure 3 This diagram illustrates the current overseas roaming service flow. Figure 4 The diagram illustrates overseas service flows based on a cellular communication simulation network in several embodiments of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0018] Embodiments of this application will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some embodiments of this application are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this application can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of this application. It should be understood that the drawings and embodiments of this application are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application.
[0019] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "comprising" and similar terms should be understood as open-ended inclusion, i.e., "including but not limited to". The term "based on" should be understood as "at least partially based on".
[0020] As described in the background section, current OTA upgrade evaluation relies on laboratory instrument testing, which suffers from environmental distortion; and live cellular network testing suffers from incomplete scenario coverage and low efficiency, making it difficult to meet testing requirements. To address these issues, one or more embodiments of the present invention construct a complete access network, bearer network, and core network cellular communication architecture using real network devices, recreating a commercial network environment. By configuring network parameters, it comprehensively covers typical scenarios such as edge handover and roaming.
[0021] Specifically, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the network architecture of the simulated cellular communication network is consistent with that of real network equipment, including an access network, a bearer network, and a core network. The access network is used to connect the tested vehicle-mounted wireless communication terminal and user terminals (such as mobile phones and computers). The user terminal initiates a network parameter configuration request to the core network to control the access network connection status (signal strength, access standard, etc.). The tested vehicle-mounted wireless communication terminal connects to the access network via the air interface to perform OTA upgrades and performance testing. The bearer network simulates the data transmission link and supports the reproduction of complex transmission scenarios. The core network performs functions such as user authentication and session management.
[0022] The access network includes a multi-band base station (BBU), radio frequency units (RF units), and a base station controller (BSC / RNC). The multi-band base station covers 2G GSM, 3G WCDMA, 4G LTE, and 5G NR standards, satisfying multi-standard communication testing (including full-scenario OTA upgrade testing) for the tested vehicle-mounted wireless communication terminals and supporting stable access for user terminals. At least two base stations need to be deployed for the same standard scenario, working in conjunction with the BSC / RNC to achieve handover testing. The RF unit includes an RRU (Radio Receiving Unit), signal attenuators, and power amplifiers, used to adjust signal strength, coverage, and rate of change to meet the signal perception requirements of vehicle / user terminals, and to simulate multipath interference and Doppler shift in real-world scenarios, supporting extreme scenario testing such as high-speed movement and weak network conditions for vehicle-mounted wireless communication terminals. The base station controller (BSC / RNC) performs base station resource scheduling and access management, while also working with the core network to complete terminal access authentication and handover control.
[0023] The bearer network includes network switches, routers, and transmission links. It employs the same transmission protocols as commercial networks and can simulate data transmission in a simulated network, including: test data and signaling interaction between the vehicular wireless communication terminal and the core network; network parameter configuration commands (such as base station handover thresholds and signal strength thresholds) sent by the user terminal through the access network; and status data (parameter configuration results, vehicular wireless communication terminal test progress, etc.) returned from the core network to the user terminal. Furthermore, the bearer network is also used to simulate network environments: by configuring parameters such as link delay and packet loss rate, it simulates congestion and extremely weak network scenarios.
[0024] The core network includes core network elements adapted to multiple standards (4G MME / SGW / PGW, 5G AMF / UPF, 2G / 3G MSC / VLR / SGSN / GGSN) and HSS (Home Subscriber Server). After a user terminal accesses the network, the core network completes identity authentication (verifying configuration permissions) through the HSS. Once authentication is successful, the user is allowed to access the simulated network.
[0025] Testers can issue commands such as network parameter configuration and test scenario control through user terminals. After the core network elements parse the commands, they will coordinate with the access network and bearer network to execute them. At the same time, the core network collects network operation data (access status, test alarms, etc.) in real time and transmits it back to the user terminal via the bearer network / access network for monitoring during testing and data analysis after testing.
[0026] The core network connects to the wireless network management system and the programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment via a network switch. The wireless network management system connects to the base station controller (BSC / RNC), which in turn connects to multi-band base stations. The programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment connects to the vehicle test shielded room or vehicle test anechoic chamber. Additionally, the core network connects to the CN network management system via a network switch for connecting to external networks and simultaneously coordinating with the application server to simulate OTA upgrade services. The core network receives network parameter configuration requests, issues start / stop commands for test scenarios, and receives test data (such as network connection status, test progress, and anomaly alarms) from the platform for pre-test configuration, in-test monitoring, and post-test data analysis. Specifically, the parameters of the access network RF unit are adjusted, and the access network RF signal, after programmable attenuation and channel simulation, is connected to the vehicle test shielded room or vehicle test anechoic chamber. This provides a suitable network environment (such as multi-standard networks or weak network scenarios) for OTA vehicle-level testing in the shielded room or anechoic chamber. The shielded room or anechoic chamber isolates external interference and conducts OTA upgrade functionality and performance verification tests for the vehicle-mounted wireless communication terminal.
[0027] Based on the above-mentioned simulated network, the user terminal can configure the access network, bearer network, core network, and program-controlled attenuation and channel simulation equipment to simulate various network scenarios without moving the vehicle, including network mobility scenarios, OOS offline recovery scenarios, roaming, access restrictions, extremely weak networks and other special scenarios.
[0028] Specifically, the user terminal sends instructions to the base station controller to configure the base station for turning it on and off, and to adjust the base station transmit power; the user terminal sends instructions to the programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment to control the simulation modes of each channel and to adjust the signal strength; and the user terminal sends instructions to the bearer network equipment to configure the network transmission link parameters.
[0029] By configuring the activation of the target base station and the deactivation of other base stations, a single-system network coverage scenario can be simulated; by configuring the base station transmit power to change the coverage area, network scenario simulations with different coverage intensities can be achieved, adapting to near-field / far-field testing requirements; by configuring the deactivation of a single base station, a coverage loss scenario caused by a single base station failure can be simulated; by configuring the programmable attenuation and various channel simulation modes of the channel simulation equipment, high-speed mobile scenario simulations with multipath interference and Doppler shift can be achieved; by configuring the programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment to adjust the signal strength to the extremely weak range, extremely weak network scenarios can be simulated. Network scenario simulation: By configuring programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment to dynamically adjust signal strength, it is possible to simulate suburban / edge coverage scenarios with signal fluctuations; by configuring the attenuation amount of programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment to adapt to regional characteristics, it is possible to simulate signal attenuation scenarios with different regional characteristics; by configuring the network transmission link parameters (high packet loss rate, high latency) of the bearer network equipment, it is possible to simulate network congestion scenarios; by configuring the standard link parameters of the bearer network equipment, it is possible to simulate normal transmission rate scenarios; by configuring the bearer network equipment to dynamically adjust link latency and packet loss rate, it is possible to simulate unstable transmission scenarios.
[0030] To adapt to testing requirements for scenarios such as same-system handover and same-system offline recovery, in addition to the basic configuration mentioned above, further configuration dimensions are needed to achieve network simulation that more closely resembles real-world vehicle usage scenarios. Specifically, the user terminal sends instructions to the base station controller to configure the same-system base station PCI, set the same-system handover threshold and handover delay, and configure the offline maintenance duration and base station signal switching sequence. By configuring a unique PCI identifier, signal confusion between same-system base stations can be avoided, ensuring that the terminal can distinguish the coverage areas of different base stations. By setting the handover threshold and delay parameters, the handover timing and rate at different vehicle speeds (such as highways and urban areas) can be replicated, making the handover scenario more closely resemble real road conditions. By configuring the offline maintenance duration and switching sequence, the duration of offline interruption and the timing of recovery can be controlled, enabling the replication of offline recovery scenarios and improving the reliability and comparability of test results.
[0031] To adapt to the testing requirements of simple handover scenarios between adjacent high-end standards such as 4G / 5G, based on the above configuration, it is necessary to coordinate the core network, bearer network, and base station controller to cover basic cross-system logic. Specifically, user terminals send instructions to bearer network equipment to configure network transmission link parameters (such as basic latency and packet loss rate) to ensure the basic requirements for cross-standard data transmission; instructions are sent to the base station controller to set cross-system cell reselection priority and cross-standard handover signal threshold; and instructions are sent to the core network to configure frequency band priority and core network signaling interaction timeout parameters. Through bearer network link parameter configuration, basic transmission support is provided for cross-standard handover; through reselection priority, handover threshold, and frequency band priority configuration, the basic logic of "high-end standard priority" is implemented to ensure that the timing of adjacent standard handovers matches real-world scenarios; and through signaling timeout parameter configuration, the stability of cross-standard handover signaling interaction is improved, reducing the basic handover failure rate.
[0032] To adapt to the complex testing requirements of 2G / 3G / 4G multi-standard interoperability and access restrictions, the configuration dimensions and device linkage depth are further expanded on the basis of the above configuration. Specifically, additional instructions are sent to the bearer network equipment to complete the interconnection and interoperability configuration between the bearer network and base stations and core network elements of various standards, breaking down the transmission barriers of multiple standards; additional instructions are sent to the base station controller to input different standard rate adaptation rules, configure base station shutdown / start timing and offline delay duration and other timing parameters; additional instructions are sent to the core network to configure access blacklists and whitelists, cell access load thresholds and access restriction trigger conditions. Through the full-link interconnection and interoperability configuration of the bearer network, stable link support is provided for multi-standard interoperability; through the input of rate adaptation rules, smooth rate transition during cross-standard handover is achieved, ensuring the continuity of services such as OTA downloads; through timing parameter configuration, multi-standard step-by-step offline / recovery scenarios are accurately replicated; through access restriction related configuration, scenarios such as unsigned terminals and cell overload can be independently replicated, verifying the access adaptation capability of vehicle wireless communication terminals without relying on the existing network, solving the testing difficulties of complex scenarios.
[0033] Furthermore, with the continued expansion of the automobile export business, in-vehicle wireless communication terminals need to be adapted to the operator networks of different overseas countries / regions, thus requiring overseas network testing. For example... Figure 3As shown, existing overseas network testing can be achieved through overseas field testing and domestic-international roaming testing. Overseas field testing requires the testing team to take the tested vehicle wireless communication terminal and testing equipment overseas to real-world road scenarios (such as urban areas, suburbs, and highways) in the target overseas country / region, directly accessing the local operator's network to conduct tests and verify the stability of vehicle-to-everything (V2X) functions such as OTA upgrades in a real network environment. While this method yields the most realistic test results, it is costly in terms of manpower and travel, has a long project cycle, and struggles to reproduce extreme network scenarios. Domestic roaming testing, on the other hand, simulates the overseas network environment by enabling the international roaming function of the tested terminal within China and accessing the network signal of the visiting overseas operator. Although this is less expensive than field testing, it is limited by domestic roaming signal coverage, supporting only a few operators, and suffers from excessive latency issues related to "Home Routed Traffic," failing to accurately replicate the transmission performance of the overseas local network. Significant differences in network configuration between domestic and international networks (such as frequency bands, PLMN identifiers, and authentication rules) lead to a large deviation between the test results and the real overseas network environment, making it difficult to meet testing requirements.
[0034] Based on the aforementioned cellular communication simulation network, user terminals send commands to the core network to configure target operator adaptation parameters, trigger offline scenarios, and configure access restrictions. Commands are also sent to multi-band base stations to configure target area standard activation, corresponding frequency band switching, and transmit power calibration. Commands are sent to programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment to configure localized attenuation, local channel simulation modes, and frequency band interference simulation. Commands are sent to bearer network equipment to configure overseas leased line connections and customized link delay and packet loss rates. Through core network operator adaptation parameter configuration, complete compatibility between the simulation network and the core logic of the target overseas operator is achieved, avoiding test deviations caused by differences in PLMNs, authentication rules, etc., and ensuring normal access and signaling interaction for vehicle-mounted wireless communication terminals. Through standard and frequency band adaptation of multi-band base stations, a basic access framework conforming to the target area can be built, ensuring that the test scenario matches the actual local network deployment. Furthermore, through the localized configuration of programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment, the signal attenuation characteristics, channel environment, and frequency band interference of the target area can be replicated, significantly improving the fidelity of overseas network scenarios. Replacing VPN with overseas dedicated lines can significantly reduce business transmission latency, improve stability, and solve the problems of high latency and instability in traditional analog methods.
[0035] Based on the above simulation system, it is possible to perform simulations of special scenarios such as network mobility scenarios, OOS offline recovery scenarios, roaming, and extremely weak networks.
[0036] Network mobility scenarios include handover of network connections within the same standard, handover of network connections between 4G and 5G, and interoperability between 2G, 3G, and 4G.
[0037] When the simulated network environment is a same-system network connection handover, the user terminal sends a command to the base station controller, specifying at least two same-system base stations to be activated, configuring different physical cell identifiers (base station PCI configuration) for these at least two same-system base stations, and setting a same-system handover threshold. Simultaneously, a command is sent to the programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment to control signal fluctuation amplitude. Different physical cell identifiers allow the terminal to accurately distinguish between base stations, the handover threshold clarifies the signal strength conditions for the terminal to trigger handover, and by adjusting the signal fluctuation amplitude to simulate signal changes during vehicle movement, the terminal automatically completes the same-system base station handover when the handover conditions are met.
[0038] When simulating a 4G / 5G network connection handover, the user terminal sends instructions to the base station controller, specifying the 4G and 5G base stations to be activated; it also sends instructions to the programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment to control the signal strength attenuation rate of the 5G base station. First, the target 4G and 5G base stations are activated to establish a cross-standard network foundation. Then, by controlling the 5G signal attenuation rate, the weakening process of high-end standard signals in a real scenario is simulated. When the 5G signal weakens to the terminal handover threshold, the terminal automatically switches to the activated 4G base station, thus achieving cross-standard handover simulation.
[0039] When simulating network environments where 2G / 3G / 4G interoperability is required, user terminals send commands to the base station controller to set cross-system cell reselection priorities, configure cross-standard reselection level thresholds, and input rate adaptation rules for different standards. Commands are also sent to multi-standard core network elements to achieve interconnection configuration with base stations and bearer networks of various standards. Commands are also sent to bearer network equipment to achieve interconnection configuration with base stations and core network elements of various standards. Simultaneously, commands are sent to programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment to attenuate high-end standard signals step-by-step according to priority. After the terminal disconnects from the network, the signal is restored step-by-step to verify the rationality of the reselection logic. First, the multi-standard data transmission link is established through the interconnection configuration of the core network and bearer network. Then, reselection priorities and level thresholds are set to clarify the terminal reselection rules, and rate adaptation rules ensure service continuity during handover. By step-by-step attenuation / restoration of high-end standard signals, the terminal is triggered to reselect the network according to preset rules, thereby verifying the interoperability logic.
[0040] OOS offline recovery scenarios include offline recovery within the same standard, offline recovery between 4G / 5G systems, and offline recovery between 2G / 3G / 4G systems.
[0041] When simulating network recovery within the same network standard, the user terminal sends instructions to the base station controller to shut down the target network standard base station signal, set the offline duration, and turn the base station signal back on after the preset duration, triggering the terminal to reconnect to the same network standard. Instructions are also sent to the core network to issue a release context request signaling, forcibly severing the data connection. Instructions are also sent to the programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment to rapidly attenuate the target network standard signal from its normal level to the offline threshold, and to smoothly restore the signal to the target strength after the offline duration ends, while controlling signal fluctuations during the recovery process. The terminal is triggered to disconnect from the network through the dual actions of forcibly severing the data connection via core network signaling and rapidly attenuating the signal to the offline threshold. After maintaining the offline state for the set duration, the base station is turned on and the signal is restored. The terminal automatically reconnects after detecting a valid signal, thus simulating offline recovery within the same network standard.
[0042] When simulating network recovery between 4G and 5G systems, the user terminal sends commands to the base station controller to enable cross-system reselection, set the network disconnection delay duration, and issue base station on / off commands in sequence. Commands are also sent to the programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment to rapidly reduce high-end signals to the network disconnection threshold, maintain low-end signals within the normal range, and continuously maintain low-end signals after the network disconnection delay ends, allowing the terminal to quickly reselect and reconnect. After enabling the terminal's cross-system reselection function, the high-end signal is rapidly attenuated to the network disconnection threshold to trigger disconnection, while maintaining low-end signals to provide recovery access options. After maintaining disconnection for the set delay duration, the terminal automatically searches for and connects to a normal low-end network, achieving cross-system network disconnection recovery simulation.
[0043] When simulating network recovery between 2G / 3G / 4G systems, the user terminal sends instructions to the base station controller to configure the base station shutdown sequence, set the offline duration, configure the base station startup sequence, and enable the low-standard network priority access function. Instructions are also sent to the bearer network equipment to confirm the interconnection status with each standard base station and core network element. Instructions are sent to the programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment to attenuate signals step-by-step from high-end to low-end standards. After offline recovery, the priority standard signal is adjusted to an appropriate access strength, and other low-standard signals are kept in standby mode. First, the multi-standard transmission link is confirmed to be unobstructed. Then, the high-end standard signal is attenuated step-by-step according to the sequence to trigger progressive offline recovery. After the offline duration ends, the low-standard base station is activated according to the set sequence and adjusted to an appropriate signal strength. Combined with the low-standard priority access function, the terminal is guided to gradually restore network access, thus realizing multi-standard offline recovery simulation.
[0044] Special scenarios include access-restricted scenarios, extremely weak network scenarios, and overseas network scenarios.
[0045] When the simulated network environment is access-restricted, the user terminal sends instructions to the core network to restrict the range of terminals that the test terminal can access; it sends instructions to the base station to set the cell access load threshold, configure access restriction trigger conditions, and activate the real-time load monitoring function so that the base station automatically executes the restriction policy when it reaches the load threshold; it sends instructions to the programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment to adjust the base station signal to a normal coverage level; and it sends instructions to the radio frequency unit to simulate the access rejection feedback signal characteristics sent by the base station when the terminal triggers the access restriction. The core network defines the range of terminals subject to access restrictions, and the base station determines whether to trigger restrictions by monitoring whether the load reaches the threshold; it first adjusts the base station signal to normal to ensure that the terminal can initiate an access request, and when the terminal triggers the access restriction conditions, the radio frequency unit simulates the rejection feedback signal to realize the simulation of the access restriction scenario.
[0046] When simulating an extremely weak network environment, user terminals send commands to the base station controller to reduce base station transmit power and limit the upper limit of the base station downlink rate; commands are also sent to the programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment to configure attenuation and adjust the signal-to-noise ratio to the range corresponding to the extremely weak network; and commands are sent to the bearer network equipment to configure link delay and packet loss rate. By reducing base station transmit power, configuring signal attenuation, and adjusting the signal-to-noise ratio, the foundation of the extremely weak network is built from the signal strength level; at the same time, limiting the base station downlink rate and configuring link delay and packet loss rate enhances the characteristics of the extremely weak network from the transmission performance level, ultimately forming an extremely weak network environment that meets the requirements.
[0047] When simulating an overseas network environment, the user terminal sends instructions to the multi-band base station to enable the network standard supported by the target area, switch the operating frequency band to the mainstream frequency band of the target area, and calibrate the transmit power according to the local operator's standards; it sends instructions to the core network to synchronize the base station clock and signaling format of the target operator to ensure compatibility with the local network; it sends instructions to the programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment to configure the attenuation amount according to the network characteristics of the target area, enable the corresponding channel simulation mode, simulate the interference of the local frequency band, and adjust the core signal strength; and it sends instructions to the radio frequency unit to assist in signal transmission adaptation. First, multi-band base stations are used to adapt to the target area's network standard and frequency band, and transmit power is calibrated to build an access layer framework that conforms to the local basic network. Then, the core network synchronizes with the local operator's clock and signaling format to solve network compatibility issues and ensure normal signaling interaction between the terminal and the network. Subsequently, programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment are used to replicate the signal attenuation, channel characteristics, and frequency band interference of the local network to restore the signal environment of the local network. Finally, the radio frequency unit assists in adapting signal transmission to ensure that the signal transmission effect of the entire simulated network conforms to the real overseas scenario, providing a real network environment for overseas network testing of vehicle-mounted wireless communication terminals.
[0048] Based on the above system, the present invention also provides an automated measurement and control system. This system is deployed at the user terminal and aims to achieve three-dimensional integrated automated control of the analog network, OTA upgrade platform, and vehicle terminal, realizing full-link automated testing of the OTA upgrade test cloud-management-terminal process. The system includes: an analog network control module, an upgrade platform control module, a vehicle terminal control module, and a main control module.
[0049] The analog network control module is used to send network scenario configuration parameters to the cellular communication analog network to realize network scenario restoration. As a specific implementation method, it automatically restores various communication scenarios (including single-mode / cross-mode networks, extremely weak networks, overseas networks, high-speed mobile networks, etc.) through parameter configuration (such as adjusting base station power, link delay, attenuation, etc.) or scenario library collection and playback; it adjusts the core parameters of the analog network in real time to ensure the stable maintenance of scenario characteristics; and it sends back the current network status data (such as signal strength, mode type, link parameters, etc.) to the main control module to ensure the accuracy of scenario restoration.
[0050] The upgrade platform control module is used for automated interaction with external OTA upgrade platforms. Specifically, it achieves communication and status synchronization with the OTA upgrade platform through API calls or image module recognition; it responds to instructions from the main control module, issuing test task instructions to the OTA upgrade platform (such as starting OTA download, triggering scheduled download, terminating upgrade, etc.); and it collects real-time operational status data of the OTA upgrade platform (such as task progress, upgrade package integrity, etc.) and sends it back to the main control module.
[0051] The vehicle-side control module, through an external interface, links with vehicle-side devices to achieve automated control and data acquisition of the OTA upgrade system under test. In some embodiments, it connects to the OTA upgrade system under test via ADB (Android Debug Bridge) or a robotic arm, combined with a bus emulation device; responds to commands from the main control module, and performs operations such as vehicle-side wake-up, upgrade confirmation, and status reset; it collects data from the OTA upgrade system in real time (including download progress, upgrade status codes, format switching records, service interruption logs, etc.) and synchronously transmits it back to the main control module.
[0052] The main control module is configured to include: S1: Receives and parses test case sets imported by testers, automatically generates scripts adapted for the entire testing process, and calls the configuration parameters of the network scenario to be tested from the scenario library. The scenario library needs to store, categorize, archive, and update communication road test scenario data in advance.
[0053] S2: According to the preset script sequence, send linkage commands to the simulation network control module, upgrade platform control module, and vehicle control module to synchronously start the test process; at the same time, receive and integrate all data (including network status, upgrade progress, vehicle feedback, etc.) from the simulation network, OTA upgrade platform, and OTA upgrade system in real time; perform anomaly identification by parsing communication module or chip signaling to obtain preliminary judgment results; at the same time, judge the completeness and accuracy of the test process in real time, and if an anomaly is confirmed, immediately trigger a system-wide collaborative alarm and mark the abnormal node and related logs.
[0054] S3: Performs data aggregation and analysis, and automatically generates standardized test reports based on test case evaluation criteria. Furthermore, it supports exporting all test data and reports, for example, to common formats such as TXT, CSV, and Excel.
[0055] In some embodiments, evaluation metrics are set for different test content. For OTA version download function and performance testing in multiple scenarios, evaluation metrics include download success rate, average download speed, speed fluctuation rate, and download interruption rate; for OTA upgrade breakpoint resumption test under network signal interruption recovery, evaluation metrics include resumption trigger success rate, resumption progress consistency, packet integrity pass rate, and resumption latency; for OTA upgrade download performance test under network standard changes, evaluation metrics include switching resumption success rate, speed transition smoothness, switching latency, and switching failure rate; for mobile phone scheduled download function test under different network environments, evaluation metrics include scheduled trigger accuracy, non-target network pause rate, scheduled timeout rate, and interruption recovery renewal rate.
[0056] Furthermore, although the operations are described in a specific order, this should be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the specific order shown or in sequential order, or requiring that all illustrated operations be performed to achieve the desired result. In certain environments, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Similarly, although several specific implementation details are included in the above discussion, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. Certain features described in the context of individual embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single implementation may also be implemented individually or in any suitable sub-combination in multiple implementations.
[0057] Although the subject matter has been described using language specific to structural features and / or methodological logic, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described above. Rather, the specific features and actions described above are merely illustrative examples of implementing the claims.
Claims
1. A network simulation system for vehicle OTA upgrade testing, characterized in that, The system includes a cellular communication simulation network, a programmable attenuation and channel simulation device, and user terminals. The cellular communication simulation network includes an access network, a bearer network, and a core network. The access network deploys a base station controller and multi-band base stations. The radio frequency signal output from the access network is connected to the test environment via the programmable attenuation and channel simulation device. The user terminals are connected to the access network, the bearer network, and the programmable attenuation and channel simulation device, respectively. The user terminal sends commands to the base station controller to configure the base station to turn on and off, and to adjust the base station's transmit power. Commands are sent from the user terminal to the programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment to control each channel simulation mode and signal strength adjustment. The user terminal sends instructions to the bearer network equipment to configure network transmission link parameters.
2. The network simulation system for vehicle OTA upgrade testing as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The user terminal sends instructions to the base station controller to configure the PCI of the same type base station, set the same type handover threshold and handover delay, as well as the offline maintenance duration and base station signal switching sequence.
3. The network simulation system for vehicle OTA upgrade testing as described in claim 2, characterized in that, User terminals send instructions to bearer network equipment to configure network transmission link parameters; send instructions to base station controllers to set cross-system cell reselection priority and cross-standard handover signal threshold; and send instructions to the core network to configure frequency band priority and set core network signaling interaction timeout parameters.
4. The network simulation system for vehicle OTA upgrade testing as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The user terminal sends instructions to the bearer network equipment to complete the interconnection and interoperability configuration between the bearer network and base stations of various standards and core network elements; sends instructions to the base station controller to configure different standard rate adaptation rules, base station shutdown / start timing, and offline delay duration; and sends instructions to the core network to configure access blacklists and whitelists, cell access load thresholds, and access restriction trigger conditions.
5. The network simulation system for vehicle OTA upgrade testing as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The user terminal sends instructions to the core network to configure target operator adaptation parameters, trigger offline scenarios, and configure access restrictions; sends instructions to the base station controller to configure target area standard activation, corresponding frequency band switching, and transmit power calibration; sends instructions to the programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment to configure localized attenuation, local channel simulation mode, and frequency band interference simulation; and sends instructions to the bearer network equipment to configure overseas leased line connections, network link delay, and packet loss rate.
6. An OTA upgrade testing method applied to the network simulation system, applied to a user terminal, characterized in that, include: Receive a test dataset, which includes a set of test cases and network test scenario configuration parameters corresponding to each test case; According to the preset script sequence, the test process is started, and the corresponding network test scenario configuration parameters are sent to the network simulation system for each test case in turn. At the same time, the test cases are sent to the OTA upgrade platform and test instructions are issued. During the testing process, the network status and upgrade progress are monitored in real time to determine if any anomalies exist.
7. The OTA upgrade testing method as described in claim 6, characterized in that, Network testing scenarios include network mobility scenarios: By sending the same-system base station PCI and handover threshold configuration commands to the base station controller and the handover delay configuration command to the core network, the base station handover scenario simulation in the 4G or 5G system can be realized. By sending cross-system handover signal threshold configuration instructions to the base station controller, and sending frequency band priority configuration instructions and core network signaling interaction timeout parameter setting instructions to the core network, the handover scenario simulation between 4G and 5G systems is realized. By sending cross-system cell reselection priority setting instructions and cross-standard handover signal threshold configuration instructions to the base station controller, and sending different standard rate adaptation rules to the core network, the simulation of reselection and handover scenarios between 2G, 3G, and 4G multi-standard networks is realized.
8. The OTA upgrade testing method as described in claim 6, characterized in that, Network testing scenarios include OOS offline recovery scenarios: By sending instructions to the core network to trigger the configuration of the offline scenario and the duration of offline maintenance, and sending instructions to the radio frequency unit to adjust the threshold of the base station signal recovery strength, the simulation of offline and recovery scenarios in 4G or 5G systems can be realized. By sending base station switch timing configuration instructions to the base station controller and cross-system reselection enable parameter configuration instructions to the core network, the simulation of offline and cross-system recovery scenarios between 4G and 5G systems can be realized. By sending multi-standard base station shutdown / start timing configuration commands to the base station controller, and sending low-standard network priority access configuration commands and offline delay duration setting commands to the core network, the simulation of offline and recovery scenarios between 2G, 3G, and 4G multi-standards can be realized.
9. The OTA upgrade testing method as described in claim 6, characterized in that, Network testing scenarios include special scenarios: By sending target operator adaptation parameter configuration instructions to the core network, sending corresponding frequency band switching configuration instructions to the base station controller, and sending overseas leased line connection and link delay and packet loss rate configuration instructions to the bearer network, the simulation of domestic / international cross-operator roaming scenarios can be realized. By sending access blacklist / whitelist and cell access load threshold configuration instructions to the core network, and sending access restriction trigger condition configuration instructions to the base station controller, the scenario of terminal access being restricted due to subscription abnormality or cell overload is simulated. By sending network transmission link parameter configuration instructions to the bearer network and base station congestion control related parameter configuration instructions to the base station controller, network congestion scenario simulation is achieved. By sending access restriction configuration commands to the core network and adjusting the core network HSS subscription data configuration, a scenario simulation of terminal registration failure is achieved. By sending access-related parameter configuration commands to the core network and service switch status control commands to the bearer network equipment, the simulation of abnormal terminal dialing scenarios can be achieved.
10. The OTA upgrade testing method as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The network testing scenarios include extremely weak scenarios: by sending signal strength adjustment commands, localized attenuation amount and channel simulation mode configuration commands to the programmable attenuation and channel simulation equipment, and sending network link delay and packet loss rate configuration commands to the bearer network equipment, extremely weak network scenarios are simulated.