Radio frequency path loss measurement method, system, device, storage medium and product

Abstract

The application relates to a radio frequency channel loss measurement method, system, device, storage medium and product. The radio frequency channel loss measurement method comprises the following steps: establishing N groups of communication connections between a test instrument and a short circuit board, each group of communication connections corresponding to different path combinations; the layout of an antenna test seat on the short circuit board matches the layout of an antenna on a corresponding chip; wherein N is greater than or equal to 3, and the value of N is consistent with the number of antenna test seats arranged on the short circuit board; for each group of communication connections, the communication loss of the corresponding communication connection is obtained based on a first test signal and a second test signal, the first test signal is a test signal sent by the test instrument to the short circuit board through a first to-be-measured radio frequency channel in the path combination, and the second test signal is a test signal returned by the short circuit board and received by the test instrument through a second to-be-measured radio frequency channel in the path combination; and the loss values of the to-be-measured radio frequency channels are calculated based on the communication losses of the N groups of communication connections respectively.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of electronic technology, and in particular to a method, system, device, storage medium, and product for measuring radio frequency path loss. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of electronics, radio frequency path loss measurement is a key link to ensure system performance and reliability. In related technologies, radio frequency path loss measurement requires special equipment, such as measuring instruments with network analysis functions or calibrated "golden machines". These methods are either low in accuracy or require reassembly after measurement, which can lead to deviations in loss. They are limited and have poor versatility. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a method, system, device, storage medium, and product for measuring radio frequency (RF) path loss, which can solve the technical problems of poor versatility and stability in RF path loss detection, and changes in loss due to path reassembly after measurement. The technical solution is as follows.

[0004] On the one hand, a method for measuring radio frequency path loss is provided, the method comprising: Establish N sets of communication connections between the test instrument and the short-circuit board, with each set of communication connections corresponding to a different path combination; the layout of the antenna test sockets on the short-circuit board matches the antenna layout on the corresponding chip; wherein, N≥3 and the value of N is consistent with the number of antenna test sockets deployed on the short-circuit board; For each communication connection, the communication loss of the corresponding communication connection is obtained based on the first test signal and the second test signal. The first test signal is the test signal sent by the test instrument to the shorting board through the first radio frequency path to be measured in the path combination. The second test signal is the test signal returned by the shorting board by the test instrument through the second radio frequency path to be measured in the path combination. Based on the communication loss corresponding to each of the N groups of communication connections, the loss value of each radio frequency path to be measured is calculated.

[0005] On the other hand, an RF path loss measurement system is provided, the system including loss measurement equipment, test instruments and a shorting board; the layout of the antenna test socket on the shorting board matches the antenna layout on the corresponding chip; The test instrument and the short-circuit board are connected by N sets of communication links through a combination of paths, where N≥3 and the value of N is the same as the number of antenna test sockets deployed on the short-circuit board. The loss measurement device is used to acquire the first test signal sent by the test instrument through each group of communication connections, and the second test signal received by the test instrument after passing through the short-circuit board, and to calculate the loss value of each radio frequency path to be measured based on the communication loss corresponding to each of the N groups of communication connections.

[0006] On the other hand, a computer device is provided, the computer device including a processor and a memory, the memory storing at least one computer program, the at least one computer program being loaded and executed by the processor to implement the above-described radio frequency path loss measurement method.

[0007] On the other hand, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein at least one computer program is stored in the computer-readable storage medium, the computer program being loaded and executed by a processor to implement the above-described radio frequency path loss measurement method.

[0008] On the other hand, a computer program product is provided, the computer program product including a computer program stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer program including program instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform to implement the radio frequency path loss measurement method provided in the various optional implementations described above.

[0009] The RF path loss measurement method provided in this application establishes multiple different communication connections between a test instrument and a shorting board. It tests the first test signal sent by the test instrument to the shorting board through the first RF path to be measured and the second test signal received by the test instrument through the second RF path to be measured and returned through the shorting board in each communication connection to determine the communication loss of each communication connection. Based on the communication losses corresponding to each of the multiple communication connections, the loss value of each RF path to be measured is calculated. In this method, the RF path loss is tested using the transceiver function of the test instrument, which reduces the dependence on special equipment and improves the versatility and stability of RF path testing. Furthermore, the combined testing of multiple paths improves testing efficiency.

[0010] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and do not limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0011] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0012] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the present application of the radio frequency path loss measurement system is shown. Figure 2 A flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a radio frequency path loss measurement system provided in another exemplary embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the internal connection method of the short-circuit board provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the internal connection method of the short-circuit board provided in another exemplary embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 6 A flowchart of a radio frequency path loss method provided in another exemplary embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 7 This application shows a structural block diagram of a computer device according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 8 A structural block diagram of a computer device is shown in another exemplary embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0013] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application. Rather, they are merely examples of methods consistent with some aspects of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0014] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the present application for measuring radio frequency path loss is shown, as follows: Figure 1 As shown, the system includes a loss measurement device 110, a test instrument 120, and a short-circuit board 130.

[0015] Test instrument 120 is a node in the system that performs signal transmission and reception. Test instrument 120 and shorting board 130 are connected by N communication connections via path combinations, where N ≥ 3 and the value of N is consistent with the number of antenna test sockets deployed on shorting board 130. In one possible implementation scenario, the layout of the antenna test sockets on shorting board 130 matches the antenna layout on the corresponding chip. This layout can refer to spacing, polarization direction, deployment position, etc., to ensure that the test conditions are consistent with the actual working scenario, thereby avoiding changes to the production environment. In another possible scenario, the form of shorting board 130 is not fixed; for example, it can be a general form for R&D testing scenarios, or other custom forms. The size and antenna distribution of the shorting board can be customized to meet general requirements, etc. This application embodiment uses the example of matching the antenna test sockets on shorting board 130 with the antenna layout on the chip for illustration.

[0016] The number of antenna test sockets on the shorting board 130 can be greater than or equal to the antenna layout on the corresponding chip. For example, if the number of antennas on the chip is less than 3, after deploying antenna test sockets that are consistent with the antenna layout on the chip, the shorting board 130 can also deploy several additional antenna test sockets so that the number of antenna test sockets on the shorting board is greater than or equal to 3. If the number of antennas on the chip is greater than or equal to 3, the number of antenna test sockets deployed on the shorting board 130 can be consistent with the number and layout of antennas deployed on the chip.

[0017] When establishing a communication connection between the test instrument 120 and the short circuit board 130, a communication connection between the instrument port on the test instrument 120 and the antenna test socket on the short circuit board 130 can be established through a path combination. Inside the short circuit board, each antenna test socket can be connected to another antenna test socket through connecting lines. At any given time, the same antenna test socket can be connected to at most one other antenna test socket. Each path combination includes two paths to be measured. Each test path is used to connect a set of antenna test sockets to the instrument port to form a test loop with the antenna test sockets connected to the short circuit board. One of the paths to be measured is used to transmit the test signal sent by the test instrument to the short circuit board, and the other path to be measured is used to transmit the test signal returned by the short circuit board to the test instrument.

[0018] The loss measurement device 110 may be equipped with radio frequency path loss measurement and control software for test control and data processing in the system. The loss measurement device 110 can establish a communication connection with the test instrument 120 to obtain the first test signal sent by the test instrument through each communication connection, and the second test signal returned by the test instrument after passing through the short-circuit board. Based on the communication loss corresponding to each of the N communication connections, the loss value of each radio frequency path to be measured is calculated.

[0019] In such Figure 1on the basis of the illustrated radio frequency path loss measurement system, Figure 2 there is shown a flowchart of a radio frequency path loss measurement method provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application, which method may be executed by a computer device, and the computer device may be implemented as Figure 1 the loss measurement device in the illustrated system, as Figure 2 illustrated, the method may include the following steps.

[0020] step 210: establishing N sets of communication connections between a test instrument and a short-circuit plate, where each set of communication connections corresponds to a different path combination; the layout of antenna test seats on the short-circuit plate matches the antenna layout on the corresponding chip; where N≥3 and the value of N is consistent with the number of antenna test seats deployed on the short-circuit plate.

[0021] the loss measurement device may send control information to the test instrument to instruct the test instrument to establish a communication connection with the short-circuit plate. Illustratively, the control information may instruct the electrical on-off of the ports of the test instrument to control the connection between the corresponding instrument port and the antenna test seat, so as to form a corresponding communication connection. It should be noted that the N sets of communication connections between the test instrument and the short-circuit plate may be completed after multiple connection adjustments, and the N sets of communication connections are not repeated. At the same time, M sets of communication connections may be established between the test instrument and the short-circuit plate, where M<N. Illustratively, in the case of N=3, the first set of communication connections may be established first through the path combination composed of the to-be-measured radio frequency path 1 and the to-be-measured radio frequency path 2, then the second set of communication connections may be established through the path combination composed of the to-be-measured radio frequency path 2 and the to-be-measured radio frequency path 3, and then the third set of communication connections may be established through the path combination composed of the to-be-measured radio frequency path 1 and the to-be-measured radio frequency path 3. Alternatively, the N sets of communication connections between the test instrument and the short-circuit plate are realized by deploying non-repeating fixed connections on different short-circuit plates.

[0022] step 220: for each set of communication connections, obtaining the communication loss of the corresponding communication connection based on a first test signal and a second test signal, where the first test signal is a test signal sent by the test instrument to the short-circuit plate through the first to-be-measured radio frequency path in the path combination, and the second test signal is a test signal received by the test instrument through the second to-be-measured radio frequency path in the path combination and returned by the short-circuit plate.

[0023] the loss measurement device may send test information to the test instrument to instruct the test instrument to send a test signal to the short-circuit plate, so that the test instrument can realize self-transmission and self-reception through the current communication connection established between the test instrument and the short-circuit plate, and determine the communication loss corresponding to the current communication connection based on the difference between the transmitted and received signals, as Figure 1As shown, the loss measurement device can send an indication signal from the instrument port 1, which flows through the instrument port 1, the radio frequency path to be measured 1 and the antenna test socket 1 into the short circuit board, and then flows out from the antenna test socket 2 of the short circuit board through the connecting line between the antenna test sockets inside the short circuit board, and returns to the instrument port 2 through the radio frequency path to be measured 2, completing the signal transmission closed loop, realizing the instrument's self-transmission and self-reception, and the strength difference between the transmitted and received signals is recorded as the communication loss of the entire path.

[0024] Step 230: Calculate the loss value of each radio frequency path to be measured based on the communication loss corresponding to each of the N groups of communication connections.

[0025] After acquiring the communication loss of each group of communication connections, the loss measurement device can establish a set of communication loss calculation equations corresponding to the radio frequency path to be measured based on the communication loss. By solving the set of communication loss calculation equations, the loss value of each radio frequency path to be measured can be obtained.

[0026] In summary, the RF path loss measurement method provided in this application establishes multiple different communication connections between the test instrument and the shorting board. It tests the first test signal sent by the test instrument to the shorting board through the first RF path to be measured in each communication connection, and the second test signal received by the test instrument through the second RF path to be measured and returned through the shorting board, to determine the communication loss of each communication connection. Based on the communication losses corresponding to each of the multiple communication connections, the loss value of each RF path to be measured is calculated. In this method, testing the RF path loss using the transceiver function of the test instrument reduces dependence on special equipment and improves the versatility and stability of RF path testing. Furthermore, combining multiple paths for testing improves testing efficiency.

[0027] In one possible implementation, to improve the stability of the system connection, a fixture may be configured in practical applications to enhance the stability of the connection with the chip. In this case, the fixture is also part of the RF path, and the losses caused by the fixture are also part of the RF path losses. Figure 1 Based on the RF path loss measurement system shown, the system may also include a target fixture. Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a radio frequency path loss measurement system provided in another exemplary embodiment of this application is shown, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the RF path loss measurement system includes a loss measurement device 310, a test instrument 320, a shorting board 330, and a target fixture 340.

[0028] The target fixture 340 is deployed between the shorting board 330 and the test instrument 320, establishing N communication connections with the test instrument 320 and an electrical connection with the shorting board 330. The target fixture 340 is equipped with fixture pins that correspond one-to-one with the antenna test sockets, and these fixture pins are used to establish electrical connections with the corresponding antenna test sockets.

[0029] By configuring the target fixture, the RF path can be quickly connected to the device. This target fixture is part of the RF path to be measured, such as... Figure 3 As shown, after the target fixture is pressed together, each fixture pin on the target fixture can establish an electrical connection with the corresponding antenna test socket on the short circuit board. Thus, when the instrument port establishes a communication connection with the fixture pin, the signal can be transmitted to the short circuit board through the fixture pin, or the signal can be transmitted from the short circuit board to the test instrument through the fixture pin.

[0030] It should be noted that the fixture configuration in the RF path loss measurement system is set according to the test scenario requirements of actual production applications. If fixtures are used in actual production applications, then fixtures will be included in the RF path loss measurement system; if fixtures are not used in actual production applications, then fixtures will not be included in the RF path loss measurement system. This is to achieve uniformity between the test environment and the actual production environment and improve the accuracy of RF path loss measurement.

[0031] For the short-circuit board, various antenna test sockets are connected inside the short-circuit board via connecting wires. However, if one antenna test socket is connected to two or more antenna test sockets at the same time, power shunting will occur. Since the power distribution ratio in each path cannot be determined, the loss calculation will be inaccurate. Therefore, in order to ensure the accuracy of the RF path loss calculation, in this embodiment of the application, it is necessary to ensure that the same antenna test socket is connected to at most one antenna test socket, and the path combination is adjusted by changing the connection method.

[0032] Since a path combination consists of two RF paths to be measured, solving for the path loss of one RF path requires at least three antenna test sockets connected in pairs to establish three path combinations, thereby solving for the path loss of the three RF paths to be measured. Based on this, the connection relationship between the antenna test sockets in the short-circuit board can be changed, or at least three short-circuit boards can be configured, with the connection relationship between the antenna test sockets on each short-circuit board fixed, and the connection relationship established in groups of three antenna test sockets. That is to say: When the number of short-circuit boards is less than 3, a switching assembly is configured in the short-circuit board. The switching assembly is used to control that at any given time, the same antenna test socket on the short-circuit board can be connected to at most one antenna test socket. In one possible implementation, the switching assembly can be implemented as a power-controlled switch. The computer equipment can control the switching assembly through an RF switch matrix to intelligently establish and switch the connection relationships of different antenna test sockets in the short-circuit board. Figure 4 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the internal connection method of a short-circuit board provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application, as follows: Figure 4 As shown, taking a short-circuit board as an example, the various antenna test sockets can be connected through the switch assembly 410 and connecting wires. At any given time, by controlling the on / off state of the switch assembly 410, it is ensured that each antenna test socket is connected to at most one other antenna test socket. Furthermore, by controlling the on / off state of the switch assembly, it is ensured that at least one group of antenna test sockets in the short-circuit board has established a connection between each pair of antenna test sockets. One group of antenna test sockets contains 3 antenna test sockets, such as... Figure 4 As shown, in the current connection state, antenna test socket 1 and antenna test socket 2 are connected, while antenna test socket 3 and antenna test socket are not connected. Similarly, when there are many antenna test sockets, they can be assigned to two shorting boards. The connection between antenna test sockets is established on different shorting boards by switching components. Schematic, different antenna test socket groups can be deployed on different shorting boards, and the connection between antenna test sockets within each group is established by controlling the switching components.

[0033] When the number of short circuit boards is greater than or equal to 3, each short circuit board contains at least one antenna test socket group, and each antenna test socket group contains 3 antenna test sockets; for each antenna test socket, each short circuit board is configured with a connection relationship, and the connection relationship of each antenna test socket in the same antenna test socket group in different short circuit boards is different. The connection relationship is used to indicate that at the same time, the same antenna test socket is connected to at most one antenna test socket in the same group. In addition, for the remaining antenna test sockets in the short-circuit board that do not form an antenna test socket group, a connection relationship is established between the remaining antenna test sockets and the unconnected antenna test sockets in any antenna test socket group in any short-circuit board.

[0034] Taking a short-circuit board with 10 antenna test mounts and 3 short-circuit boards as an example, Figure 5 A schematic diagram illustrating the internal connection method of a short-circuit board provided in another exemplary embodiment of this application is shown, such as... Figure 5As shown, each short-circuit board contains 10 antenna test sockets, grouped into groups of three. The antenna test sockets are divided into groups of three and groups of ten (not forming groups). Within each short-circuit board, each antenna test socket group has a specific connection relationship. For example, in short-circuit board 1, in antenna test socket group 1 (composed of antenna test sockets 1-3), antenna test sockets 1 and 2 are connected, while 3 is not connected. In antenna test socket group 2 (composed of antenna test sockets 4-6), antenna test sockets 4 and 5 are connected, while 6 is not connected. In antenna test socket group 4 (composed of antenna test sockets 7-9), antenna test sockets 7 and 8 are connected, while 9 is not connected. The connection relationships of the antenna test sockets within the same antenna test socket group are not repeated in different short-circuit boards. Taking antenna test socket group 1 as an example, in short-circuit board 2, antenna test sockets 1 and 3 are connected, and in short-circuit board 3, antenna test sockets 2 and 3 are connected. The connection relationships of the antenna test sockets within antenna test socket group 1 are different in the three short-circuit boards. For antenna test sockets 10 that do not form an antenna test socket group, they can establish a connection with any unconnected antenna test socket in any antenna test socket group in any short-circuit board. Figure 5 Taking the connection between antenna test socket 10 and antenna test socket 1 in short-circuit board 3 as an example, a connection between antenna test socket 4 or 7 and antenna test socket 10 can also be established in short-circuit board 3. Alternatively, any one of antenna test sockets 2, 5, and 8 can be established in short-circuit board 2, and any one of antenna test sockets 3, 6, and 9 can be established in short-circuit board 1. After the connection is established, the connections between antenna test sockets in each short-circuit board are relatively fixed. In the subsequent loss measurement process, by controlling the signal transmission of the test instrument, each short-circuit board can determine the communication loss of at least ⌊N / 3⌋ groups of communication connections, where ⌊N / 3⌋ represents rounding down the result of N / 3; this is illustrative. Figure 5 Each short-circuit board can determine the communication loss of at least 3 groups of communication connections. After that, by replacing the short-circuit board, the communication loss of other groups of communication connections can be determined, thereby realizing the determination of the communication loss of all communication connections. It should be noted that the above is illustrated using 3 short-circuit boards as an example. In actual applications, the number of antenna test sockets configured on each short-circuit board is different, and the number of short-circuit boards required can be increased accordingly. For example, antenna test sockets 1-6 are configured on short-circuit boards 1-3, antenna test sockets 7-10 are configured on short-circuit boards 4-6, and so on. In the actual application of this application, the number of short-circuit boards and the number of antenna test socket groups configured on each short-circuit board are not limited.

[0035] Furthermore, regarding the deployment of the antenna test socket on the short-circuit board, Table 1 illustrates a deployment method of the antenna test socket on the short-circuit board provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application: Table 1

[0036] As shown in Table 1, m / 3==0&&m!=3 means that if the number of antenna test sockets on the shorting board is less than 3, then (3-m%3) antenna test sockets need to be added. Correspondingly, the target fixture also needs to be equipped with the corresponding fixture pins. m%3==0 means that if the number of antenna test sockets on the shorting board is a multiple of 3, no additional antenna test sockets are needed. m / 3!=0&&m%3!=0 means that if the number of antenna test sockets on the shorting board exceeds 3 but is not a multiple of 3, no additional antenna test sockets are needed. However, during connection, the unconnected antenna test sockets need to be connected to the antenna test sockets with known RF path losses through the switching component. Alternatively, the unconnected antenna test components can be fixedly connected to the idle antenna test sockets on a certain shorting board to detect the loss values ​​of all RF paths to be measured.

[0037] In addition, if the number of instrument ports of the test instrument is less than the number of antenna test bases, a power divider can be configured for the test instrument to ensure that the number of instrument ports of the test instrument is at least the same as the number of antenna test bases.

[0038] In one possible implementation, when configuring the RF path loss measurement system, if the number of RF paths to be measured is small, two RF paths to be measured can be connected through a connector to form a communication connection with the test instrument. The subsequent loss measurement method can refer to the relevant content on using a shorting board, which will not be elaborated here.

[0039] After configuring the shorting board and test instruments, loss measurement can be performed based on the RF path loss method provided in this application. Figure 6 A flowchart of a radio frequency path loss method provided in another exemplary embodiment of this application is shown. This method can be executed by a computer device, which can be implemented as... Figure 1 The loss measurement device in the system shown, such as Figure 5 As shown, the method may include the following steps.

[0040] Step 610: Establish N sets of communication connections between the test instrument and the short-circuit board. Each set of communication connections corresponds to a different combination of paths. The layout of the antenna test sockets on the short-circuit board matches the antenna layout on the corresponding chip. Among them, N≥3 and the value of N is consistent with the number of antenna test sockets deployed on the short-circuit board.

[0041] In such Figure 3Based on the test system shown, when establishing N sets of communication connections between the test instrument and the short-circuit board, the computer equipment establishes N sets of communication connections between the test instrument and the target fixture, so as to establish N sets of communication connections between the target fixture and the short-circuit board. Among them, an electrical connection is established between the target fixture and the short-circuit board; the target fixture is equipped with fixture pins that correspond one-to-one with the antenna test base, and the fixture pins are used to establish electrical connections with the corresponding antenna test base.

[0042] Each path combination can contain a wired path to be measured, or a wireless path in a shielded environment. In another possible implementation, it can be a combination of wired and wireless paths in a shielded environment.

[0043] Step 620: For each communication connection, based on the first test signal and the second test signal, obtain the communication loss of the corresponding communication connection. The first test signal is the test signal sent by the test instrument to the shorting board through the first RF path to be measured in the path combination. The second test signal is the test signal received by the test instrument through the second RF path to be measured in the path combination and returned by the shorting board.

[0044] The communication loss of each communication connection is the difference between the first test power of the first test signal and the second test power of the second test signal. This communication loss includes the communication loss inside the instrument, the communication loss inside the short-circuit board, and the total RF path loss. When calculating the loss value of each RF path under test, the computer equipment can calculate it based on the total RF path loss corresponding to each communication connection. The total RF path loss is the sum of the communication losses of the two RF paths under test contained in the corresponding path combination.

[0045] Step 630: Obtain the total RF path loss corresponding to each of the N groups of communication connections.

[0046] To calculate the total RF path loss of the communication connection, it is necessary to first determine the communication loss inside the instrument and the communication loss inside the short-circuit board. The communication loss inside the instrument can be determined through instrument self-calibration. In this process, the reference signal source built into the test instrument can generate a standard test signal with known power. This signal is transmitted to the receiving end through the instrument's internal path. The receiving end measures the actual received signal power and calculates the communication loss inside the instrument by comparing it with the transmitted power. The communication loss inside the short-circuit board is the connection line loss inside the short-circuit board, including conductor loss, dielectric loss, and structural discontinuity loss. It can be calculated using the waveguide attenuation formula. That is, the corresponding waveguide attenuation formula is determined according to the type of connection line inside the short-circuit board. The loss value per unit length is calculated by substituting the material parameters and geometric dimensions, and then the communication loss inside the short-circuit board is calculated by combining the connection line length.

[0047] After obtaining the communication loss inside the instrument and the communication loss inside the shorting board, the difference between the communication loss of the communication connection and the communication loss inside the instrument and the communication loss inside the shorting board is the total RF path loss of the communication connection.

[0048] Step 640: Based on the total RF path loss corresponding to each of the N groups of communication connections, solve for the loss value of each RF path to be measured.

[0049] The total RF path loss of each communication connection is the sum of the communication losses of the two RF paths to be measured in the corresponding path combination. Let the communication loss of the first RF path to be measured in a communication connection be denoted as... The communication loss of the second radio frequency path to be measured is denoted as... 2. Let the total RF path loss be denoted as a, then we have Similarly, the equations for the other two communication connections in the same antenna test socket group can be obtained, and the system of equations is established as follows:

[0050]

[0051]

[0052] Solving the above system of equations yields the loss value of the RF path to be measured corresponding to each antenna test socket in the antenna test socket group. Similarly, the system of equations corresponding to other antenna test socket groups can be established, and the loss value of each corresponding RF path to be measured can be solved. For the remaining antenna test sockets that do not form an antenna test socket group, connect them to the antenna test socket of any RF path to be measured with a known loss value, and obtain the total RF path loss of the corresponding communication connection. This will give the loss value of the RF path to be measured corresponding to the remaining antenna test sockets.

[0053] In one possible implementation, during testing, if the computer device detects that the communication loss of all communication connections on the current short-circuit board has been acquired, it displays a prompt message. This prompt message indicates whether to replace the short-circuit board or to change the on / off state of the switching assembly to send on / off control signals to the short-circuit board based on the RF switch matrix. For example, taking a short-circuit board with three short-circuit boards, the computer device can store the internal connection method of each short-circuit board. After starting the measurement, a prompt message indicating to connect to the short-circuit board is displayed. After detecting that a short-circuit board has been connected and the communication loss of all communication connections on that short-circuit board has been acquired, a prompt message indicating to replace the short-circuit board is displayed. The detection continues until the communication loss of all communication connections is acquired. An equation system is constructed and solved to obtain the communication loss of each RF path to be measured. Furthermore, the communication loss of each RF path to be measured and its corresponding path identifier are stored in a line loss file.

[0054] In summary, the RF path loss measurement method provided in this application establishes multiple different communication connections between the test instrument and the shorting board. It tests the first test signal sent by the test instrument to the shorting board through the first RF path to be measured in each communication connection, and the second test signal received by the test instrument through the second RF path to be measured and returned through the shorting board, to determine the communication loss of each communication connection. Based on the communication losses corresponding to each of the multiple communication connections, the loss value of each RF path to be measured is calculated. In this method, testing the RF path loss using the transceiver function of the test instrument reduces dependence on special equipment and improves the versatility and stability of RF path testing. Furthermore, combining multiple paths for testing improves testing efficiency.

[0055] Furthermore, by designing the shorting board layout to match the chip layout, the RF path loss measurement environment can be ensured to be consistent with the production environment, eliminating the need for additional environment deployment procedures and ensuring that the environment does not need to be reassembled after RF communication loss testing. Using the shorting board for RF path loss measurement can also reduce the introduction of errors, improve measurement accuracy, and, due to its good versatility, has a wider range of application scenarios and application lifecycles.

[0056] The RF path loss measurement method provided in this application can be applied to loss measurement scenarios in wired or shielded wireless communication links, such as GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access), LTE (Long Term Evolution), NR (New Radio), WIFI (Wireless Fidelity), and Bluetooth devices, during the R&D and factory production processes (e.g., calibration, comprehensive testing, coupling) to ensure accuracy. For example, the RF path testing method provided in this application can be applied in the production environment of RF chips, such as calibration, comprehensive testing, and coupling stations. No changes to the production environment are required during application; simply replacing the RF chip to be produced with a shorting board suffices. Therefore, the RF path loss method provided in this application is not limited to specific business scenarios, further improving its versatility.

[0057] Figure 7 This diagram illustrates a structural block diagram of a computer device 700 according to an exemplary embodiment of this application. This computer device can be implemented as the loss measurement device described above in this application. The computer device 700 includes a Central Processing Unit (CPU) 701, a system memory 704 including Random Access Memory (RAM) 702 and Read-Only Memory (ROM) 703, and a system bus 705 connecting the system memory 704 and the CPU 701. The computer device 700 also includes a mass storage device 706 for storing an operating system 709, application programs 710, and other program modules 711. The system memory 704 and the mass storage device 706 can be collectively referred to as memory.

[0058] According to various embodiments of this application, the computer device 700 can also be connected to a remote computer on a network, such as the Internet. That is, the computer device 700 can be connected to a network 708 via a network interface unit 707 connected to the system bus 705, or the network interface unit 707 can be used to connect to other types of networks or remote computer systems (not shown).

[0059] The memory further includes at least one instruction, at least one program, code set, or instruction set, which are stored in the memory. The central processing unit 701 executes the at least one instruction, at least one program, code set, or instruction set to implement all or part of the steps in the RF path loss measurement method shown in the above embodiments.

[0060] Figure 8 A structural block diagram of a computer device 800 illustrating another exemplary embodiment of this application is shown. The computer device 800 can be implemented as the aforementioned central node. For example, the computer device can be an Android terminal device; typically, the computer device 800 includes a processor 801 and a memory 802. The memory 802 may include one or more computer-readable storage media for storing at least one instruction, which is executed by the processor 801 to implement all or part of the steps in the radio frequency path loss measurement method shown in the method embodiments of this application.

[0061] In some embodiments, the computer device 800 may optionally include a peripheral device interface 803 and at least one peripheral device. The processor 801, memory 802, and peripheral device interface 803 can be connected via a bus or signal line. Each peripheral device can be connected to the peripheral device interface 803 via a bus, signal line, or circuit board. Specifically, the peripheral device includes at least one of a radio frequency circuit 804, a display screen 805, a camera assembly 806, an audio circuit 807, and a power supply 808. In some embodiments, the computer device 800 also includes one or more sensors 809. These sensors 809 include, but are not limited to, an accelerometer 810, a gyroscope 811, a pressure sensor 812, an optical sensor 813, and a proximity sensor 814. Those skilled in the art will understand that... Figure 8 The structure shown does not constitute a limitation on the computer device 800, and may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or use different component arrangements.

[0062] In one exemplary embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium is also provided, which stores at least one computer program that is loaded and executed by a processor to implement all or part of the steps in the above-described radio frequency path loss measurement method. For example, the computer-readable storage medium may be a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), magnetic tape, a floppy disk, or an optical data storage device, etc.

[0063] In one exemplary embodiment, a computer program product is also provided, the computer program product including a computer program stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer program including program instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the above-described actions. Figure 2 or Figure 6 All or part of the steps of the embodiments shown in any of the embodiments.

[0064] Other embodiments of this application will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this application that follow the general principles of this application and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this application are indicated by the claims.

[0065] It should be understood that this application is not limited to the precise structure described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this application is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for measuring radio frequency path loss, characterized in that, The method includes: Establish N sets of communication connections between the test instrument and the short-circuit board, with each set of communication connections corresponding to a different path combination; the layout of the antenna test sockets on the short-circuit board matches the antenna layout on the corresponding chip; wherein, N≥3 and the value of N is consistent with the number of antenna test sockets deployed on the short-circuit board; For each communication connection, the communication loss of the corresponding communication connection is obtained based on the first test signal and the second test signal. The first test signal is the test signal sent by the test instrument to the shorting board through the first radio frequency path to be measured in the path combination. The second test signal is the test signal returned by the shorting board by the test instrument through the second radio frequency path to be measured in the path combination. Based on the communication loss corresponding to each of the N groups of communication connections, the loss value of each radio frequency path to be measured is calculated.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The communication loss includes internal communication loss of the instrument, internal communication loss of the short-circuit board, and total radio frequency path loss. The calculation of the loss value of each radio frequency path to be measured based on the communication loss corresponding to each of the N groups of communication connections includes: Obtain the total RF path loss corresponding to each of the N groups of communication connections. The total RF path loss is the sum of the communication losses of the two RF paths to be measured contained in the corresponding path combination. Based on the total RF path loss corresponding to each of the N groups of communication connections, the loss value of each RF path to be measured is calculated.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The establishment of N communication connections between the test instrument and the shorting board includes: N sets of communication connections are established between the test instrument and the target fixture, and an electrical connection is established between the target fixture and the short-circuit board; the target fixture is equipped with fixture pins that correspond one-to-one with the antenna test base, and the fixture pins are used to establish an electrical connection with the corresponding antenna test base.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The radio frequency path to be measured is either a wired path or a wireless path in a shielded environment.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the number of short-circuit boards is less than 3, a switching assembly is configured in the short-circuit board. The switching assembly is used to control that the same antenna test socket in the short-circuit board can be connected to at most one antenna test socket at any given time.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the number of short-circuit boards is greater than or equal to 3, each short-circuit board contains at least one antenna test socket group, and each antenna test socket group contains 3 antenna test sockets; for each antenna test socket, each short-circuit board is configured with a connection relationship, and the connection relationships of each antenna test socket in the same antenna test socket group in different short-circuit boards are different. The connection relationship is used to indicate that at any given time, the same antenna test socket is connected to at most one antenna test socket in the same group.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, For the remaining antenna test sockets in the short-circuit board that do not form an antenna test socket group, a connection relationship is established between the remaining antenna test sockets and the unconnected antenna test sockets in any antenna test socket group in any short-circuit board.

8. A radio frequency path loss measurement system, characterized in that, The system includes loss measurement equipment, test instruments, and a short-circuit board; the layout of the antenna test socket on the short-circuit board matches the antenna layout on the corresponding chip. The test instrument and the short-circuit board are connected by N sets of communication links through a combination of paths, where N≥3 and the value of N is the same as the number of antenna test sockets deployed on the short-circuit board. The loss measurement device is used to acquire the first test signal sent by the test instrument through each group of communication connections, and the second test signal received by the test instrument after passing through the short-circuit board, and to calculate the loss value of each radio frequency path to be measured based on the communication loss corresponding to each of the N groups of communication connections.

9. The system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The system also includes a target fixture, which is deployed between the shorting board and the test instrument, establishes N sets of communication connections with the test instrument, and establishes an electrical connection with the shorting board; The target fixture is equipped with fixture pins that correspond one-to-one with the antenna test base, and the fixture pins are used to establish an electrical connection with the corresponding antenna test base.

10. A computer device, characterized in that, The computer device includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing at least one computer program, which is loaded and executed by the processor to implement the radio frequency path loss measurement method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

11. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores at least one computer program, which is loaded and executed by a processor to implement the radio frequency path loss measurement method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

12. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes a computer program stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer program including program instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the radio frequency path loss measurement method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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