Multi-probe test system for production line
By employing phase adjustment and combining technologies in a multi-probe testing system, the problems of high cost, low efficiency, and low accuracy in wireless terminal testing systems have been solved, enabling efficient and accurate wireless performance testing while reducing equipment and maintenance costs.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202423083424.7
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-12
- Publication Date
- 2025-12-02
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-12-12
AI Technical Summary
Wireless terminal testing systems suffer from high testing costs, low efficiency, and insufficient accuracy, especially in conducted testing and over-the-air (OTA) testing, where existing technologies cannot effectively solve these problems.
Design a multi-probe testing system for production lines, including a shielded box, multiple test antennas, a splitter, a phase adjuster, and a combiner. The phase adjuster adjusts the phase of each RF signal to match the reference RF signal, and combines them into in-phase superimposed signals for analysis, reducing channel switching time and improving test accuracy and efficiency.
It improves the accuracy and efficiency of OTA testing, reduces the construction and maintenance costs of the testing system, reduces maintenance complexity, meets the testing needs of wireless terminals, avoids the duplication of conduction testing, and simplifies device management.
Smart Images
Figure CN223625873U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a multi-probe testing system for production lines. Background Technology
[0002] Current testing of wireless terminals mainly includes conducted testing and OTA (Over-The-Air) testing to ensure that the communication performance of the wireless terminal meets relevant standards. Conducted testing is used for testing at the RF port and for calibrating the RF power at the RF port of the wireless terminal; while OTA testing is used to evaluate the performance of the device in a real wireless communication environment. Production line testing of wireless terminals typically includes both of these testing processes and requires the use of automated equipment and signaling or non-signaling test instruments.
[0003] During the conducted testing phase, before the wireless terminal is connected to its antenna, automated equipment connects the terminal's antenna port to the testing instrument via an RF cable. The testing instrument performs precise measurements and calibrations of the RF signal, including transmit power, spectrum analysis, and harmonic distortion. The focus of this phase is testing the RF signal quality of the wireless terminal and calibrating the port's conducted power to ensure that its transmit and receive power meet standard requirements across different frequency bands. The automated equipment ensures efficient production line operation by quickly connecting and disconnecting the terminal from the testing instrument, reducing manual intervention and maintaining testing consistency and accuracy.
[0004] After conducting the test, the wireless terminal is connected to the antenna and enters the OTA (Over-The-Air) testing phase. OTA testing no longer involves connecting the terminal via RF cables; instead, it evaluates the terminal's communication performance through wireless testing. At this stage, the test equipment measures multiple parameters of the wireless terminal, including signal strength, receiver sensitivity / received power, and frequency offset. To ensure consistency, OTA testing is typically conducted in anechoic chambers. These environments effectively shield against external interference and simulate different wireless conditions for consistency testing. OTA testing methods include multi-probe setups, reverberation chambers, and near-field coupling. The purpose is to measure the differences in RF performance between the device under test (DUT) and a standard device, or to assess the consistency of mass production, within an anechoic chamber.
[0005] The aforementioned testing process for wireless terminals typically involves two separate test stations: conducted testing and over-the-air (OTA) testing, each using different equipment and instruments. This dual testing process requires two sets of testing equipment, increasing not only the cost of equipment procurement and maintenance but also occupying more production line space, leading to a significant increase in overall testing costs. Furthermore, in traditional OTA testing, especially when using a reverberation chamber, the test requires prolonged agitation to simulate different wireless environments, resulting in extended testing times and impacting overall production line efficiency. Even with multi-probe testing methods, acquiring power or sensitivity data at each probe location and performing calculations consumes considerable time, further extending the production cycle and reducing testing efficiency. Additionally, in multi-probe testing, single-point testing is often performed at a specific probe location when introducing a new model. However, single-point testing cannot comprehensively reflect the overall TRP (Total Radiated Power) performance changes of the wireless terminal, potentially leading to biased test results and an inability to accurately assess the terminal's wireless performance in real-world environments. These limitations may affect the quality and market performance of the final product. Moreover, the issue of testing accuracy directly prevents it from replacing conducted testing for power calibration of wireless terminals in OTA testing.
[0006] In summary, wireless terminal testing systems suffer from technical problems such as high testing costs, low testing efficiency, and insufficient testing accuracy when testing wireless terminals. Utility Model Content
[0007] In view of this, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a multi-probe testing system for production lines, so as to alleviate the technical problems of high testing cost, low testing efficiency and insufficient testing accuracy of traditional wireless terminal testing systems when testing wireless terminals.
[0008] In a first aspect, this utility model provides a multi-probe testing system for a production line, comprising: a shielded box, multiple test antennas disposed within the shielded box, a power splitter, a phase adjuster, and a power splitter, wherein the number of power splitters is the same as the number of test antennas, the number of phase adjusters is one less than the number of power splitters, the number of output terminals of one reference power splitter is the same as the number of test antennas, and the remaining standard power splitters have two output terminals each;
[0009] One of the test antennas is connected to the input of the reference splitter, one output of the reference splitter is connected to the input of the combiner, and each of the remaining outputs of the reference splitter is connected to the input of one of the phase adjusters.
[0010] Each of the remaining test antennas is connected to the input of one of the standard power dividers, and the two outputs of each standard power divider are connected to the input of one of the phase adjusters;
[0011] The output of each phase adjuster is connected to the remaining input of the combiner power divider, and the output of the combiner power divider is connected to a test instrument.
[0012] When the device under test is subjected to a transmission test, multiple test antennas located in different directions of the device under test are used to receive the radio frequency signals transmitted by the device under test and send the received multiple radio frequency signals to the corresponding power splitter.
[0013] The reference splitter is used to split the radio frequency signal transmitted by its corresponding test antenna into multiple reference radio frequency signals, and send one of the reference radio frequency signals to the combiner, and send the remaining reference radio frequency signals to the corresponding phase adjuster.
[0014] Each of the standard power dividers is used to divide the radio frequency signal transmitted by its corresponding test antenna into a first radio frequency signal and a second radio frequency signal, and send the first radio frequency signal and the second radio frequency signal to the corresponding phase adjuster;
[0015] Each of the phase adjusters is used to compare the phase of the received reference radio frequency signal and the first radio frequency signal to obtain a phase comparison result, and adjust the phase of the corresponding second radio frequency signal according to the phase comparison result to obtain a phase-adjusted second radio frequency signal that is consistent with the phase of the reference radio frequency signal, and then send the phase-adjusted second radio frequency signal to the combiner / divider.
[0016] The combiner is used to combine the received reference RF signal and multiple phase-adjusted second RF signals to obtain a target RF signal, so that the test instrument can analyze the target RF signal to obtain the wireless performance test result of the device under test. The target RF signal is the in-phase superposition of the RF signals collected by the test antenna.
[0017] Furthermore, the test antennas are distributed at preset intervals on a spherical surface at a preset distance from the device under test, to ensure that the entire spherical surface centered on the device under test is covered by the test antennas.
[0018] Furthermore, each of the phase adjusters includes: a phase comparator and a phase shifter;
[0019] One input of each phase comparator is connected to one output of the reference power divider, and the other input of each phase comparator is connected to one output of the standard power divider.
[0020] One input of each phase shifter is connected to the output of one of the phase comparators, the other input of each phase shifter is connected to the other output of one of the standard branch power dividers, and the output of each phase shifter is connected to the combining power divider.
[0021] Furthermore, it also includes: controllers;
[0022] The input terminal of the controller is connected to the output terminal of the phase comparator, and the output terminal of the controller is connected to the input terminal of the phase shifter.
[0023] Furthermore, it also includes: an amplitude regulator;
[0024] The input terminal of the amplitude regulator is connected to the output terminal of the phase shifter, and the output terminal of the amplitude regulator is connected to the test instrument. It is used to adjust the amplitude of the phase-adjusted second radio frequency signal of the corresponding path and send the amplitude-adjusted second radio frequency signal to the combiner / divider.
[0025] The combiner is used to combine multiple amplitude-adjusted second radio frequency signals and the reference radio frequency signal to obtain a second target radio frequency signal, so that the test instrument can analyze the second target radio frequency signal to obtain the wireless performance test result of the device under test.
[0026] Furthermore, at least a portion of the inner wall of the shielding box is provided with wave-absorbing material to absorb electromagnetic waves and provide a testing environment.
[0027] In this embodiment of the invention, a multi-probe testing system for a production line is provided, comprising: a shielded box, multiple test antennas disposed within the shielded box, a power divider, a phase adjuster, and a power divider. The number of power dividers is the same as the number of test antennas; the number of phase adjusters is one less than the number of power dividers; the number of output terminals of one reference power divider is the same as the number of test antennas; and the remaining standard power dividers have two output terminals each. One test antenna is connected to the input terminal of the reference power divider. One output of the device is connected to one input of the combiner / divider; each of the remaining outputs of the reference combiner / divider is connected to an input of a phase adjuster; each of the remaining test antennas is connected to an input of a standard combiner / divider; the two outputs of each standard combiner / divider are connected to an input of a phase adjuster; the output of each phase adjuster is connected to the remaining inputs of the combiner / divider; the output of the combiner / divider is connected to the test instrument; when the device under test is being tested for transmission, multiple test antennas located in different directions of the device under test are used to receive the radio frequency emitted by the device under test. The system receives multiple RF signals and sends them to their respective splitter power dividers. A reference splitter power divider splits the RF signal transmitted by its corresponding test antenna into multiple reference RF signals, sends one of these reference RF signals to a combiner power divider, and sends the remaining reference RF signals to their respective phase adjusters. Each standard splitter power divider splits the RF signal transmitted by its corresponding test antenna into a first RF signal and a second RF signal, and sends both signals to their respective phase adjusters. Each phase adjuster adjusts the received reference RF signal and the first RF signal... The signals are compared in phase to obtain the phase comparison result. Based on the phase comparison result, the phase of the corresponding second radio frequency signal is adjusted to obtain a phase-adjusted second radio frequency signal that is in phase with the reference radio frequency signal. The phase-adjusted second radio frequency signal is then sent to the combiner. The combiner is used to combine the received reference radio frequency signal and multiple phase-adjusted second radio frequency signals to obtain the target radio frequency signal. The test instrument analyzes the target radio frequency signal to obtain the wireless performance test result of the device under test. The target radio frequency signal is the in-phase superposition of the radio frequency signals collected by the test antenna.As described above, the multi-probe testing system for production lines of this invention can adjust the phase of each second radio frequency signal to match the phase of the reference radio frequency signal. Then, the phase-adjusted second radio frequency signals and the reference radio frequency signal are combined into a target radio frequency signal. This target radio frequency signal is the in-phase superposition of the radio frequency signals acquired by the test antenna. Therefore, after analyzing the target radio frequency signal using testing instruments, the accuracy of the wireless performance test results of the device under test is high, thus improving the accuracy of OTA testing. Furthermore, it eliminates the need to switch between different channels for omnidirectional testing, avoiding the time delay caused by frequent channel switching and significantly improving testing efficiency. In other words, while ensuring testing efficiency, the accuracy of OTA testing is improved, meeting the testing requirements of the device under test. Conducted testing is no longer required. Thus, only one multi-probe testing system needs to be maintained to meet the testing requirements of the device under test, reducing the construction and maintenance costs of the testing system, decreasing the complexity and workload of maintenance, and alleviating the technical problems of high testing costs, low testing efficiency, and insufficient testing accuracy in traditional wireless terminal testing systems. Attached Figure Description
[0028] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of this utility model or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.
[0029] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a multi-probe testing system for a production line provided in an embodiment of this utility model;
[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of another multi-probe testing system for a production line provided by an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0031] The technical solution of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this utility model.
[0032] Traditional wireless terminal testing systems suffer from high testing costs, low testing efficiency, and insufficient testing accuracy when testing wireless terminals.
[0033] Based on this, the multi-probe testing system for production lines of this invention can adjust the phase of each second radio frequency signal to match the phase of the reference radio frequency signal, and then combine the phase-adjusted second radio frequency signals and the reference radio frequency signal into a target radio frequency signal. This target radio frequency signal is the in-phase superposition of the radio frequency signals collected by the test antenna. Therefore, after analyzing the target radio frequency signal through the test instrument, the accuracy of the wireless performance test results of the device under test is good, which improves the accuracy of OTA testing. In addition, there is no need to switch different channels one by one for omnidirectional testing, avoiding the time delay caused by frequent channel switching and significantly improving test efficiency. That is, while ensuring test efficiency, the accuracy of OTA testing is improved, which can meet the test requirements of the device under test. There is no need to perform conducted testing. In this way, only one multi-probe testing system needs to be maintained to meet the test requirements of the device under test, reducing the construction and maintenance costs of the test system and reducing the complexity and workload of maintenance.
[0034] To facilitate understanding of this embodiment, a multi-probe testing system for production lines disclosed in this utility model embodiment will first be described in detail.
[0035] Example 1:
[0036] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an embodiment of a multi-probe testing system for a production line is provided. Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a multi-probe testing system for a production line according to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 1 As shown, the multi-probe testing system for the production line includes: a shielded box, multiple test antennas housed within the shielded box, a power splitter, a phase adjuster, and a power splitter. The number of power splitters is the same as the number of test antennas, the number of phase adjusters is one less than the number of power splitters, the number of output terminals of one reference power splitter is the same as the number of test antennas, and the remaining standard power splitters have two output terminals each.
[0037] One of the test antennas is connected to the input of the reference splitter power divider, one output of the reference splitter power divider is connected to the input of the combiner power divider, and each of the remaining outputs of the reference splitter power divider is connected to the input of a phase adjuster.
[0038] Each of the remaining test antennas is connected to the input of a standard power divider, and the two outputs of each standard power divider are connected to the input of a phase adjuster.
[0039] The output of each phase adjuster is connected to the remaining inputs of the combiner power divider, and the output of the combiner power divider is connected to the test instrument.
[0040] When the device under test is subjected to a transmission test, multiple test antennas located in different directions of the device under test are used to receive the radio frequency signals transmitted by the device under test and send the received multiple radio frequency signals to the corresponding power dividers.
[0041] The reference splitter is used to split the radio frequency signal transmitted by the corresponding test antenna into multiple reference radio frequency signals, and send one of the reference radio frequency signals to the combiner, and send the remaining reference radio frequency signals to the corresponding phase adjuster.
[0042] Each standard power divider is used to split the radio frequency signal transmitted by its corresponding test antenna into a first radio frequency signal and a second radio frequency signal, and then send the first radio frequency signal and the second radio frequency signal to the corresponding phase adjuster.
[0043] Each phase adjuster is used to compare the phase of the received reference RF signal and the first RF signal to obtain the phase comparison result, and adjust the phase of the corresponding second RF signal according to the phase comparison result to obtain a phase-adjusted second RF signal with the same phase as the reference RF signal, and then send the phase-adjusted second RF signal to the combiner / divider.
[0044] The combiner is used to combine the received reference RF signal and the second RF signal after phase adjustment to obtain the target RF signal, so that the test instrument can analyze the target RF signal and obtain the wireless performance test results of the device under test. The target RF signal is the in-phase superposition of the RF signals collected by the test antenna.
[0045] The inventors considered that the reason why conducted tests are required for production line testing of devices under test (DUTs) in traditional technologies is because the accuracy of OTA tests on production lines is generally low (because traditional production line OTA tests usually only test the transmission performance of the DUT in one direction, which does not meet the accuracy required for calibration, hence the need for conducted tests). If the only requirement is to check whether the wireless performance of the DUT is qualified, the test accuracy requirement is not too high. However, if calibration is to be performed, a certain level of test accuracy must be achieved. If standard test methods are used (i.e., testing the transmission performance of the DUT in each direction), although the test accuracy is high, the test time is usually long, which does not meet the high efficiency required for production line testing. Therefore, the multi-probe test system for production lines of this invention aims to improve the accuracy of OTA tests while ensuring test efficiency, so as to meet the testing and calibration needs of the DUTs and eliminate the need for additional conducted tests.
[0046] Specifically, when testing the device under test, the device under test is placed on a test bench inside a shielded box. The first radio frequency signal and the second radio frequency signal mentioned above are the same and are both equal to the radio frequency signal input to the standard splitter. That is, the standard splitter splits the received radio frequency signal into two signals with the same energy. For distinction, this utility model refers to them as the first radio frequency signal and the second radio frequency signal.
[0047] like Figure 1 The diagram illustrates n test antennas, each with n corresponding test paths. Figure 1 The reference splitter in the circuit splits the RF signal into n reference RF signals. One reference RF signal is sent to the combiner, and the (n-1) reference RF signals are used for phase comparison with the RF signals of other test paths. Each standard splitter splits the RF signal of the corresponding path into a first RF signal and a second RF signal. The first RF signal and the aforementioned reference RF signal are compared in a phase adjuster to obtain a phase comparison result (e.g., a voltage signal or digital signal representing the phase difference between the first RF signal and the reference RF signal). Based on the phase comparison result, the phase of the corresponding second RF signal is adjusted to obtain a phase-adjusted second RF signal with the same phase as the reference RF signal. Finally, the multiple phase-adjusted second RF signals and one reference RF signal are combined in the combiner to obtain the target RF signal, which allows the test instrument to analyze the target RF signal and obtain the wireless performance test results of the device under test.
[0048] In this embodiment of the invention, a multi-probe testing system for a production line is provided, comprising: a shielded box, multiple test antennas disposed within the shielded box, a power divider, a phase adjuster, and a power divider. The number of power dividers is the same as the number of test antennas; the number of phase adjusters is one less than the number of power dividers; the number of output terminals of one reference power divider is the same as the number of test antennas; and the remaining standard power dividers have two output terminals each. One test antenna is connected to the input terminal of the reference power divider. One output of the device is connected to one input of the combiner / divider; each of the remaining outputs of the reference combiner / divider is connected to an input of a phase adjuster; each of the remaining test antennas is connected to an input of a standard combiner / divider; the two outputs of each standard combiner / divider are connected to an input of a phase adjuster; the output of each phase adjuster is connected to the remaining inputs of the combiner / divider; the output of the combiner / divider is connected to the test instrument; when the device under test is being tested for transmission, multiple test antennas located in different directions of the device under test are used to receive the radio frequency emitted by the device under test. The system receives multiple RF signals and sends them to their respective splitter power dividers. A reference splitter power divider splits the RF signal transmitted by its corresponding test antenna into multiple reference RF signals, sends one of these reference RF signals to a combiner power divider, and sends the remaining reference RF signals to their respective phase adjusters. Each standard splitter power divider splits the RF signal transmitted by its corresponding test antenna into a first RF signal and a second RF signal, and sends both signals to their respective phase adjusters. Each phase adjuster adjusts the received reference RF signal and the first RF signal... The signals are compared in phase to obtain the phase comparison result. Based on the phase comparison result, the phase of the corresponding second radio frequency signal is adjusted to obtain a phase-adjusted second radio frequency signal that is in phase with the reference radio frequency signal. The phase-adjusted second radio frequency signal is then sent to the combiner. The combiner is used to combine the received reference radio frequency signal and multiple phase-adjusted second radio frequency signals to obtain the target radio frequency signal. The test instrument analyzes the target radio frequency signal to obtain the wireless performance test result of the device under test. The target radio frequency signal is the in-phase superposition of the radio frequency signals collected by the test antenna.As described above, the multi-probe testing system for production lines of this invention can adjust the phase of each second radio frequency signal to match the phase of the reference radio frequency signal. Then, the phase-adjusted second radio frequency signals and the reference radio frequency signal are combined into a target radio frequency signal. This target radio frequency signal is the in-phase superposition of the radio frequency signals acquired by the test antenna. Therefore, after analyzing the target radio frequency signal using testing instruments, the accuracy of the wireless performance test results of the device under test is high, thus improving the accuracy of OTA testing. Furthermore, it eliminates the need to switch between different channels for omnidirectional testing, avoiding the time delay caused by frequent channel switching and significantly improving testing efficiency. In other words, while ensuring testing efficiency, the accuracy of OTA testing is improved, meeting the testing requirements of the device under test. Conducted testing is no longer required. Thus, only one multi-probe testing system needs to be maintained to meet the testing requirements of the device under test, reducing the construction and maintenance costs of the testing system, decreasing the complexity and workload of maintenance, and alleviating the technical problems of high testing costs, low testing efficiency, and insufficient testing accuracy in traditional wireless terminal testing systems.
[0049] The above provides a brief introduction to the multi-probe testing system for production lines of this utility model. The specific details involved are described in detail below.
[0050] In one optional embodiment of this utility model, the test antennas are distributed at preset intervals on a spherical surface at a preset distance from the device under test, so as to ensure that the entire spherical surface centered on the device under test is covered by the test antennas, and the test antennas can receive or transmit test signals in all directions.
[0051] In an optional embodiment of this utility model, reference is made to Figure 2 Each phase adjuster includes: a phase comparator and a phase shifter;
[0052] One input of each phase comparator is connected to one output of a reference shunt power divider, and the other input of each phase comparator is connected to one output of a standard shunt power divider.
[0053] One input of each phase shifter is connected to the output of a phase comparator, the other input of each phase shifter is connected to the other output of a standard shunt power divider, and the output of each phase shifter is connected to a combiner power divider.
[0054] Specifically, each phase comparator is used to compare the phase of the reference RF signal and the first RF signal, obtain the phase comparison result, and send the phase comparison result to the corresponding phase shifter; each phase shifter is used to adjust the phase of the corresponding second RF signal according to the phase comparison result, obtain the phase-adjusted second RF signal with the same phase as the reference RF signal, and send the phase-adjusted second RF signal to the combiner / divider.
[0055] In an optional embodiment of this utility model, it further includes: a controller;
[0056] The controller's input is connected to the phase comparator's output, and the controller's output is connected to the phase shifter's input.
[0057] Specifically, the controller controls the phase shifter, which ensures the programmability of each channel's processing. For example, the controller can perform calibration and temperature offset of the split power divider, phase comparator, phase shifter, or combiner power divider itself.
[0058] In an optional embodiment of this utility model, it further includes: an amplitude adjuster;
[0059] The input of the amplitude modulator is connected to the output of the phase shifter, and the output of the amplitude modulator is connected to the test instrument. It is used to adjust the amplitude of the second radio frequency signal after phase adjustment of the corresponding path, and send the second radio frequency signal after amplitude adjustment to the combiner power divider.
[0060] The combiner is used to combine multiple amplitude-adjusted second RF signals and reference RF signals to obtain a second target RF signal, so that the test instrument can analyze the second target RF signal to obtain the wireless performance test results of the device under test.
[0061] Specifically, the amplitude regulator is used to compensate for path loss in each test channel, further ensuring the accuracy of the test results.
[0062] In an optional embodiment of this invention, at least a portion of the inner wall of the shielding box is provided with a wave-absorbing material to absorb electromagnetic waves and provide a testing environment.
[0063] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a multi-probe testing method for a production line is provided, applied to the multi-probe testing system for a production line in Embodiment 1 above. The method includes the following steps (taking a launch test as an example):
[0064] a) The gold detector is tested in a standard anechoic chamber to obtain standard test results, including but not limited to: TRP, RSSI, frequency offset, etc. A gold detector refers to a device under test whose performance indicators meet preset requirements among identical devices under test.
[0065] (b) Place the gold detector on the test bench of the shielded box of the multi-probe testing system for production lines of this invention. After the gold detector transmits radio frequency signals, each phase comparator outputs control signals (analog voltage signals or digital signals) to each phase shifter based on the detected phase difference. The phase shifters shift the phase of each signal, thereby adjusting the phase of the signals in each test channel to match the phase of the reference radio frequency signal. In this step, the signal processing (signal splitting, phase comparison, phase shifting) of all test channels can be performed in parallel to ensure testing efficiency. After phase adjustment, all signals are combined into one signal through a combiner and splitter, sent to the test instrument, and the test results are recorded as the wireless performance test results of the gold detector.
[0066] c) Place the device under test (DUT) on the test bench of the shielded box of the multi-probe testing system for production lines of this invention, and perform the same steps as in step b) to obtain the wireless performance test results of the DUT. Based on the wireless performance test results of the DUT and the wireless performance test results of the gold machine, determine whether the performance of the DUT is qualified. For example, if the difference between the two is less than a preset value, it is determined that the performance is qualified.
[0067] d) For devices under test (DUTs) that meet performance requirements, further calibration can be performed based on the aforementioned difference. For example, the power of the DUT can be calibrated based on the difference between the total transmit power of the DUT and the total transmit power of the receiver. For DUTs that do not meet performance requirements, calibration may not be necessary.
[0068] e) Further, based on the test results of steps a), b), and c), calculate the standard reference result for the device under test (DUT). Specifically, based on the difference between the standard test result of the gold-plated device in step a) and the wireless performance test result of the gold-plated device in step b), calculate a correction value. Correct the wireless performance test result of the DUT in step c) based on this correction value to obtain the standard reference result for the DUT. After obtaining the standard reference result for the DUT, the DUT can also be calibrated based on the standard test result of the gold-plated device.
[0069] This invention relates to a multi-probe testing system and method for production lines. The testing method is based on a multi-probe testing system for production lines. It compares the phases of test signals received by multiple test antennas located in different directions and automatically adjusts the phases to be consistent with each other. Then, it combines the phase-adjusted signals together and outputs them to the test instrument, ensuring that the final output signal is the in-phase superposition of the signals collected by all test antennas. This allows the total transmission power of the device under test to be obtained, which can be used to determine wireless performance and can be further used for transmission power calibration.
[0070] This invention designs a multi-probe testing system for production lines, capable of calibrating and testing wireless terminals. Compared with existing technologies, this solution has the following significant advantages and effects:
[0071] Integrated Calibration and Testing: By incorporating the functionality of an automated phase comparator, this multi-probe testing system can perform calibration and testing at a single testing station. This means that within the same testing phase, the system can automatically import the detector parameters, actual TRP / TIS / RSSI, and other parameters to calculate the actual performance of the device under test, thereby improving the accuracy and consistency of the test.
[0072] High-efficiency testing: Traditional testing processes require switching between different channels one by one for omnidirectional testing. However, this new multi-probe testing system can simultaneously perform phase comparison and phase shifting, combining signals from multiple locations in the same phase, avoiding the time delays caused by frequent channel switching. All phase comparators and phase shifters operate simultaneously, adjusting the phase shifters in parallel. This highly efficient testing method significantly reduces the time required for individual phase shifting of different channels, ultimately combining the phase-shifted signals from each channel to output the total power after combining in different directions. This improves the overall efficiency of the production line and adapts to the rapidly evolving market demands.
[0073] High precision: The system uses a phase-shifting method to automatically keep the phase in phase with the reference RF signal. In this case, the slight positional movement of the device under test is not sensitive, and it can ensure that even if the antenna under test is installed with positional errors, the combined circuit can still have a very accurate total power output, thus ensuring the accuracy of the test.
[0074] Low cost: This invention requires only one multi-probe testing system for the production line to complete all tests, eliminating the need to invest in multiple independent testing devices. This not only reduces initial investment in equipment but also lowers subsequent maintenance costs, significantly improving the economic efficiency of the production line.
[0075] Easy to maintain: Due to its high system integration, only one set of equipment needs to be maintained. Compared to the traditional dual-equipment solution, this invention reduces the complexity and workload of maintenance. This makes production line maintenance simpler and reduces the risk of production stoppages caused by equipment failure.
[0076] High flexibility: The system's multi-probe design allows it to adapt to different models and types of devices under test. Only software parameter adjustments are needed; no hardware replacement is required, enabling rapid testing of new products and enhancing the adaptability of the production line.
[0077] Comprehensive data acquisition: Simultaneous operation of multiple probes allows for the comprehensive acquisition of data from different locations within a single test cycle, facilitating better analysis of the omnidirectional radiation characteristics of the device under test. This advantage results in more comprehensive test results, more accurately reflecting the performance of the device under test in actual use.
[0078] In summary, this invention significantly improves the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and ease of maintenance of wireless terminal testing, meeting the needs of modern production lines for rapid and accurate testing.
[0079] Furthermore, in the description of the embodiments of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model can be understood according to the specific circumstances.
[0080] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.
[0081] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model, and are not intended to limit it. Although the utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model.
Claims
1. A multi-probe testing system for production lines, characterized in that, include: The system comprises a shielded enclosure, multiple test antennas housed within the shielded enclosure, a power splitter, a phase adjuster, and a power combiner. The number of power splitters is the same as the number of test antennas, the number of phase adjusters is one less than the number of power splitters, the number of output terminals of one reference power splitter is the same as the number of test antennas, and the remaining standard power splitters have two output terminals each. One of the test antennas is connected to the input of the reference splitter, one output of the reference splitter is connected to the input of the combiner, and each of the remaining outputs of the reference splitter is connected to the input of one of the phase adjusters. Each of the remaining test antennas is connected to the input of one of the standard power dividers, and the two outputs of each standard power divider are connected to the input of one of the phase adjusters; The output of each phase adjuster is connected to the remaining input of the combiner power divider, and the output of the combiner power divider is connected to a test instrument. When the device under test is subjected to a transmission test, multiple test antennas located in different directions of the device under test are used to receive the radio frequency signals transmitted by the device under test and send the received multiple radio frequency signals to the corresponding power splitter. The reference splitter is used to split the radio frequency signal transmitted by its corresponding test antenna into multiple reference radio frequency signals, and send one of the reference radio frequency signals to the combiner, and send the remaining reference radio frequency signals to the corresponding phase adjuster. Each of the standard power dividers is used to divide the radio frequency signal transmitted by its corresponding test antenna into a first radio frequency signal and a second radio frequency signal, and send the first radio frequency signal and the second radio frequency signal to the corresponding phase adjuster; Each of the phase adjusters is used to compare the phase of the received reference radio frequency signal and the first radio frequency signal to obtain a phase comparison result, and adjust the phase of the corresponding second radio frequency signal according to the phase comparison result to obtain a phase-adjusted second radio frequency signal that is consistent with the phase of the reference radio frequency signal, and then send the phase-adjusted second radio frequency signal to the combiner / divider. The combiner is used to combine the received reference RF signal and multiple phase-adjusted second RF signals to obtain a target RF signal, so that the test instrument can analyze the target RF signal to obtain the wireless performance test result of the device under test. The target RF signal is the in-phase superposition of the RF signals collected by the test antenna.
2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The test antennas are distributed at preset intervals on a spherical surface at a preset distance from the device under test, so as to ensure that the entire spherical surface centered on the device under test is covered by the test antennas.
3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the phase adjusters includes: a phase comparator and a phase shifter; One input of each phase comparator is connected to one output of the reference power divider, and the other input of each phase comparator is connected to one output of the standard power divider. One input of each phase shifter is connected to the output of one of the phase comparators, the other input of each phase shifter is connected to the other output of one of the standard branch power dividers, and the output of each phase shifter is connected to the combining power divider.
4. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that, Also includes: Controller; The input terminal of the controller is connected to the output terminal of the phase comparator, and the output terminal of the controller is connected to the input terminal of the phase shifter.
5. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that, Also includes: Amplitude regulator; The input terminal of the amplitude regulator is connected to the output terminal of the phase shifter, and the output terminal of the amplitude regulator is connected to the test instrument. It is used to adjust the amplitude of the phase-adjusted second radio frequency signal of the corresponding path and send the amplitude-adjusted second radio frequency signal to the combiner / divider. The combiner is used to combine multiple amplitude-adjusted second radio frequency signals and the reference radio frequency signal to obtain a second target radio frequency signal, so that the test instrument can analyze the second target radio frequency signal to obtain the wireless performance test result of the device under test.
6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least a portion of the inner wall of the shielding box is provided with wave-absorbing material to absorb electromagnetic waves and provide a testing environment.