Broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system and method

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed that can quickly measure the performance of a plurality of measurement items for authentication and post-management of broadcasting and communication equipment including an antenna. According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a broadcasting and communications equipment performance measurement system, comprising: a fixing unit for fixing a broadcasting and communications equipment to be tested; a positioner for controlling the fixing unit to control rotation of the broadcasting and communications equipment; a measurement probe arranged at a predetermined position away from the fixing unit and shielded from the line-of-sight of the broadcasting and communications equipment; a curved reflector formed to reflect electromagnetic waves emitted by the broadcasting and communications equipment toward the measurement probe and to transform a spherical wave of the measurement probe into a plane wave at a position where the broadcasting and communications equipment is installed; an arch structure including an arch arranged around the fixing unit with the position of the broadcasting and communications equipment as its center point; a probe set including a plurality of near-field probes arranged at predetermined intervals inside the arch; and a control unit for receiving signal data corresponding to an input signal from at least some of the plurality of near-field probes and the measurement probe via a signal analyzer to measure performance of the broadcasting and communications equipment.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a system and method for measuring performance of broadcasting and communication equipment, and more particularly to a system and method for quickly measuring performance of a plurality of measurement items for authentication and post-management of broadcasting and communication equipment including an antenna.

[0002] The present invention is the result of research conducted as part of the research and development project (New Technology Application Antenna High-Speed ​​Measurement Technology Development Project) of the National Radio Research Agency, Ministry of Science and ICT. [Background technology]

[0003] As the demand for radio wave resources rapidly increases due to factors such as an increase in wireless traffic and large-volume data transmission, market demand for the millimeter wave band, a new radio wave resource, is also expanding.In addition, as the use of mobile communication devices in the millimeter wave band is expected to increase sharply, there is an urgent need to develop technology that can quickly process the certification and post-management testing of millimeter wave band antennas included in broadcasting and communication devices such as base stations and terminal devices.There is also an increasing need for technology that can quickly measure various measurement items for the certification and post-management testing of broadcasting and communication devices (or more precisely, the antennas included therein).

[0004] To measure the performance of broadcasting and communication equipment (EUT) including an antenna (Antenna Under Test; AUT), measurement probes are placed around the EUT. However, for such antenna measurement (test), the conventional method of measuring the signal radiation performance of the antenna by moving one or a few probes requires a considerable amount of time and resources.

[0005] 1a and 1b are diagrams for explaining an example of a conventional antenna measurement method.

[0006] Figure 1a illustrates the NFTF (Near Field to Far Field Transform) antenna performance measurement method, which is widely used to measure the performance of antennas (or broadcasting and communication equipment) in recent high frequency bands.

[0007] As shown in Figure 1a, the NFTF antenna measurement method includes planar, cylindrical, and spherical performance measurement methods.

[0008] Such a method can be selectively used depending on the directivity and radiation pattern of the antenna.

[0009] Conventional methods typically involve moving a probe to receive signals output by the test broadcasting communication equipment (AUT) at predetermined grid points, receiving the signals output by the test broadcasting communication equipment (AUT), and analyzing the signals to measure radiation performance (radiation pattern, signal strength, etc.).

[0010] In addition, in the case of cylindrical or spherical measurement methods, measurements may be performed while rotating the test broadcast communication equipment (AUT) as the probe moves.If necessary, in the case of spherical measurement methods, multiple probes may be placed on an arch (arc) corresponding to one circumference of the sphere, and signals may be received at each grid point corresponding to the entire sphere.

[0011] The conventional NFTF measurement method allows multiple probes to be used simultaneously, significantly reducing measurement time, but it has the disadvantage of being unable to measure EVM and Blocking, which are some of the measurement items required for certification and post-certification management of broadcasting and communications equipment.

[0012] Figure 1b is a diagram explaining the conventional IFF (Indirect Far-Field) measurement method. The IFF measurement method, also known as CATR (Compact Antenna Test Range), uses a reflector to reflect the electromagnetic waves emitted from a probe toward the EUT. The reflector is designed so that the electromagnetic waves emitted spherically from the probe become plane waves in the EUT area. The area where the quality of the plane wave is maintained is called the quiet zone, and the EUT is positioned within the quiet zone for measurement.

[0013] The conventional IFF method can perform all the measurements required for authentication and post-management of broadcasting and communication equipment, but has the drawback of taking a long time to measure because it uses only one probe. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0014] [Patent Document 1] Korean Patent Publication No. 1020200093759 "Antenna performance measurement method and chamber therefor" Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0015] The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the above-mentioned conventional technologies, and the problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a system and method that can quickly measure the performance of multiple measurement items for authentication and post-management of broadcasting and communication equipment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0016] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a broadcasting and communications equipment performance measurement system including: a fixing unit for fixing a broadcasting and communications equipment to be tested; a positioner for controlling the fixing unit to control the rotation of the broadcasting and communications equipment; a measurement probe that is shielded from the line of sight of the broadcasting and communications equipment and is installed at a predetermined position away from the fixing unit; a curved reflector that reflects electromagnetic waves emitted by the broadcasting and communications equipment toward the measurement probe and transforms a spherical wave of the measurement probe into a plane wave at a position where the broadcasting and communications equipment is installed; an arch structure including an arch that is installed around the fixing unit with the position of the broadcasting and communications equipment as its center point; a probe set including a plurality of near-field probes that are installed at predetermined intervals inside the arch; and a control unit that receives signal data corresponding to an input signal from at least some of the plurality of near-field probes and the measurement probe via a signal analyzer and measures the performance of the broadcasting and communications equipment.

[0017] In one embodiment, the arch may be formed such that the plurality of near-field probes arranged inside the arch are located on the opposite side of the curved reflector relative to the broadcasting and communication equipment.

[0018] In one embodiment, the arch may be formed so that the multiple near-field probes arranged inside the arch are located to the side of the broadcasting communication equipment with respect to the direction in which the broadcasting communication equipment faces the curved reflector.

[0019] In one embodiment, the control unit may control the positioner to rotate the broadcasting and communication equipment by a certain angle in the elevation direction and then rotate it in the azimuth direction to perform the test.

[0020] In one embodiment, the control unit may determine a beam peak of the broadcast communication equipment based on signal data measured by at least some of the plurality of near-field probes, control the positioner to rotate the broadcast communication equipment so that the beam peak of the broadcast communication equipment is directed toward the reflector, and measure the performance of the broadcast communication equipment based on the signal data measured via the measurement probes.

[0021] In one embodiment, the control unit may generate near-field data of the broadcast communication device based on signal data measured by at least some of the plurality of near-field probes to determine a beam peak of the broadcast communication device, convert the near-field data of the broadcast communication device into far-field data, and determine the beam peak of the broadcast communication device from the far-field data of the broadcast communication device.

[0022] In one embodiment, the broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system further includes at least one phase reference probe installed on the outer periphery of the arch structure, receiving signals generated by the broadcasting and communication equipment and transmitting the signals to a signal processing device, and the control unit may use phase information of the signals received from the phase reference probe as a reference phase.

[0023] In one embodiment, the broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system may include a plurality of phase reference probes, and the control unit may use the phase of a signal with stronger power among the signals received by the plurality of phase reference probes as a reference phase.

[0024] In one embodiment, the control unit may be configured to control at least one phase reference probe to rotate in the same manner as the rotation of the broadcast communication device.

[0025] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a test antenna including a fixing unit for fixing a broadcasting and communication device to be tested, a positioner for controlling the fixing unit to control the rotation of the broadcasting and communication device, a measurement probe that is shielded from the line of sight of the broadcasting and communication device and is installed at a predetermined position apart from the fixing unit, and a test antenna that reflects electromagnetic waves emitted by the broadcasting and communication device toward the measurement probe and generates a spherical wave of the measurement probe at a position where the test antenna is installed. a probe set including a plurality of near-field probes spaced apart at predetermined intervals inside the arch; a curved reflector formed to deform into a curved wave; an arch structure including an arch arranged around the fixing part with the fixing part positioned at a center point; and a probe set including a plurality of near-field probes arranged at predetermined intervals inside the arch, the method comprising: a broadcasting and communications equipment performance measurement system determining a beam peak of the broadcasting and communications equipment based on signal data measured by at least some of the plurality of near-field probes; a broadcasting and communications equipment performance measurement system rotating the broadcasting and communications equipment so that the beam peak of the broadcasting and communications equipment is directed toward the reflector; and a broadcasting and communications equipment performance measurement system measuring the performance of the broadcasting and communications equipment based on the signal data measured through the measurement probes.

[0026] In one embodiment, the step of determining a beam peak of the broadcast communication device based on signal data measured by at least some of the plurality of near-field probes may include the steps of generating near-field data of the broadcast communication device based on signal data measured by at least some of the plurality of near-field probes, converting the near-field data of the broadcast communication device into far-field data, and determining a beam peak of the broadcast communication device from the far-field data of the broadcast communication device.

[0027] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a computer program stored on a medium for installation on a data processing device to perform the method described above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0028] According to one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to perform high-speed performance measurement (testing) on ​​a multi-band antenna or a wideband antenna.

[0029] Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to quickly measure the performance of a plurality of measurement items for authentication and post-management of an antenna. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0030] To better understand the drawings referred to in the detailed description of the present invention, a brief description of each of the drawings is provided. [Figure 1a] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a conventional antenna measurement method. [Figure 1b] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a conventional antenna measurement method. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic structure of a broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a diagram illustrating an arch structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration diagram of a broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of an intersection point of an arch structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating an example of a fixing portion according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating an example of a positioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 10 is a diagram illustrating a schematic structure of a broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example in which an arch is located on the side of a broadcasting and communication device. [Figure 10]10 is a diagram illustrating a specific process of measuring the performance of broadcasting and communication equipment in a broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 10 is a diagram illustrating a specific process of measuring the performance of broadcasting and communication equipment in a broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] Although the present invention can be modified in various ways and can have various embodiments, specific embodiments are shown in the drawings and will be described in detail in the detailed description. However, it is understood that this is not intended to limit the present invention to the specific embodiments, but includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives that fall within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention. In describing the present invention, if a detailed description of related publicly known technology is considered to obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted.

[0032] Terms such as first and second may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one component from another.

[0033] The terms used in this application are merely used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. The singular expressions include the plural expressions unless otherwise clearly meant in the context.

[0034] It should be understood that in this specification, the terms "comprise" or "have" and the like specify the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described herein, but do not preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0035] In addition, in this specification, when a component "transmits" data to another component, it means that the component can transmit the data directly to the other component, or can transmit the data to the other component via at least one other component. Conversely, when a component "transmits" data to another component, it means that the data is transmitted from the component to the other component without passing through any other component.

[0036] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a schematic structure of a broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Referring to FIG. 2, a broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system 1000 may be provided to implement the broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement method according to the technical idea of ​​the present invention.

[0038] The broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system 1000 can be installed in a predetermined chamber, and as shown in Figure 2, a plurality of radio wave absorbers (e.g., pyramidal radio wave absorbers) are installed on the inner wall of the chamber to prevent signals emitted from the broadcasting and communication equipment (EUT) 10 to be tested from being reflected within the chamber. The broadcasting and communication equipment 10 to be tested can have a built-in antenna that emits radio waves.

[0039] The broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system 1000 includes an arch structure 100 .

[0040] In one embodiment, the arch structure 100 may form one or more arches.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 2, when the arch structure 100 has a plurality of arches, the plurality of arches can form a spherical space inside.

[0042] In one embodiment of the present invention, for the sake of convenience, a case where the arch structure 100 includes two arches will be described as an example, but it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the technical concept of the present invention can be easily applied to a case where there are three or more arches. Therefore, the scope of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

[0043] Similarly, the outer wall of the arch structure 100 is also provided with a radio wave absorber, which can be realized to suppress reflection of signals output from the broadcasting and communication equipment 10 under test.

[0044] Each arch provided in the arch structure 100 may correspond to the periphery of a spherical space formed inside the arch structure 100, and each arch may be provided to correspond to any frequency band.

[0045] Each arch corresponding to a frequency band may mean that some arches can be used to test a particular frequency band, and other arches can be used to test other frequency bands.

[0046] For this purpose, each arch may be provided with a number of probes 400, 500 designed to effectively receive signals in the corresponding frequency band.

[0047] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an arch structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the arch structure 100 may include at least first arches 110-1, 110-2 and second arches 120-1, 120-2.

[0048] In the embodiment of the present invention, the arch structure 100 includes two arches, but as mentioned above, the scope of the present invention is not limited to this.

[0049] The first arches 110-1 and 110-2 and the second arches 120-1 and 120-2 may be formed to intersect at a predetermined intersection point 130.

[0050] The first arches 110-1, 110-2 may include a first part 110-1 and a second part 110-2 that may be separated by an intersection point 130, and the second arches 120-1, 120-2 may also include a first part 110-1 and a second part 110-2 that may be separated by an intersection point 130.

[0051] Also, supports for supporting the first arch 100 and the second arches 120-1 and 120-2 may be provided as shown in FIG.

[0052] A first probe set including a plurality of first probes 400 may be arranged inside the first arch.

[0053] Additionally, a second probe set including a plurality of second probes 500 may be arranged inside the second arch.

[0054] An electric wave absorber is attached to the outside of the arch structure 100 as shown in FIG. 3, and the structure can have a shape as shown in FIG.

[0055] A position where a probe is to be placed may be predetermined in each arch. At each position, a probe coupling structure may be formed such that a front side that receives a signal is placed on the spherical space side, and a signal line through which a signal input to the probe is transmitted is provided outside the spherical space.

[0056] The coupling structure can have various embodiments, such as a structure that allows the probe to be inserted or a structure that allows the probe to be placed or fastened in a predetermined manner.

[0057] The positions of the probe binding structures may be fixed, and the positions at which the probes bind on each of the arches 110-1, 110-2, 120-1, and 120-2 may be determined to have a predetermined fixed interval.

[0058] According to another embodiment, the coupling positions of the probes may be made variable. For example, predetermined grooves may be formed inside each of the arches 110-1, 110-2, 120-1, and 120-2 in the longitudinal direction of the arch, and the probes may slide along the grooves while being fastened to the grooves, thereby making it possible to variably select the coupling positions of the probes to the arches. Alternatively, the probe positions may be moved in various other ways.

[0059] Meanwhile, the broadcasting and communication equipment 10 to be tested is located inside the spherical space formed by the arch structure 100, and can radiate signals under the control of the broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system 1000 or spontaneously.

[0060] The signals emitted by the broadcast communication equipment 10 under test are received by probes placed at each arch, and the received input signals may be transmitted to a control unit via a signal processing device as described below.

[0061] This allows testing of the antenna where the control unit measures its radiation performance (radiation pattern and signal strength etc.).

[0062] The broadcast communication device 10 under test is fixed by a predetermined fixing part 200 , and the fixing part 200 may be rotated by a positioner 300 .

[0063] The fixing part 200 may be realized so that the broadcasting and communication equipment 10 to be tested can be placed, attached, or fastened to be fixed, and the fixing part 200 may also be realized with a radio wave absorber attached to the outside as much as possible or made of a material with low radio wave reflection characteristics.

[0064] The movement of the fixed part 200 may be controlled by a positioner 300 .

[0065] As will be described later, the positioner 300 can control the fixed unit 200 to rotate the broadcasting and communication equipment 10 under test in the azimuth direction (e.g., the horizontal direction of the arch structure 100) or in the elevation direction (e.g., the vertical direction of the arch structure 100).

[0066] The positioner 300 can perform testing while rotating the test target antenna 10 in the azimuth direction under the control of a control unit described later. When the sampling interval on the sphere is wide, the test target broadcasting and communication equipment 10 can be rotated by a certain angle in the elevation direction via the positioner 300 to tilt the test target broadcasting and communication equipment 10, and then rotated in the azimuth direction, thereby achieving the effect of acquiring an input signal at a position in space with a narrower sampling interval.

[0067] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, a passage 20 for people to move through must be provided within the chamber, and it is desirable that such a passage 20 also be realized by a radio wave absorber.

[0068] In this case, the passage 20 can be designed to have a wedge shape between the arch structures 100 as shown in FIG. 2, thereby improving accessibility to the center of the arch structure 100.

[0069] The broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system 1000 shown in FIG. 2 will be described focusing on the structures inside the chamber, and the configuration from the viewpoint of data processing for performance measurement is the same as that shown in FIG.

[0070] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0071] Referring to FIG. 4, a broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system 1000 according to the technical idea of ​​the present invention may include a control unit 800 in addition to the arch structure 100, the fixing unit 200, and the positioner 300 described in FIG.

[0072] The broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system 1000 may further include a signal analyzer 700 .

[0073] The control unit 800 can control other components (e.g., the positioner 300, the signal analyzer 700, the band selection switch 600, and / or the probe selection switches 610, 620, etc.) provided in the broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system 1000 to realize the broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement method according to the technical idea of ​​the present invention.

[0074] For this purpose, the control unit 800 may include a processor and a storage medium for implementing the functions defined herein. The processor may refer to a computing device capable of executing a predetermined program (software code), and may be called an example of a data processing device or various names such as a vendor mobile processor, microprocessor, CPU, single processor, or multiprocessor.

[0075] An average person skilled in the art of the present invention can easily deduce that the processor can run a program to perform data processing necessary for the technical concept of the present invention (e.g., control of other configurations, deriving radiation performance, etc.).

[0076] The storage medium may refer to a device in which a program for realizing the technical idea of ​​the present invention is stored / installed. Depending on the implementation, the storage medium may be divided into multiple different physical devices, or a part of the storage medium may exist inside the processor. Depending on the implementation, the storage medium may be implemented as a hard disk, a solid-state disk (SSD), an optical disk, a random access memory (RAM), and / or various other types of storage media, and may be implemented as a removable storage medium in the control unit 800, if necessary.

[0077] The control unit 800 can be implemented in a data processing device such as, but not limited to, a computer, laptop, server, or any other data processing device having data processing capabilities to run programs (e.g., a mobile terminal, etc.).

[0078] Furthermore, it will be easily understood by an average person skilled in the art of the present invention that the control unit 800 may also include a processor, a storage medium, and various peripheral devices (e.g., input / output devices, display devices, audio devices, etc.) provided in the control unit 800, as well as a communication interface (e.g., a communication bus, etc.) for connecting these devices.

[0079] The control unit 800 can perform the high-speed antenna measurement method for multiple bands according to the technical idea of ​​the present invention by communicating with a predetermined administrator terminal 900.

[0080] Although FIG. 4 shows an example in which the control unit 800 and the administrator terminal 900 are implemented as separate devices, an average person skilled in the art of the present invention can easily deduce that the administrator terminal 900 and the control unit 800 can be implemented as a single physical device, if necessary.

[0081] The control unit 800 can control the band selection switch 600 to select a frequency band, i.e., an arch, to be tested. For example, one of the first arches 110-1, 110-2 and the second arches 120-1, 120-2 can correspond to a first band (e.g., 3.5 GHz), and the other can correspond to a second band (28 GHz).

[0082] The control unit 800 can select a frequency band corresponding to the antenna 10 under test using the band selection switch 600. This allows the first arches 110-1 and 110-2 corresponding to the selected frequency band (e.g., the first band) to be selected.

[0083] As a result, the control unit 800 can receive input signals via the signal analyzer 700 in order from the probes included in the first probe set 400 corresponding to the selected arch (for example, the first arches 110-1 and 110-2).

[0084] The control unit 800 can control the probe selection switches 610, 620 to select the probes in turn.

[0085] The first probe selection switch 610 may be configured to select one probe from the first probe set 400, and the second probe selection switch 620 may be configured to select one probe from the second probe set 500.

[0086] The input signals received by each probe may be transmitted to the signal analyzer 700 via the probe selection switches 610 and 620. It goes without saying that each probe can transmit input signals corresponding to two channels (H-pol and V-pol).

[0087] Furthermore, the transmitted input signal may be amplified via low noise amplifiers 640 and 650 as necessary and then transmitted to the signal analyzer 700 .

[0088] The signal analyzer 700 can process the input signal received from the probe to extract data for measuring radiation performance and communicate this to the control unit 800 .

[0089] This allows the control unit 800 to derive the radiation performance (eg, radiation pattern, intensity, etc.) of the broadcast communication device 10 under test based on the data received from the signal analyzer 700.

[0090] The functionality and operation of the signal analyzer 700 for extracting the necessary data from the input signals received from multiple probes, and the algorithms for deriving radiation performance from such data, are well known and will not be described in detail herein.

[0091] Meanwhile, the control unit 800 can control and transmit the output signal output from the antenna under test 10 to the signal analyzer 700. Even in this case, a predetermined low noise amplifier may be provided between the signal analyzer 700 and the antenna under test 10.

[0092] In this method, the control unit 800 knows the phase of the output signal it has transmitted, eliminating the need for a separate reference phase. However, for an antenna that independently outputs a signal using the OTA (Over The Air) method, an accurate reference phase may be required to measure radiation performance. In addition, the phase information of the input signal received from each probe can be estimated based on the reference phase.

[0093] For this purpose, the broadcast communication equipment performance measurement system 1000 may further include at least one phase reference probe 510, 510-1.

[0094] Phase reference probes 510, 510-1 may be provided at predetermined locations within the chamber and also external to the arch structure 100.

[0095] The phase reference probes 510 and 510-1 can also receive the signal generated by the antenna under test 10 and transmit it to the signal analyzer 700, and the signal analyzer 700 can measure the phase information and transmit it to the control unit 800.

[0096] According to one embodiment, the antenna performance measurement system / broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system 1000 may include a plurality of phase reference probes 510, 510-1, and the phase reference probes 510, 510-1 may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance or more.

[0097] In this case, the control unit 800 may use the phase of the signal with the strongest power among the signals received by each of the multiple phase reference probes 510, 510-1 as reference phase information. When multiple phase reference probes 510, 510-1 are provided, there is an advantage that the risk of the phase reference probes 510, 510-1 being in the zero direction / position can be prevented.

[0098] Furthermore, each of the phase reference probes 510 and 510-1 may be connected to a driving device (not shown) capable of performing a predetermined rotational movement.

[0099] The control unit 800 can control a drive (not shown) to control the rotation of the phase reference probes 510, 510-1.

[0100] For example, the control unit 800 can control a driving device (not shown) to rotate in the same manner as the broadcasting communication equipment 10 under test. In this case, even when the broadcasting communication equipment 10 under test rotates, the control unit 800 can control the phase reference probes 510, 510-1 to be positioned at the same point in the radiation pattern of the broadcasting communication equipment 10 under test.

[0101] In order for the control unit 800 to measure the performance of the broadcasting communication device 10 under test, the control unit 800 can first select the arch corresponding to the broadcasting communication device 10 under test using the band selection switch 600 .

[0102] For example, when the first arches 110-1 and 110-2 are selected, the control unit 800 can sequentially select the probes included in the first probe set 400 using the first probe selection switch 610 and receive input data from the signal analyzer 700.

[0103] When input data is received from all the probes included in the first probe set 400, the control unit 800 can control the positioner 300 to rotate the broadcasting and communication device 10 under test by a certain angle in the elevation angle direction. Also, the control unit 800 can rotate the broadcasting and communication device 10 under test by a certain angle in the azimuth angle direction. The order of the rotation in the elevation angle direction and the rotation in the azimuth angle direction may be changed. Also, the control unit 800 can select the probes included in the first probe set 400 in order again to receive input data from the signal analyzer 700.

[0104] By rotating the broadcasting and communication equipment under test in the elevation and / or azimuth directions in this manner and then repeatedly receiving input data, once input data for enough grid points in the spherical space has been collected, the control unit 800 can derive the radiation performance and complete the test.

[0105] Subsequently, when testing the same or other antennas, if testing for a second band is required, the control unit 800 can also test for the second band by simply selecting the second band.

[0106] Referring again to FIG. 3, the arch structure 100 has first arches 110-1 and 110-2 and second arches 120-1 and 120-2 intersecting at an intersection 130. In this case, if a predetermined probe is provided at the intersection 130, it is preferable that the probe corresponds to both the first band and the second band.

[0107] For this purpose, the probe placed at the intersection point 130 may be a wideband probe that can receive signals corresponding to both the first and second bands.

[0108] On the other hand, it may not be easy to realize a probe that covers both bands because the frequency band difference between band 1 and band 2 is large. For various other reasons, it may not be desirable or easy to place a wideband probe at crossover point 130.

[0109] In this case, the arch structure 100 may have a probe coupling structure corresponding to the intersection point 130 that allows easy replacement of the probe. For example, in order to selectively and easily replace the probe, the probe coupling structure corresponding to the intersection point 130 may have a groove into which the probe can be inserted or removed, a mounting structure that allows easy attachment and detachment, or various other methods that allow easy replacement of the probe.

[0110] When a coupling structure that allows easy probe replacement is adopted at the intersection point 130, a probe corresponding to the first band is placed at the intersection point 130 when testing an antenna corresponding to the first band, and a probe corresponding to the second band is placed at the intersection point 130 when testing an antenna corresponding to the second band, thereby achieving the effect of quickly testing broadcasting and communication equipment including antennas for multiple bands by simply replacing the probe at the position corresponding to the intersection point 130.

[0111] According to another embodiment, the first probes 400 arranged on the first arches 110-1 and 110-2 and the second probes 500 arranged on the second arches 120-1 and 120-2 may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. Of course, the distance between the first probes 400 and the distance between the second probes 500 may be different.

[0112] In addition, depending on the placement of the probes relative to the interval, no probe may be placed at the intersection 130. This is because the intersection 130 of the arch has different physical / spatial characteristics due to the intersection of structures compared to other positions, and due to this issue, it may be more desirable to avoid measuring signals at positions corresponding to the intersection 130 as much as possible.

[0113] Furthermore, when testing the broadcasting and communication equipment 10 under test, it is desirable that the direction of the main beam of the broadcasting and communication equipment 10 under test also not be directed toward the intersection point 130 .

[0114] To this end, the fixing unit 200 may be disposed so that the direction of the broadcasting and communication device 10 under test (i.e., the main beam direction) is perpendicular to the intersection point 130. For example, in FIG. 2, when the intersection point 130 is located vertically above the broadcasting and communication device 10 under test on the drawing, the broadcasting and communication device 10 under test may be disposed in a direction perpendicular to the line connecting the intersection point 130 and the antenna (e.g., a predetermined direction on a horizontal plane).

[0115] Meanwhile, one embodiment of the intersection point 130 is shown in FIG.

[0116] FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of an intersection point of an arch structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0117] Figure 5 shows an enlarged photograph of the first arches 110-1, 110-2 and the second arches 120-1, 120-2, and the intersection point 130 between the first arches 110-1, 110-2 and the second arches 120-1, 120-2. As shown in Figure 5, first probes are arranged at regular intervals on the first arches 110-1, 110-2, and second probes are also arranged at regular intervals on the second arches 120-1, 120-2, but there are also cases where no probes are arranged at the intersection point 130.

[0118] This has the effect of reducing the hassle of probe replacement and the problem of errors occurring due to physical / spatial specificity at the relevant position even when a wideband probe is used.

[0119] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a fixing portion according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0120] Referring to FIG. 6, the fixed portion 200 may include an attachment structure (e.g., the disk-shaped structure in FIG. 6) to which the broadcast communication equipment 10 to be tested can be added, and a vertical support that vertically supports the attachment structure, as shown in FIG.

[0121] Such vertical supports are preferably realized with as small a width as possible, since this can affect the radiation of radio waves in the case of omnidirectional antennas.

[0122] Furthermore, if the vertical support is aligned with the axis of rotational movement of the positioner 300, there is a problem in that the rotation of the broadcasting and communication equipment 10 under test occurs only within an excessively limited range. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, a horizontal support may be further provided to increase the radius of rotation, and one end of this horizontal support may be connected to the rotation axis of the positioner 300 and the other end may be connected to the vertical support.

[0123] Of course, other embodiments of the fastener 200 may be varied.

[0124] FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an example of a positioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0125] Referring to FIG. 7, the positioner 300 may be a mechanical device that controls the rotation of the fixed part 200 under the control of a control unit 800 .

[0126] In other words, any device that can control the rotation of the broadcasting and communication equipment 10 under test, and rotate the broadcasting and communication equipment 10 under test in the azimuth angle direction (AZ Axis), and also rotate the broadcasting and communication equipment 10 under test in the elevation angle direction (Tilt Axis) is sufficient.

[0127] According to one embodiment, the positioner 300 may include an upper positioner 310 to which the fixed part 200 is coupled, and a lower positioner 320 that drives the rotation of the upper positioner 310 .

[0128] The upper positioner 310 may be realized to rotate the broadcast communication device 10 under test in the azimuth direction when performing a test, and may be realized to be rotatable separately from the lower positioner 320.

[0129] In addition, the lower positioner 320 is realized to rotate the upper positioner 310 to a position suitable for the corresponding arch when selecting the arch, and can also rotate the upper positioner 310 by a certain angle in the vertical direction, i.e., in the tilt axis direction.

[0130] As shown in FIG. 7, the lower positioner 320 may be provided with a predetermined wave absorber on the outside thereof.

[0131] Ultimately, according to the technical concept of the present invention, an arch is provided for each of a plurality of bands, and a plurality of probes are arranged in each arch, which has the effect of enabling high-speed measurement of antenna performance for different bands.

[0132] However, the broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system 1000 according to the above-described embodiment has a drawback in that it cannot measure some measurement items, particularly EVM and Blocking, which are necessary for certification and post-management of broadcasting and communication equipment (EUT) including an antenna (AUT). Therefore, in order to overcome such drawbacks, a broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system having a modified structure has been proposed, which will be described in more detail below. However, in cases where the above content is applicable as is or can be easily applied by ordinary engineers, detailed description will be omitted.

[0133] 8 is a diagram illustrating a schematic structure of a broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system according to another embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 8 is a schematic side view (more specifically, a vertical cross section including a line connecting the broadcasting and communication equipment to be tested and a reflector) of the broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system 2000.

[0134] Referring to FIG. 8, the broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system 2000 may include a fixing unit 200 for fixing the broadcasting and communication equipment 10 to be tested, and a positioner 300 for controlling the fixing unit 200 to control the rotation of the broadcasting and communication equipment 10.

[0135] Broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system 2000 may be installed in a chamber, and as shown in FIG. 8, a plurality of radio wave absorbers may be provided on the inner wall of the chamber.

[0136] Furthermore, the broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system 2000 may further include an arch structure 100 including an arch 110-1 arranged around the fixed part 200 so that the position of the broadcasting and communication equipment 10 is the center point. A plurality of near-field probes 401 to 408 may be arranged inside the arch 110-1 at predetermined intervals. The plurality of near-field probes 401 to 408 may receive near-field electromagnetic waves radiated by the broadcasting and communication equipment 10 and may be driven simultaneously to shorten the measurement time.

[0137] Meanwhile, the broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system 2000 may further include a measurement probe 2100 and a curved reflector 2200 .

[0138] The curved reflector 2200 can reflect electromagnetic waves emitted by the broadcasting communication equipment 10 toward the measurement probe 2100, and may have a curved surface so that the spherical wave of the measurement probe 2100 is transformed into a plane wave at the position where the broadcasting communication equipment 10 is installed.

[0139] The measurement probe 2100 may be shielded from the line-of-sight of the broadcast communication device 10 and installed at a predetermined position spaced apart from the fixed part 200. A radio wave absorber may be provided between the broadcast communication device 10 and the measurement probe 2100 so that the measurement probe 2100 is shielded from the line-of-sight of the broadcast communication device 10.

[0140] The arch structure 100 in Fig. 8 may include one arch 110-1. For example, the arch structure 100 in Fig. 8 may be the arch structure shown in Fig. 3 with the second arches 120-1 and 120-2 and the first part 110-1 of the first arch removed.

[0141] Also, as shown in FIG. 8, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the arch 110-1 may be formed such that the multiple near-field probes 401 to 408 arranged inside the arch 110-1 are located on the opposite side of the curved reflector 2200 relative to the broadcasting communication device 10.

[0142] However, the position of the arch is not limited thereto, and the arch may be located at various positions around the broadcast communication equipment 10. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example in which the arch is located on the side of the broadcast communication equipment 10, rather than on the rear (see Fig. 8) of the broadcast communication equipment 10. Fig. 9 schematically shows a back view (more specifically, a vertical cross section including a plane formed by the arch and perpendicular to a line connecting the test broadcast communication equipment and the reflector) of the broadcast communication equipment performance measurement system 2000.

[0143] 9, the arches 120-1 and 120-2 may be formed such that a plurality of near-field probes arranged inside the arches 120-1 and 120-2 are located to the sides of the broadcast communication device 10 with respect to the direction in which the broadcast communication device 10 faces the curved reflector 2200. In the example of FIG. 9, the arch structure 100 may have a form in which the first arches 110-1 and 110-2 are removed from the arch structure shown in FIG.

[0144] Meanwhile, the broadcast communication equipment performance measurement system 200 according to the embodiment of FIG. 8 or FIG. 9 may further include a control unit 800 for measuring the performance of the broadcast communication equipment 10.

[0145] In particular, the control unit 800 may measure the performance of the broadcast communication device 10 by receiving signal data corresponding to input signals from at least some of the near-field probes 401 to 408 and the measurement probe 2100 via a signal analyzer.

[0146] The specific process by which the control unit 800 measures the performance of the broadcast communication device 10 is shown in FIGS.

[0147] First, referring to FIG. 10, the control unit 800 may determine a beam peak of the broadcast communication device 10 based on signal data measured by at least some of the multiple near-field probes 401 to 408 (S100).

[0148] In one embodiment, the control unit 800 can collect signal data measured by at least some of the multiple near-field probes 401-408 while controlling the positioner 300 to rotate the broadcasting communication equipment 10 in the azimuth direction and / or elevation direction, and can determine the beam peak when the broadcasting communication equipment 10 takes a specific attitude based on the collected signal data.

[0149] Meanwhile, the control unit 800 can search for a beam peak by converting near-field data into far-field data, a specific example of which is shown in Fig. 11. Referring to Fig. 11, the control unit 800 can generate near-field data of the broadcast communication device 10 based on signal data measured by at least some of the multiple near-field probes 401 to 408 (S101).

[0150] Thereafter, the control unit 800 can convert the near-field data of the broadcast communication device 10 into far-field data, and at this time, the control unit 800 can convert the near-field data into far-field data by performing various known conversion methods such as the NTFT algorithm.

[0151] The control unit 800 can then determine the beam peak of the broadcasting communication device 10 from the far-field data of the broadcasting communication device 10 .

[0152] 10, the control unit 800 can control the positioner 300 to rotate the broadcasting communication device 10 so that the beam peak of the broadcasting communication device 10 is directed toward the curved reflector 2200 (S110). Therefore, the beam peak of the electromagnetic wave radiated by the broadcasting communication device 10 after rotation can be reflected by the curved reflector 2200 and directed toward the measurement probe 2100.

[0153] Thereafter, the control unit 800 may measure the performance of the broadcasting communication device 10 based on the signal data measured by the measurement probe 2100 (S120). For example, the control unit 800 may measure the performance of measurement items for certification and post-management of the broadcasting communication device, such as EIPR, TRP, EVM, spurious emission, and blocking.

[0154] Meanwhile, the broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement method performed by the above-described broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system 1000 or 2000 may be implemented in the form of computer-readable program instructions and stored in a computer-readable recording medium, and the control program and target program according to the embodiments of the present invention may also be stored in a computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium includes any kind of recording device that stores data that can be read by a computer system.

[0155] The program instructions contained on the recording media may be those specially designed and constructed for the present invention, or they may be of the type well known and available to those skilled in the software arts.

[0156] Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes, optical media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs, magneto-optical media such as floptical disks, and hardware devices specially configured to store and execute program instructions, such as ROMs, RAMs, flash memories, etc. Furthermore, computer-readable recording media can be distributed among computer systems connected via a network, allowing computer-readable code to be stored and executed in a distributed manner.

[0157] Examples of program instructions include not only machine code, such as produced by a compiler, but also higher level language code that may be executed by a device for processing information electronically, such as a computer, using an interpreter.

[0158] The hardware devices described above may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to perform the operations of the present invention, and vice versa.

[0159] The above description of the present invention is for illustrative purposes only, and those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention can be easily modified into other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features of the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative in all respects and are not limiting. For example, each component described as a single component may be implemented in a distributed form, and similarly, components described as distributed may be implemented in a combined form.

[0160] The scope of the present invention is defined by the following claims, rather than the above detailed description, and all modifications and variations derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0161] The present invention can be used in a broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system and method.

Claims

1. a fixing portion for fixing the broadcasting and communication equipment to be tested; a positioner for controlling the fixed portion to control the rotation of the broadcasting and communication equipment; a measurement probe that is shielded from the line of sight of the broadcasting and communication device and is installed at a predetermined position spaced apart from the fixed part; a curved reflector that reflects electromagnetic waves emitted by the broadcasting and communication equipment toward the measurement probe and that transforms the electromagnetic waves emitted as spherical waves from the measurement probe into plane waves at a position where the broadcasting and communication equipment is installed; an arch structure including an arch arranged around the fixing part so that the position of the broadcasting and communication equipment is the center point; a probe set including a plurality of near-field probes spaced apart at predetermined intervals inside the arch; a control unit for receiving signal data corresponding to an input signal from at least some of the plurality of near-field probes and the measurement probes via a signal analyzer, and measuring performance of the broadcasting and communication equipment; The control unit generating near-field data of the broadcasting communication device based on signal data measured by at least some of the plurality of near-field probes, and converting the near-field data of the broadcasting communication device into far-field data; determining a beam peak of the broadcasting and communication device from the far-field data of the broadcasting and communication device; controlling the positioner to rotate the broadcasting and communication equipment so that the beam peak of the broadcasting and communication equipment is directed toward the curved reflector; measuring performance of the broadcast communication equipment based on signal data measured via the measurement probe; Broadcasting and communications equipment performance measurement system.

2. The arch is 2. The broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of near-field probes arranged inside the arch are formed so as to be positioned on the opposite side of the curved reflector with respect to the broadcasting and communication equipment.

3. The arch is 2. The broadcast communication equipment performance measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of near-field probes arranged inside the arch are formed so as to be positioned to the sides of the broadcast communication equipment with respect to the direction in which the broadcast communication equipment faces the curved reflector.

4. The control unit Controlling the positioner 2. The broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the broadcasting and communication equipment is rotated by a predetermined angle in an elevation direction and then rotated in an azimuth direction while the test is being performed.

5. A fixing part for fixing the broadcasting and communication equipment to be tested; a positioner for controlling the fixed portion to control the rotation of the broadcasting and communication equipment; a measurement probe that is shielded from the line of sight of the broadcasting and communication device and is installed at a predetermined position spaced apart from the fixed part; a curved reflector formed to reflect electromagnetic waves emitted by the broadcasting and communication equipment toward the measurement probe and to transform the electromagnetic waves emitted as spherical waves from the measurement probe into plane waves at a position where the broadcasting and communication equipment is installed; an arch structure including an arch arranged around the fixing part so that the position of the broadcasting and communication equipment is the center point; a probe set including a plurality of near-field probes spaced apart at predetermined intervals inside the arch; a control unit for receiving signal data corresponding to an input signal from at least some of the near-field probes and the measurement probe via a signal analyzer and measuring performance of the broadcasting and communication equipment; at least one phase reference probe installed on the outer periphery of the arch structure, receiving a signal generated by the broadcasting and communication equipment and transmitting the signal to a signal processing device; The control unit A broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system that uses the phase information of the signal received from the phase reference probe as a reference phase.

6. The broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system includes: a plurality of phase reference probes; The control unit The broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system according to claim 5, wherein the phase of a signal having a stronger power among the signals received by each of the plurality of phase reference probes is used as a reference phase.

7. The control unit 6. The broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system according to claim 5, wherein at least one phase reference probe is controlled to rotate in the same manner as the rotation of said broadcasting and communication equipment.

8. a fixing portion for fixing the broadcasting and communication equipment to be tested; a positioner for controlling the fixed portion to control the rotation of the broadcasting and communication equipment; a measurement probe that is shielded from the line of sight of the broadcasting and communication device and is installed at a predetermined position separated from the fixing part; and a curved reflector that reflects electromagnetic waves emitted by the broadcasting and communication device toward the measurement probe and that converts the electromagnetic waves emitted as spherical waves from the measurement probe into plane waves at a position where the broadcasting and communication device is installed; an arch structure including an arch arranged around the fixing portion so that the position of the fixing portion is a center point; a probe set including a plurality of near-field probes spaced apart at predetermined intervals inside the arch, a broadcast communication equipment performance measurement system determining a beam peak of the broadcast communication equipment based on signal data measured by at least some of a plurality of near-field probes; The broadcasting and communication equipment performance measurement system rotates the broadcasting and communication equipment so that a beam peak of the broadcasting and communication equipment is directed toward the curved reflector; a step in which the broadcast communication equipment performance measurement system measures performance of the broadcast communication equipment based on signal data measured via the measurement probe; Including, determining a beam peak of the broadcast communication device based on signal data measured by at least some of the plurality of near-field probes, generating near-field data of the broadcast communication equipment based on signal data measured by at least some of the plurality of near-field probes; converting near-field data of the broadcasting and communication device into far-field data; determining a beam peak of the broadcasting communication device from the far-field data of the broadcasting communication device; Performance measurement methods for broadcasting and communications equipment, including:

9. A computer program stored on a computer-readable recording medium for executing the method according to claim 8 on a computer.

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