LTE Air Interface Test Device Using Emulated Noise in Unassigned Resource Blocks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current LTE radio access networks lack effective methods to test air interface devices' scheduling and resource block assignment performance in the presence of noise in unassigned resource blocks.
Innovation Solution
A network equipment test device with a processor that receives downlink signals, identifies unassigned uplink resource blocks, generates and transmits emulated channel noise to these blocks, and monitors the effects on resource block assignments, using a system comprising a downlink signal decoder, uplink signal generator, and scheduling assignment monitor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If emulated noise is transmitted in unassigned resource blocks to test air interface device scheduling performance, then measurement precision of scheduling behavior is improved, but device complexity of the test system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The test system is segmented into distinct functional modules: a downlink signal decoder for receiving and decoding downlink signals to identify unassigned resource blocks, an uplink signal generator for creating uplink signals with emulated noise, and a scheduling assignment monitor for tracking resource block assignments. This modular segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, improving measurement precision while managing system complexity through organized functional separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary test device that sits between the air interface device under test and the testing environment. This intermediary device generates emulated noise in unassigned resource blocks and monitors scheduling assignments, acting as a mediator that enables precise measurement of scheduling behavior without requiring direct modification of the air interface device itself. The intermediary approach allows controlled introduction of noise conditions while maintaining system manageability.
2Reliability
If emulated channel noise is added to unassigned resource blocks, then reliability of scheduling performance evaluation is improved, but difficulty of detecting and measuring increases
Solution Approach 1:
The test system implements feedback through the scheduling assignment monitor, which continuously observes resource block assignments made by the air interface device in response to emulated noise conditions. The monitor captures scheduling decisions and feeds this information back for analysis, enabling reliable evaluation of how the device adapts its scheduling behavior under noisy conditions. This feedback mechanism transforms the difficult-to-measure noise effects into observable scheduling pattern changes.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of directly measuring physical noise effects which are difficult to detect, the system creates a copy of the scheduling decision-making process through the scheduling assignment monitor. The monitor replicates the resource block assignment observations and analyzes scheduling patterns as a proxy for measuring noise impact. This copying approach converts abstract noise effects into concrete, measurable scheduling behavior data.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for testing an air interface device using emulated noise in unassigned uplink resource blocks (RBs) includes, in a network equipment test device including at least one processor, receiving a first downlink signal transmission from an air interface device under test. The method further includes identifying unassigned uplink resource blocks. The method further includes transmitting an uplink signal to the air interface device under test with emulated channel noise in at least one of the unassigned uplink resource blocks. The method further includes receiving, after transmission of the uplink signal to the air interface device under test, a subsequent downlink signal transmission from the air interface device under test. The method further includes determining an effect of the emulated channel noise on resource block assignments.