Rotatable Test Antenna Arrangement for Beamforming Measurement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a versatile test equipment capable of thoroughly testing the beamforming capabilities of wireless devices to ensure compliance with communication standards and legal regulations, particularly in positioning test antennas around the device under test in various configurations.
Innovation Solution
A test arrangement comprising a rotatable device support, a first test antenna movable in elevation direction, and a second test antenna movable in azimuth and elevation directions, along with positioning means that allow flexible positioning of the device under test and test antennas relative to each other, enabling comprehensive scanning and measurement of beamforming properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If test antennas are positioned in multiple different positions around the device under test to thoroughly test beamforming capabilities, then measurement precision and compliance verification are improved, but device complexity and setup time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The test arrangement is divided into separate functional modules: a rotatable device support for positioning the DUT, a first antenna positioning means for elevation scanning, and a second antenna positioning means for azimuth and elevation scanning. Each module independently controls the position of one component, allowing complex multi-position testing to be achieved through coordinated operation of simpler subsystems rather than a monolithic complex system.
Solution Approach 2:
The test arrangement employs dynamic positioning mechanisms where the device support can rotate to change azimuth angles, the first antenna positioning means can adjust elevation angles, and the second antenna positioning means can simultaneously adjust both azimuth and elevation. This dynamic capability allows the system to adaptively position antennas at multiple required test points without requiring a fixed complex structure for each position.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple test antennas are used to scan antenna patterns in different directions, then beamforming capability coverage is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to complex coordination requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The second antenna positioning means is designed to perform both azimuth and elevation scanning functions, making it a multi-functional unit. The first antenna positioning means handles elevation scanning, while the rotatable device support provides azimuth rotation. This universal design allows a single positioning mechanism to fulfill multiple scanning requirements, reducing the need for separate specialized mechanisms for each scanning dimension and simplifying overall operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotatable device support acts as an intermediary between the fixed laboratory coordinate system and the device-specific coordinate system. By rotating the entire device support assembly, the system can change the reference frame for subsequent elevation scans by the antenna positioning means, effectively decoupling the complexity of multi-dimensional positioning into sequential single-dimensional operations that are easier to control and coordinate.
Data Source
AI summary
A test arrangement for testing a device under test comprises a rotatable device support for carrying the device under test at least rotatable in one axis, a first test antenna and a second test antenna, a first antenna positioning means for moving the first test antenna relative to the device under test in elevation direction, and a second antenna positioning means for moving the second test antenna relative to the device under test in azimuth direction and elevation direction.