System and method for over-the-air testing of electronic devices
Technical Field
The present invention relates to a system and method for over-the-air testing of electronic devices, particularly devices under test (Device Under Test, DUT).
Background
Many electronic devices are tested during their life cycle at or after first manufacture. The test may include a functional test, a performance test, or a calibration check. Devices tested in this manner are referred to as Devices Under Test (DUTs).
Many devices for wireless communications, radar applications, or satellite communications have integrated antennas, particularly Radio Frequency (RF) antennas. Testing of these devices typically includes RF performance testing, which is performed Over The Air (OTA). To ensure that other signals are not disturbed during OTA, the OTA test system can be surrounded by an RF reflector. In particular, the device may be placed in a special OTA chamber that shields external RF sources.
However, such reflectors or OTA chambers may require a lot of space in the test facility and result in increased costs.
Disclosure of Invention
It is therefore an object to provide an improved system and an improved method for over-the-air testing of electronic devices, which avoid the above-mentioned drawbacks. In particular, it is an object to provide a system and method for over-the-air testing that does not require an additional screening room or OTA room.
The object of the invention is achieved by the solution provided in the attached independent claims. Advantageous implementations of the invention are further defined in the dependent claims.
According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a system for over-the-air testing of an electronic device, in particular a DUT, comprising a support surface, wherein the electronic device is arranged on the support surface, a test device comprising a transceiver unit and an RF beamformer, wherein the transceiver unit is configured to transmit RF test signals, wherein the RF beamformer is configured to align the RF test signals in the direction of the electronic device, wherein the transceiver unit is configured to receive RF response signals from the electronic device, and wherein the test device is configured to evaluate the electronic device based on the RF response signals. This achieves the advantage that the test signal is concentrated on the electronic device.
In this way, the signal strength of the RF test signal at the electronic device can be enhanced without using a shield room or an OTA room.
The electronic device may be a communication device, such as a cell phone, a sensor or a measuring device. The communication device may be a radar device or a SATCOM (satellite communication) device.
The electronic device may further be a chip (especially for wireless communication), a die or a packaged component.
The electronic device may comprise an RF antenna for receiving RF test signals and/or for transmitting RF response signals. The electronic device itself may comprise a beam forming integrated circuit. In particular, the electronic device comprises a processing unit that controls the RF antenna to transmit the RF response signal upon receiving the RF test signal.
The RF test signal and/or RF response signal may include a 3G, 4G, or 5G signal, a WiFi signal, a bluetooth signal, an RFID signal, and/or an NFC signal.
In an embodiment, the RF beamformer is configured to selectively receive the RF response signals from the electronic device and forward the received RF response signals to the transceiver unit. This achieves the advantage that the RF response signal can be concentrated on the test equipment and that interference with other signals can be avoided.
In an embodiment, the RF beamformer is configured to selectively receive the RF response signals by limiting a direction of the RF beamformer toward a receiving direction of the electronic device. This achieves the advantage that the RF response signal can be concentrated on the test equipment and that interference with other signals can be avoided.
In one embodiment, the RF beamformer includes a phased array antenna. This achieves the advantage that the reception direction of the RF beamformer can be set efficiently.
In one embodiment, the RF beamformer comprises a chipset having at least one integrated antenna, in particular a packaged antenna (ANTENNA IN PACKAGE, AIP). This achieves the advantage that the reception direction of the RF beamformer can be set efficiently.
In an embodiment, the support surface comprises a conveyor belt configured to move the electronic device relative to the RF beamformer. This achieves the advantage that the test can be performed without delay during the manufacture of the device.
Preferably, the test equipment, in particular the RF beamformer of the test equipment, is arranged above the conveyor belt.
In an embodiment, the RF beamformer is configured to actively adapt the alignment of the RF test signals to compensate for movement of the electronic device. This achieves the advantage that a test can be performed on a moving device, for example during production of the device.
Preferably, the RF beamformer is further configured to actively adapt its receive direction to compensate for movement of the electronic device. This achieves the advantage that a test can be performed on the mobile device.
In other words, the RF beamformer may be configured to follow the movement of the electronic device with the alignment of the RF test signals and/or with its direction of reception for the RF response signals.
Preferably, the RF beamformer is configured to electronically control the alignment of the RF test signals and/or the direction of their reception while remaining stationary.
In an embodiment, the support surface comprises a holding device having at least one fixture designed to accommodate the electronic device, in particular a recess in the holding device. This achieves the advantage that the electronic device can be held in a fixed position, to which the RF test signal can be effectively directed.
In an embodiment, the system further comprises an absorption unit configured to absorb RF signals, wherein the absorption unit at least partially surrounds the support surface and/or the test device. This achieves the advantage that disturbances caused by reflections of the RF test signal or the RF response signal can be avoided.
In an embodiment, the RF beamformer is configured to align the RF test signal in a direction of at least one further electronic device on the support surface, wherein the transceiver unit is configured to receive a further RF response signal from the at least one further electronic device, and wherein the test device is configured to evaluate the at least one further electronic device based on the further RF response signal. This achieves the advantage that a plurality of electronic devices can be tested simultaneously or in close succession.
The at least one further electronic device may be arranged on the support surface at a distance from the first electronic device.
According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a method for over-the-air testing of an electronic device, the method comprising arranging the electronic device on a support surface, transmitting an RF test signal from a transceiver unit of the test device, aligning the RF test signal in the direction of the electronic device by an RF beamformer, receiving an RF response signal from the electronic device at the transceiver unit, and evaluating the electronic device based on the RF response signal. This achieves the advantage of concentrating the test signal on the electronic device.
In this way, the signal strength of the RF test signal at the electronic device can be enhanced without using a shield room or an OTA room.
In an embodiment, the RF beamformer is configured to selectively receive the RF response signals from the electronic device, in particular by limiting the RF beamformer towards the receiving direction of the electronic device, and to forward the received RF response signals to the transceiver unit. This achieves the advantage that the RF response signal can be concentrated on the test equipment and that interference with other signals can be avoided.
In an embodiment, the support surface is configured to move the electronic device relative to the RF beamformer. This achieves the advantage that the test can be performed without delay during the manufacture of the device.
In an embodiment, the RF beamformer is configured to actively adapt the alignment of the RF test signals to compensate for movement of the electronic device. This achieves the advantage that a test can be performed on a moving device, for example during production of the device.
Preferably, the RF beamformer is further configured to actively adapt its receive direction to compensate for movement of the electronic device. This achieves the advantage that a test can be performed on the mobile device.
In particular, the support surface comprises a conveyor belt and/or a holding device having a recess in at least one fixture designed to accommodate the electronic device, in particular in the holding device.
In an embodiment the method further comprises the steps of aligning the RF test signal by the RF beamformer in the direction of at least one further electronic device on the support surface, receiving at the transceiver unit at least one further RF response signal from the at least one further electronic device, and evaluating the at least one further electronic device based on the at least one further RF response signal. This achieves the advantage that a plurality of electronic devices can be tested simultaneously or in close succession.
The above description of the system according to the invention is correspondingly valid for the method according to the invention.
Drawings
The present invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a system for over-the-air testing of electronic devices, according to an embodiment;
FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a support surface according to an embodiment, and
Fig. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a method for over-the-air testing of an electronic device according to an embodiment.
Detailed Description
Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a system 100 for over-the-air testing of an electronic device 101 according to an embodiment.
The system 100 comprises a support surface 103, wherein the electronic device 101 is arranged on the support surface 103, a test device 105, the test device 105 comprising a transceiver unit 107 and an RF beamformer 109, wherein the transceiver unit 107 is configured to transmit RF test signals, wherein the RF beamformer 109 is configured to align the RF test signals in the direction of the electronic device 101, wherein the transceiver unit 107 is configured to receive RF response signals from the electronic device 101, and wherein the test device 105 is configured to evaluate the electronic device 101 based on the RF response signals.
The test device 105 may be configured to evaluate the functionality, performance, or calibration of the electronic device 101 based on the RF response signal.
The test device 105 may be a bi-directional test device for transmitting modulated signals and/or continuous wave signals to the electronic device 101 and receiving modulated signals and/or continuous wave signals from the electronic device 101, respectively.
The test equipment 105 may include RF test instrumentation to perform RF testing. In particular, the RF test includes a modulation performance test of the electronic device 101. In particular, the RF beamformer 109 is arranged in the far field of the electronic device 101.
Preferably, the test device 105 comprises a processing unit 113, which processing unit 113 is configured to evaluate the electronic device based on the RF response signal (i.e. by detecting and analyzing the radio frequency characteristics of the RF response signal).
The transceiver unit 107 and the RF beamformer 109 may form a single unit of the test equipment 105.
The electronic device 101 may comprise an RF antenna, in particular a beamformed integrated circuit configured to receive RF test signals and transmit RF response signals.
The RF beamformer 109 may be configured to receive RF test signals from the transceiver unit 107 and align them along the signal path Tx in the direction of the electronic device 101.
The RF beamformer 109 may be configured to selectively receive RF response signals from the electronic device 101, particularly by limiting the direction of reception toward the signal path Rx from the electronic device 101 to the RF beamformer 109. Focusing the RF test signals on the electronic device 101 and selectively receiving RF response signals from the electronic device 101 may help avoid interference and detection and use of false signals (e.g., signals from other devices in the vicinity). Thus, no shielding or dedicated test room is required to perform OTA testing.
Preferably, the RF beamformer 109 comprises a phased array antenna. A phased array antenna may include an antenna array that is electronically controllable to point in the direction of an electronic device for forwarding and/or receiving RF signals, particularly RF test signals and RF response signals, respectively.
In particular, the RF beamformer 109 comprises a chipset having at least one integrated antenna, in particular a packaged antenna (ANTENNA IN PACKAGE, AIP).
The system of fig. 1 further comprises a conveyor belt 111, wherein the support surface 103 is a surface of the conveyor belt 111.
The test device 105 may be arranged above the conveyor belt 111 such that the conveyor belt may be configured to move the electronic device 101 past the test device 105. In particular, the testing device 105 is configured to transmit RF test signals in the direction of the mobile electronic device 101 on the conveyor belt if the electronic device 101 has reached a specific position relative to the testing device 105.
The RF beamformer 109 may be an active RF beamformer. The RF beamformer may be configured to change its orientation in accordance with movement of the electronic device 101, particularly for directing and receiving RF test or response signals.
Fig. 1 shows another electronic device 101a on a support surface 103. Another electronic device 101a may be tested simultaneously or immediately after the electronic device 101.
Another electronic device 101a may be of the same type as the electronic device 101.
The testing of the further electronic device 101a may be performed in the same way as described above for the electronic device 101, i.e. the RF beamformer 109 directs the RF test signal in the direction of the further electronic device 101a on the support surface, the transceiver unit 107 receives a further RF response signal from the further electronic device 101a, and the testing device 105 evaluates the further electronic device 101a based on the further RF response signal.
The RF beamformer 109 may be configured to selectively receive another RF response signal from another electronic device 101a in the same manner as described above for the electronic device 101.
The system 100 may further comprise an absorption unit (not shown) configured to absorb the RF signal. The absorption unit may be arranged at least partly surrounding the support surface 103 and/or the electronic device 101, 101a. In particular, the absorption unit is arranged behind the electronics and/or the RF beamformer 109.
The size of the absorption unit may be adapted to the beamwidth of the RF beam emitted by the RF beamformer 109 and/or the electronic device 101.
Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of a support surface 103 according to an embodiment.
The support surface 103 in fig. 2 comprises a holding means 201, which holding means 201 is configured to accommodate a plurality of electronic devices 101, 101a-101e. In particular, the holding device 201 comprises a tray or a flat plate.
The holding device 201 may include a fixture 203, fixtures 203a-203e to house the electronic device 101, the electronic devices 101a-101e. In particular, the fixing members 203, 203a-203e are recesses in the holding device 201.
The conveyor belt 111 as shown in fig. 1 may comprise a holding device 201. In particular, the holding device 201 is a component of the carrier medium of the conveyor belt 111.
Fig. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a method 300 for over-the-air testing of an electronic device 101, according to an embodiment.
The method 300 comprises the steps of arranging (301) the electronic device 101 on the support surface 103, transmitting (303) an RF test signal from the transceiver unit 107 of the test device 105, aligning (305) the RF test signal in the direction of the electronic device 101 by means of the RF beamformer 109, receiving (307) an RF response signal from the electronic device 101 at the transceiver unit 107, and evaluating (309) the electronic device 101 based on the RF response signal.
The RF beamformer 109 may be configured to selectively receive RF response signals from the electronic device 101, particularly by limiting the direction of reception toward the electronic device 101. Focusing the RF test signals on the electronic device 101 and selectively receiving RF response signals from the electronic device 101 helps to avoid interference and detection and use of false signals (e.g., signals from other devices in the vicinity). Thus, no shielding or dedicated test room is required to perform OTA testing.
The support surface 103 may be configured to move the electronic device 101 relative to the RF beamformer 109. In particular, the support surface 103 comprises a conveyor belt 111 or a surface forming the conveyor belt 111.
Preferably, the method 300 further comprises the steps of aligning the RF test signal by the RF beamformer 109 in the direction of the at least one further electronic device 101a on the support surface 103, receiving at least one further RF response signal from the at least one further electronic device 101a at the transceiver unit 107, and evaluating the at least one further electronic device 101a based on the at least one further RF response signal.
The RF test signals may be aligned in the direction of the two electronic devices 101, 101a on the support surface 103 simultaneously or in close succession.
The RF test signals for the electronic device 101 and for the at least one further electronic device 101a may be the same signal. Alternatively, the rf test signal may be different for each device 101, 101 a. The transceiver unit 107 may be configured to transmit two RF test signals.
All features of all embodiments described, shown and/or claimed herein can be combined with one another.