JP2011019031A - Method and system for measuring total radiation sensitivity - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a new measuring method and system shortening a measuring time required for measuring the omnidirection radiation sensitivity of portable radio equipment.SOLUTION: The system for measuring the total radiation sensitivity while rotating the portable radio equipment (11) in a predetermined step has: a base station simulator (103) for transmitting predetermined data to the portable radio equipment by radio, continuously measuring an error rate of received data loopbacked from the portable radio equipment up to the number of predetermined bits, and repeatedly performing error rate continuous measurement each time it is reset; and a control PC (104) for reading a measured error rate from the received data with the number of measured bits smaller than the number of predetermined bits, changing a transmission output level of the predetermined data if the read error rate is outside a predetermined reference range, and resetting the base station simulator (103)to thereby repeat error rate continuous measurement.

Description

  The present invention relates to an antenna performance measurement technique, and more particularly to a method and system for measuring omnidirectional radiation sensitivity (TRS: Total Radiated Sensitivity or TIS).

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, portable wireless devices such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants are likely to have problems with antenna characteristics and coupling between antennas due to antenna miniaturization and thickness reduction and mounting of various application antennas. Therefore, measurement techniques for securing antenna performance are becoming more and more important.

  Cell phone performance indicators include antenna characteristics and transmission / reception circuit characteristics. As for the antenna characteristics, the horizontal plane average gain, radiation efficiency, and the like are defined, and can be obtained by connecting a small oscillator to the antenna and measuring the radiation pattern. The transmission / reception circuit characteristics are obtained by measuring output power, reception sensitivity, etc. using a spectrum analyzer, a signal generator, or the like.

  However, since an antenna and a transmission / reception circuit are integrated in an actual mobile phone or the like, performance indicators such as effective radiated power output from the antenna and antenna effective sensitivity are important for the user. Therefore, there is a movement to define total radiated power (TRP) and omnidirectional radiation sensitivity TRS / TIS as performance indicators and unify them as performance indicators for portable radios worldwide. Currently, CTIA (Cellular Telecommunication & Internet Association) and 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) working group.

  An example of a system for measuring this performance index is proposed in Patent Document 1. According to this, the mobile phone which is the object to be measured and the counter antenna are arranged at the same height in the anechoic chamber, and the mobile phone is installed on the turntable so that the azimuth direction (longitude direction) and the roll direction (latitude direction) The radio wave is transmitted or received by the opposite antenna while rotating in both directions. It is possible to measure the entire space by rotating the mobile phone in both the azimuth direction and the roll direction.

  According to the above working group, the measurement interval in the azimuth direction (θ axis) and roll direction (φ axis) is set to 15 ° for total radiated power (TRP), and 30 ° for omnidirectional radiation sensitivity (TRS / TIS). Each step is specified to be set. When the measurement according to this rule is performed, for TRP measurement, each of horizontal and vertical polarizations is 288 points (θ axis: 360/15 points in the range of 0 ° to 360 °, φ axis: 0 ° to 180 ° It measures 180/15 points in the range of °, and therefore a total of 576 points (288 × 2 points) of 360/15 × 180/15 points. The time can be measured in about 5 minutes.

  On the other hand, for TRS / TIS measurement, a sensitivity point with a bit error rate (error rate) of 1% for data of 20,000 bits at the maximum transmission power of the mobile phone is defined, and horizontal and vertical 72 points for each polarization (θ axis: 360/30 points in the range of 0 ° to 360 °, φ axis: 180/30 points in the range of 0 ° to 180 °, thus 360/30 x 180/30 points in total ), A total of 144 points (72 × 2 points) of sensitivity will be measured. Hereinafter, a general TRS / TIS measurement procedure will be described with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 4, the base station simulator (or radio device tester) has the number of measurement bits set to a prescribed 20,000 bits, and the base station simulator receives a predetermined 20, 20, based on a measurement start command from a control PC (personal computer). A 000-bit data stream is transmitted to the mobile phone at a predetermined transmission output level, and the number of error bits is counted by comparing the loopback data with the transmission data.

  At the same time, the control PC calculates an estimated time (20,000 / data rate + α) from the measurement start time to the measurement end, and after the estimated time has elapsed, reads the number of error bits at that time as an error rate, and the error rate is predetermined. It is determined whether or not the reference value of 1% is satisfied. If the error rate is too low, the output level of the base station simulator is lowered. If it is too high, the output level is raised, then the measurement bit counter is reset and the above measurement procedure is repeated. If the error rate satisfies a predetermined reference value of about 1%, the control of the output level of the base station simulator is terminated, the measurement result is displayed, and the process is terminated. Thus, the measurement of the radiation sensitivity at one point is completed. Thereafter, all 144 points are measured in the same manner, and radiant sensitivity in all directions can be obtained.

JP 2008-0664704 A

  However, it is known that it takes a very long time to drive the reception level at which the error rate becomes 1% at each point, and it may take about 2 hours to acquire data at one point. If the measurement takes a long time, the mobile phone cannot maintain the maximum transmission output, causing a problem that the power is cut off halfway.

  In the above-described TRS / TIS measurement, the base station simulator completes the predetermined 20,000-bit count and terminates the measurement, and if the control PC reads the error rate and the error rate is out of the reference range, it again Repeat the procedure to issue the measurement start command. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, it takes a time difference Δt to reset the measurement bit counter and receive the measurement start command. When measuring the radiation sensitivity at one point, the measurement start command may be issued several times to several tens of times, so that the measurement time becomes longer as the measurement start command is issued more frequently.

  For example, if Δt = 100 ms, the number of times the sensitivity is driven at one point = 20, and the number of points necessary for measuring the radiation sensitivity in all directions = 72 points × 2 (horizontal polarization and vertical polarization), When measuring the radiation sensitivity of the azimuth, the delay time T resulting from the measurement start command is calculated as Δt × 20 × 72 × 2, which is about 5 minutes, and cannot be ignored.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a new measurement method and system that shortens the measurement time when measuring the omnidirectional radiation sensitivity of a portable wireless device.

  A total radiation sensitivity measurement system according to the present invention is a system for measuring a total radiation sensitivity while rotating a portable wireless device in a predetermined step, wirelessly transmitting predetermined data to the portable wireless device, and looping back from the portable wireless device. Measurement means for continuously measuring the error rate of the received data up to a predetermined number of bits, and repeatedly executing the error rate continuous measurement every time it is reset, and from the received data with a measurement bit number smaller than the predetermined number of bits Control that reads the measured error rate and repeats the continuous measurement of the error rate by changing the transmission output level of the predetermined data and resetting the measuring means if the read error rate is outside the predetermined reference range And means.

  The total radiation sensitivity measuring method according to the present invention is a method for measuring the total radiation sensitivity while rotating the portable wireless device in predetermined steps, wherein the measuring means wirelessly transmits predetermined data to the portable wireless device, and the portable wireless device Continuously measuring the error rate of the received data looped back from the machine up to a predetermined number of bits, and the control means measures the error rate measured from the received data with a measurement bit number smaller than the predetermined number of bits. If the read error rate is outside the predetermined reference range, the transmission output level of the predetermined data is changed to reset the measurement means, and the measurement means continuously measures the error rate each time it is reset. The error rate continuous measurement is repeated by repeatedly executing.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to shorten the measurement time when measuring the omnidirectional radiation sensitivity of a portable wireless device.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the total radiation sensitivity measuring system by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a time chart which shows the sequence of the total radiation sensitivity measuring method by this embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement (sensitivity tracking algorithm) of the total radiation sensitivity measuring system by this embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the general TRS / TIS measurement procedure.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited by embodiment described below.

1. System Configuration As shown in FIG. 1, in an anechoic chamber 10, a two-axis rotating base 12 that can rotate a portable wireless device 11 that is an object to be measured in two axes, and a portable wireless device 11 that faces the portable wireless device 11, A transmission / reception antenna 13 that performs transmission and reception is provided.

  The biaxial positioner control unit 101 controls the biaxial rotating table 12 so that the portable wireless device 11 rotates in the azimuth axis (θ axis) direction and / or the roll axis (φ axis) direction. In the present embodiment, the portable wireless device 11 can be rotated at predetermined intervals of 30 ° in the θ-axis direction or the φ-axis direction. The polarization switching positioner control unit 102 switches the polarization plane of the transmission / reception antenna 13 between vertical and horizontal.

The base station simulator 103 is connected to the transmission / reception antenna 13, transmits an RF signal from the transmission / reception antenna 13 to the portable wireless device 11, and receives a loopback RF signal from the portable wireless device 11. The base station simulator 103 can control transmission power, and has a measurement bit counter _CM and an error rate counter C _ER as measurement means for performing TRS / TIS measurement described later. The base station simulator 103 wirelessly transmits transmission data composed of a predetermined bit stream to the portable wireless device 11, and compares the received data looped back from the portable wireless device 11 with the transmission data in bit units to thereby determine the number of error bits. And measure the error rate. Counting the number of measurements bits is performed by measuring the bit counter C _M. The error rate counter C _ER counts the number of error bits while the measurement bit counter C _M is counting. The base station simulator 103 is set to a continuous measurement mode in which a measurement bit count operation is newly started every time the measurement bit counter _CM is reset. Therefore, the measurement operation is automatically started when resetting without receiving the measurement start command. The base station simulator 103 can also realize an equivalent function by executing a program on a program control processor.

The control PC 104 controls the overall operation of the total radiation sensitivity measurement system by controlling the two-axis positioner control unit 101, the polarization switching positioner control unit 102, and the base station simulator 103. In particular, the control PC104 is set, the measurement bit counter sufficiently greater than 20,000 define the time-out value of C _M of the base station Shimyureta 103, specifically to a sufficiently large count value considering the time required for the error rate determination, the Keep it. Further control PC104 can be set to continuous measurement mode measurement operation of the base station Shimyureta 103 is started each time resetting the measured bit counter C _M. The base station simulator 103 can also realize an equivalent function by executing a program on the program control processor of the control PC 104. Hereinafter, the measurement method in the continuous measurement mode according to the present embodiment will be described.

2. As shown in continuous measurement mode Figure 2, the measurement bit counter _{C M} of the base station Shimyureta 103, is set sufficiently larger than 20,000 defines the timeout value (e.g. 100,000 bit count). Control PC104 calculates an estimated time to completion of measurement from the measurement start point of the reset measurement bit counter _{C M} of the base station Shimyureta 103 (20,000 / data rate + alpha) is set in the timer. When the estimated time elapses and the timer times out, the control PC 104 reads the number of error bits indicated by the error rate counter C _{ER at} that time as an error rate, and whether or not the error rate satisfies a predetermined reference value of around 1%. Determine. That is, the control PC 104 reads the count value (error rate) of the error rate counter _CER every time the specified 20,000 bits are reached, checks the error rate as described later, and if remeasurement is necessary, A reset signal is output to the base station simulator 103 and the transmission output level of the base station simulator 103 is changed.

Measurements bit counter C _M of the base station simulator 103, regardless of the read error rate, until reset, or until it times out, to continue the bit count of the received data. When the base station simulator 103 receives the reset signal from the control PC 104, the base station simulator 103 resets the measurement bit counter _CM and the error rate counter C _ER and automatically starts the measurement operation from the beginning.

  The control PC 104 that has read the error rate repeats the transmission output level control of the base station simulator 103 so that the error rate is within the reference value range (sensitivity driving), and when the error rate falls within the reference value range. The transmission output level is displayed as the measurement result. For example, the transmission / reception antenna 13 is set horizontally with the biaxial rotary table set to θ axis = 0 ° and φ axis = 0 °, and measurement is started by a reset signal. When the sensitivity tracking for controlling the output level of the base station simulator 103 is completed so that the error rate satisfies the reference value, the θ axis is rotated by 30 °, moved to the next position, and measurement is started by a reset signal. When the θ axis is thus rotated 360 °, the polarization plane of the transmitting / receiving antenna 13 is changed to be vertical. Similarly, by rotating the θ axis from 0 ° to 360 ° in 30 ° steps and repeating the measurement, the measurement of the surface of φ axis = 0 ° is completed. Thereafter, the φ axis is rotated by 30 ° and the measurement described above is performed again. When the φ axis is rotated 180 ° and the measurement is completed, the measurement of radiation sensitivity in all directions is completed. Thus, a total of 144 points of radiation sensitivity were measured.

3. Sensitivity tracking operation Hereinafter, when the number of bits required for measurement is 20,000 bits, the error rate reference value range determined by the control PC 104 is 0.8% to 1.2%. It is assumed that the estimated read time (20,000 / R + α) of the result is set in advance. Here, R is the data rate of the loopback data, and α is the margin.

  In FIG. 3, first, the portable wireless device 11 is brought into a communication state through the base station simulator 103 and the transmission / reception antenna 13 and attached to the two-axis rotary table 12.

Next, the control PC 104 performs initial setting of the base station simulator 103 (step 201). Here, the timeout value N of the measurement bit counter C _M 100,000, the initial value of transmission power level, the further the measurement mode Continuous mode (continuous measurement mode), respectively set.

Subsequently, the control PC 104 transmits a reset signal to the base station simulator 103 and monitors the time-out of the timer, that is, the progress of the estimated read time (20,000 / R + α) of the measurement result. When the base station simulator 103 receives the reset signal, the base station simulator 103 transmits predetermined transmission data to the portable wireless device 11, starts the measurement bit counter _CM, and starts error rate measurement using the loopback data from the portable wireless device 11. (Step 202).

When the timer times out, the control PC 104 reads the count value of the error rate counter C _ER of the base station simulator 103 at that time as an error rate (step 203), and the error rate reference value range (0.8% to 1.. 2%). First, when the measured error rate is smaller than the lower limit value 0.8% (step 204: Yes), the transmission output level of the base station simulator 103 is lowered (step 205), and the measurement bit counter _CM and error rate counter C are reduced. _ER is reset, its own timer is also reset, and measurement is started from the beginning (step 206, step 203).

If the measured error rate is equal to or greater than the lower limit value 0.8% (step 204: No), it is determined whether or not it is greater than the upper limit value 1.2% (step 207). When the measured error rate is larger than the lower limit value 1.2% (step 207: Yes), the transmission output level of the base station simulator 103 is increased (step 208), and the measurement bit counter _CM and error rate counter C _ER are set. It resets and resets its own timer and starts measurement from the beginning (step 209, step 203). If the measured error rate is less than or equal to the lower limit value of 1.2% (step 207: No), it is determined that the reference value is satisfied, the transmission output level at that time is displayed as a measurement result, and the measurement is terminated ( Step 210), resets the measurement bit counter _CM and the error rate counter C _ER , resets its own timer, and ends the sensitivity driving process at one point in one polarization plane. Hereinafter, as described above, the above-described sensitivity measurement steps 201 to 211 are repeated while switching the plane of polarization and rotating the θ axis or the φ axis in 30 ° steps.

4). Effect As described above, according to the present embodiment, the base station simulator 103 continuously measures the error rate, reads the error rate at every predetermined timing, and if remeasurement is necessary under different conditions, Re-measurement can be started simply by sending a reset signal. Therefore, the step of stopping the measurement every time the error rate is read and issuing the measurement start command again becomes unnecessary, and the time required for measuring the radiation sensitivity in all directions can be shortened.

Specifically, as described in FIG. 4, the time Δt until the measurement start by the reset and measurement start command is set to 100 ms, the sensitivity driving frequency of one point is about 20 times, and the measurement points of the radiation sensitivity in all directions are set. If 144 points = 72 points × 2 (horizontal and vertical polarization), the time T that can be shortened when measuring the radiation sensitivity in all directions is
T = Δt × (number of driving-in) × 72 points × 2 (horizontal and vertical polarization) = about 5 [minutes]
Is calculated as

  The present invention is applicable to an all-radiance measurement system for measuring the omnidirectional radiation sensitivity (TRS / TIS) of a portable wireless device in three dimensions.

10 Anechoic chamber
11 Portable wireless device 12 2-axis rotary base
13 Transmission / reception antenna 101 Two-axis positioner control unit 102 Polarization switching positioner control unit 103 Base station simulator
104 Control PC
_CM measurement bit counter C _ER error rate counter

Claims (9)

A system for measuring the total radiation sensitivity while rotating a portable wireless device in a predetermined step,
Transmits predetermined data wirelessly to the portable wireless device, continuously measures the error rate of received data looped back from the portable wireless device up to a predetermined number of bits, and repeatedly executes error rate continuous measurement every time it is reset Measuring means;
The error rate measured from the received data is read with a measurement bit number smaller than the predetermined bit number, and if the read error rate is outside a predetermined reference range, the transmission output level of the predetermined data is changed to change the transmission rate. Control means for repeating the error rate continuous measurement by resetting the measurement means;
A total radiation sensitivity measuring system comprising: The measuring means includes
A first counter that counts the number of bits of received data looped back from the portable radio until the reset;
A second counter that counts the number of error bits as an error rate by comparing the received data with the predetermined data while the first counter is counting;
The total radiation sensitivity measuring system according to claim 1, wherein   3. The total radiation sensitivity measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit reads the error rate after a measurement estimation time obtained from the number of measurement bits and a data rate of the received data. A method of measuring total radiation sensitivity while rotating a portable radio device in a predetermined step,
The measurement means wirelessly transmits predetermined data to the portable wireless device, continuously measures an error rate of received data looped back from the portable wireless device up to a predetermined number of bits,
The control means reads an error rate measured from the received data with a measurement bit number smaller than the predetermined bit number from the measurement means, and if the read error rate is outside a predetermined reference range, Changing the transmission power level to reset the measuring means,
The measurement means repeats the error rate continuous measurement by repeatedly executing the error rate continuous measurement every time it is reset.
A method for measuring total radiation sensitivity. The measuring means includes
The first counter counts the number of received data looped back from the portable radio until it is reset,
The second counter counts the number of error bits as an error rate by comparing the received data with the predetermined data while the first counter is counting.
The total radiation sensitivity measuring method according to claim 4.   The total radiation sensitivity measuring method according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the control means reads the error rate after elapse of a measurement estimation time obtained from the number of measurement bits and a data rate of the received data. A program that causes a program control processor to function as a device that measures the total radiation sensitivity while rotating a portable wireless device in predetermined steps,
Transmits predetermined data wirelessly to the portable wireless device, continuously measures the error rate of received data looped back from the portable wireless device up to a predetermined number of bits, and repeatedly executes error rate continuous measurement every time it is reset Measuring means;
The error rate measured from the received data is read with a measurement bit number smaller than the predetermined bit number, and if the read error rate is outside a predetermined reference range, the transmission output level of the predetermined data is changed to change the transmission rate. Control means for repeating the error rate continuous measurement by resetting the measurement means;
A program causing a program control processor to function as a device having The measuring means includes
The first counter counts the number of received data looped back from the portable radio until it is reset,
The second counter counts the number of error bits as an error rate by comparing the received data with the predetermined data while the first counter is counting.
The program according to claim 7.   The program according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the control means reads the error rate after elapse of a measurement estimation time obtained from the number of measurement bits and a data rate of the received data.

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