Systems and methods for beamforming measurements
View Patent ↗Systems and methods are disclosed herein to provide communication test systems for the testing of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radio frequency wireless data communication devices, systems and networks, including Multi-User MIMO (MU-MIMO) devices and systems. In accordance with one or more embodiments, a test system containing an integrated MIMO signal analyzer is disclosed that includes a protocol engine operative in conjunction with a waveform generator and waveform analyzer that analyzes the signal waveform of a device under test. Such a test system may offer improved capabilities such as a simpler and more flexible measurement of complex MIMO signal waveforms, more automated measurements of MIMO waveforms including beamforming functions, and more accurate measurement of the efficiency of MIMO related functions such as channel estimation, transmit precoding and beamforming.
1. A system for testing a wireless device under test (DUT), comprising:
a network equipment test device including at least one processor, said network equipment test device further including:
a channel modeling function for generating a predetermined modeled RF channel;
a precode matrix calculator function coupled to said channel modeling function and operative to derive feedback parameters from said modeled radio frequency (RF) channel; and
a beamforming feedback function operatively coupled to said precode matrix calculator function for transmitting said feedback parameters to said DUT, wherein said feedback parameters are operative to cause said DUT to modify the signals transmitted to said test system in accordance with said modeled RF channel.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said system is adapted to test a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) DUT.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said test device is adapted to test beamforming.
4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of said channel modeling functions, coupled to a plurality of said precode matrix calculator functions, further coupled to a plurality of said feedback functions.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein said test device is adapted to test a Multi User-MIMO (MU-MIMO) DUT.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein said test device is further adapted to test beamforming in an MU-MIMO DUT.
7. The system of claim 5 , wherein said test device is coupled to said MU-MIMO DUT by RF cables.
8. The system of claim 4 , wherein said plurality of said channel modeling functions is operative to generate at least two different modeled RF channels.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein said at least two different modeled RF channels represents the communication paths between at least two different transmitter/receiver pairs.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein said channel modeling function generates a plurality of modeled RF channels that are used in sequence.
11. The system of claim 4 , wherein each of said plurality of channel modeling functions generates a plurality of modeled RF channels that are used in sequence.
12. A system for testing a wireless device under test (DUT), comprising:
a network equipment test device including at least one processor, said network equipment test device further including:
a channel modeling function for generating a predetermined modeled radio frequency (RF) channel;
a precode matrix calculation function coupled to said channel modeling function and operative to derive feedback parameters from said simulated RF channel;
a beamforming feedback function operatively coupled to said computation function for transmitting said feedback parameters to said DUT; and
a signal processing function responsive to signals transmitted by said DUT and coupled to said channel modeling function,
wherein said signal processing function is operative to simulate the effect of said modeled RF channel on said signals transmitted by said DUT.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein said test device is adapted to test a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) DUT.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein said test device is adapted to test beamforming.
15. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of said channel modeling functions, coupled to a plurality of said precoding matrix computation functions, further coupled to a plurality of said feedback functions, further including a plurality of said signal processing functions.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein said test device is adapted to test a Multi User-Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO) DUT.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein said test device is adapted to test beamforming in an MU-MIMO DUT.
18. The system of claim 16 , wherein said test device is coupled to said MU-MIMO DUT by RF cables.
19. The system of claim 15 , wherein said plurality of said channel modeling functions is operative to generate at least two different modeled RF channels.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein said at least two different modeled RF channels represents the communication paths between at least two different transmitter/receiver pairs.
21. The system of claim 12 , wherein said channel modeling function generates a plurality of modeled RF channels that are used in sequence.
22. The system of claim 15 , wherein each of said plurality of channel modeling functions generates a plurality of modeled RF channels that are used in sequence.