Methods, systems, and computer readable media for determining a metric of radio frequency channel quality for idle channels in LTE and LTE advanced networks

1. A method for determining a metric of radio frequency channel quality for idle channels, the method comprising:

at a receiver:

receiving a plurality of reference symbols transmitted by a transmitter for an idle channel state when user data and control channel data are not being transmitted by the transmitter;

using a first set of the reference symbols for channel estimation;

computing a metric of channel quality in the radio frequency channel using a second set of reference symbols different from the first set of reference symbols; and

alternatinqly, between subframes of the radio frequency channel, using the first and second sets of reference symbols for channel estimation and for computing the metric of channel quality.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the reference symbols include long term evolution (LTE) or LTE advanced downlink reference symbols transmitted by the transmitter usable by the receiver for channel estimation.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the reference symbols are spaced in time and frequency from each other and wherein computing the metric of channel quality includes repeatedly computing the metric using reference symbols transmitted at different times and on different frequencies.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein computing the metric of channel quality includes computing an average of the metrics computed for different reference symbols.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the metric of channel quality includes an error vector magnitude (EVM).

6. The method of claim 5 comprising computing the error vector magnitude for a plurality of reference symbols and computing an average error vector magnitude.

7. The method of claim 6 comprising determining whether the average error vector magnitude exceeds a threshold and, in response to determining that the average error vector magnitude exceeds a threshold, generating an indication of the error.

8. The method of claim 5 comprising computing the error vector magnitude for a plurality of reference symbols and determining an indication of how the error vector magnitude changes over time.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiver comprises a network equipment test device and wherein the transmitter comprises an evolved nodeB (eNodeB).

10. The method of claim 1 wherein computing a metric of channel quality in the radio frequency channel using at least one of the reference symbols includes computing the metric of channel quality using at least one of the reference symbols in combination with at least one synchronization symbol.

11. A system for determining a metric of radio frequency channel quality for an idle channel state, the system comprising:

a receiver including at least one processor for receiving a plurality of reference symbols transmitted by a transmitter for an idle channel state when user data and control channel data are not being transmitted by the transmitter;

a channel quality metric calculation module operatively associated with the receiver for computing a metric of channel quality in the radio frequency channel using at least one of the reference symbols; and

a channel estimation module for using a first set of the reference symbols for channel estimation, wherein the channel quality metric calculation module is configured to use a second set of reference symbols different from the first set for calculating the metric of channel quality, and wherein the channel estimation module and the channel quality metric calculation module are configured to alternatively, between subframes of the radio frequency channel, use the first and second sets of reference symbols for channel estimation and for calculating the metric of channel quality.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the reference symbols include long term evolution (LTE) or LTE advanced downlink reference symbols transmitted by the transmitter usable by the receiver for channel estimation.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the channel quality metric calculation module is configured to computer the metric of channel quality using at least one of the reference symbols in combination with at least one synchronization symbol.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the receiver comprises a network equipment test device and wherein the transmitter comprises an evolved Node B.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the reference symbols are spaced in time and frequency from each other and wherein the channel quality metric calculation module is configured to repeatedly compute the metric of channel quality using reference symbols transmitted at different times and on different frequencies.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the channel quality metric calculation module is configured to compute an average of the metrics computed for different reference symbols.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the metric of channel quality includes an error vector magnitude (EVM).

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the channel quality metric calculation module is configured to compute the error vector magnitude for a plurality of reference symbols and to compute an average error vector magnitude.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the channel quality metric calculation module is configured to determine whether the average error vector magnitude exceeds a threshold and, in response to determining that the average error vector magnitude exceeds a threshold, to generate an indication of the error.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the channel quality metric calculation module is configured to compute the error vector magnitude for a plurality of reference symbols and determine an indication of how the error vector magnitude changes over time.

21. A non-transitory computer readable having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the processor of a computer control the computer to perform steps comprising:

at a receiver:

receiving a plurality of reference symbols transmitted by a transmitter for an idle channel state when user data and control channel data are not being transmitted by the transmitter;

using a first set of the reference symbols for channel estimation;

computing a metric of channel quality in the radio frequency channel using a second set of reference symbols different from the first set of reference symbols; and

alternatingly, between subframes of the radio frequency channel, using the first and second sets of reference symbols for channel estimation and for computing the metric of channel quality.