Methods, systems, and computer readable media for testing long term evolution (LTE) air interface device using emulated noise in unassigned resource blocks (RBs)

A system for testing an air interface device using emulated noise in unassigned uplink resource blocks (RBs), the system comprising:

• a network equipment test device including:
• at least one processor;
• a downlink signal decoder implemented by the at least one processor for receiving a first downlink signal transmission from an air interface device under test and identifying uplink resource blocks that are assigned to UEs and unassigned uplink resource blocks that are not assigned to any UEs;
• an uplink signal generator including a plurality of per-UE channel noise generators that generate and apply per-UE channel noise to the uplink signal for selected emulated UEs in the uplink resource blocks that are identified as being assigned to the UEs;
• an unassigned resource block noise generator separate from the per-UE channel noise generators that generates emulated per-resource-block channel noise to be applied to the unassigned uplink resource blocks that are identified as not being assigned to any UEs;
• and
• a scheduling assignment monitor for determining, from a subsequent downlink signal transmission received after the transmission of the uplink signal to the air interface device under test, an effect of the emulated channel noise on resource block assignments, wherein determining an effect of the emulated channel noise on the resource block assignments includes determining whether the air interface device under test assigns any newly-attached UEs to the unassigned uplink resource blocks with the emulated per-resource-block channel noise.

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

• receiving a first downlink signal transmission from an air interface device under test;
• identifying uplink resource blocks that are assigned to UEs and unassigned uplink resource blocks that are not assigned to any UEs;
• providing a plurality of per-UE channel noise generators that generate and apply per-UE channel noise to the uplink signal for selected emulated UEs in the uplink resource blocks that are identified as being assigned to the UEs;
• providing an unassigned resource block noise generator separate from the per-UE noise generators that generates emulated per-resource block channel noise to be applied to the unassigned uplink resource blocks that are identified as not being assigned to any UEs;
• transmitting an uplink signal to the air interface device under test with the emulated per-resource block channel noise in at least one of the unassigned uplink resource blocks that are identified as not being assigned to any UEs and the per-UE channel noise in at least one of the uplink resource blocks that are identified as being assigned to the UEs;
• receiving, after transmission of the uplink signal to the air interface device under test, a subsequent downlink signal transmission from the air interface device under test;
• and
• determining an effect of the emulated channel noise on resource block assignments, wherein determining an effect of the emulated channel noise on the resource block assignments includes determining whether the air interface device under test assigns any newly-attached UEs to the unassigned uplink resource blocks with the emulated per-resource-block channel noise.