# US 2019/0173593 A1 · Methods for Over-the-Air Testing of Base Station Receiver Sensitivity > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0173593 A1 - Document ID: US20190173593A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/324,305 - Filed: 2017-08-11 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-12 - Assignees: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Applicants: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Inventors: Thomas Chapman; Asif Ali Khan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190173593A1 ## CPC - H04B 17/203: {Receiver sensitivity} - H04B 7/0617: {for beam forming} - H04B 17/0085: {using test signal generators} - H04B 17/102: {Power radiated at antenna} - H04B 17/12: of transmit antennas, e.g. of the amplitude or phase - H04B 17/336: Signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR] - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract An example method for testing a base station that supports multi-carrier transmission using multiple transceiver units comprises transmitting an interfering test signal in one or more transmit bands for the base station apparatus, using the multiple transceiver units and the antenna array, where the interfering test signal has a total EIRP at least approximately equal to the sum of the respective rated maximum EIRPs for each of the predetermined number of simultaneous carriers. This example method further comprises transmitting a desired test signal to the base station apparatus, in a receive band for the base station apparatus, using a test signal generator and a test antenna separate from the base station apparatus, and evaluating a receiver sensitivity for the base station apparatus, based on the desired test signal, while the interfering test signal is being transmitted. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 -23. (canceled) ### Claim 24 A method of testing a base station apparatus comprising multiple transceiver units coupled to an antenna array, wherein the base station apparatus is configured to support multi-carrier transmission using the multiple transceiver units and wherein the base station apparatus is rated with a respective maximum equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) for each of a predetermined number of simultaneous carriers, the method comprising: transmitting an interfering test signal in one or more transmit bands for the base station apparatus, using the multiple transceiver units and the antenna array, wherein the interfering test signal has a total EIRP at least approximately equal to the sum of the rated maximum EIRPs for the predetermined number of simultaneous carriers; transmitting a desired test signal to the base station apparatus, in a receive band for the base station apparatus, using a test signal generator and a test antenna separate from the base station apparatus; and evaluating a receiver sensitivity for the base station apparatus, based on the desired test signal, while the interfering test signal is being transmitted. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein transmitting the interfering test signal comprises transmitting the interfering test signal on a single carrier frequency in a transmit band for the base station apparatus, using the multiple transceiver units and the antenna array. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the method comprises successively transmitting the interfering test signal at or near a low end of the transmit band, in a middle part of the transmit band, and at or near a high end of the transmit band, and evaluating the receiver sensitivity for the base station apparatus for each successively transmitted interfering test signal. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein transmitting the interfering test signal comprises transmitting an interfering test signal comprising multiple carriers in a transmit band for the base station apparatus, using the multiple transceiver units and the antenna array, wherein each of the multiple carriers is transmitted at the respective rated maximum EIRP for the carrier. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein transmitting the interfering test signal comprises positioning a first one of the multiple carriers at or near a lower edge of the transmit band and positioning a second one of the multiple carriers at or near an upper edge of the transmit band, and positioning any remaining ones of the multiple carriers adjacent to the first and second ones of the multiple carriers. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein transmitting the interfering test signal comprises positioning at least two of the multiple carriers in one or more bands, so that at least one intermodulation product of the multiple carriers falls within the receive band for the base station apparatus. ### Claim 30 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein transmitting the interfering test signal comprises generating the interfering test signal so as to conform to a predetermined total radiated power requirement and/or a predetermined conducted power requirement. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, further comprising measuring the total radiated power of the transmitted interfering test signal, prior to evaluating the receiver sensitivity for the base station apparatus. ### Claim 32 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein evaluating the receiver sensitivity comprises measuring a bit-error rate (BER) for a received signal corresponding to the desired test signal. ### Claim 33 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein evaluating the receiver sensitivity comprises determining a minimum received signal level for the desired test signal that results in a receiver output with a signal-to-noise-plus-interference ratio (SINR) of a predetermined level. ### Claim 34 A method of testing a base station apparatus comprising multiple transceiver units coupled to an antenna array, wherein the base station apparatus is configured to support multi-carrier transmission using the multiple transceiver units and wherein the base station apparatus is rated with a respective maximum equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) for each of a predetermined number of simultaneous carriers, the method comprising: calculating a sum of the rated maximum EIRPs for the predetermined number of simultaneous carriers; transmitting an interfering test signal on a single carrier frequency in a transmit band for the base station apparatus, using the multiple transceiver units and the antenna array, wherein the interfering test signal has a total EIRP at least approximately equal to the calculated sum; transmitting a desired test signal to the base station apparatus, in a receive band for the base station apparatus, using a test signal generator and a test antenna separate from the base station apparatus; and evaluating a receiver sensitivity for the base station apparatus, based on the desired test signal, while the interfering test signal is being transmitted. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, wherein the method comprises successively transmitting the interfering test signal at or near a low end of the transmit band, in a middle part of the transmit band, and at or near a high end of the transmit band, and evaluating the receiver sensitivity for the base station apparatus for each successively transmitted interfering test signal. ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, wherein transmitting the interfering test signal comprises generating the interfering test signal so as to conform to a predetermined total radiated power requirement and/or a predetermined conducted power requirement. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36, further comprising measuring the total radiated power of the transmitted interfering test signal, prior to evaluating the receiver sensitivity for the base station apparatus. ### Claim 38 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, wherein evaluating the receiver sensitivity comprises measuring a bit-error rate (BER) for a received signal corresponding to the desired test signal. ### Claim 39 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, wherein evaluating the receiver sensitivity comprises determining a minimum received signal level for the desired test signal that results in a receiver output with a signal-to-noise-plus-interference ratio (SINR) of a predetermined level. ### Claim 40 A method of testing a base station apparatus comprising multiple transceiver units coupled to an antenna array, wherein the base station apparatus is configured to support multi-carrier transmission using the multiple transceiver units and wherein the base station apparatus is rated with a respective maximum equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) for each of a predetermined number of simultaneous carriers, the method comprising: transmitting an interfering test signal comprising multiple carriers in a transmit band for the base station apparatus, using the multiple transceiver units and the antenna array, wherein each of the multiple carriers is transmitted at the respective rated maximum EIRP for the carrier; transmitting a desired test signal to the base station apparatus, in a receive band for the base station apparatus, using a test signal generator and a test antenna separate from the base station apparatus; and evaluating a receiver sensitivity for the base station apparatus, based on the desired test signal, while the interfering test signal is being transmitted. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The method of claim 40, wherein transmitting the interfering test signal comprises positioning a first one of the multiple carriers at or near a lower edge of the transmit band and positioning a second one of the multiple carriers at or near an upper edge of the transmit band, and positioning any remaining ones of the multiple carriers adjacent to the first and second ones of the multiple carriers. ### Claim 42 (depends on 40) The method of claim 40, wherein transmitting the interfering test signal comprises positioning at least two of the multiple carriers in one or more bands so that at least one intermodulation product of the multiple carriers falls within the receive band for the base station apparatus. ### Claim 43 (depends on 40) The method of claim 40, wherein transmitting the interfering test signal comprises generating the interfering test signal so as to conform to a predetermined total radiated power requirement and/or a predetermined conducted power requirement. ### Claim 44 (depends on 43) The method of claim 43, further comprising measuring the total radiated power of the transmitted interfering test signal, prior to evaluating the receiver sensitivity for the base station apparatus. ### Claim 45 (depends on 40) The method of claim 40, wherein evaluating the receiver sensitivity comprises measuring a bit-error rate (BER) for a received signal corresponding to the desired test signal. ### Claim 46 (depends on 40) The method of claim 40, wherein evaluating the receiver sensitivity comprises determining a minimum received signal level for the desired test signal that results in a receiver output with a signal-to-noise-plus-interference ratio (SINR) of a predetermined level.