# US 2019/0356397 A1 · Over-the-Air Test Fixture using Antenna Array > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0356397 A1 - Document ID: US20190356397A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/179,578 - Filed: 2018-11-02 - Published: 2019-11-21 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-21 - Assignees: National Instruments Corporation - Applicants: National Instruments Corporation - Inventors: Marcus K. DaSilva; Chen Chang; Charles G. Schroeder; Ahsan Aziz; Paramjit S. Banwait - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190356397A1 ## CPC - G01R 31/2822: {of microwave or radiofrequency circuits (of attenuation, gain, e.g. using network analyzers G01R27/28)} - H04B 17/17: Detection of non-compliance or faulty performance, e.g. response deviations (H04B17/18 takes precedence) - G01R 1/0408: {Test fixtures or contact fields; Connectors or connecting adaptors; Test clips; Test sockets (G01R1/067 takes precedence; mass production testing systems G01R31/59; testing of connections G01R31/66; for testing printed circuit boards G01R31/2808)} - G01R 1/045: {Sockets or component fixtures for RF or HF testing} - G01R 29/10: Radiation diagrams of antennas - G01R 31/2856: {Internal circuit aspects, e.g. built-in test features; Test chips; Measuring material aspects, e.g. electro migration [EM]} - G01R 31/2884: {using dedicated test connectors, test elements or test circuits on the IC under test (G01R31/2855 takes precedence)} - G01R 31/3025: {Wireless interface with the DUT} - G01R 31/31905: {Interface with the device under test [DUT], e.g. arrangements between the test head and the DUT, mechanical aspects, fixture} - H01Q 3/267: {Phased-array testing or checking devices} - H04B 17/27: for locating or positioning the transmitter - H04B 17/336: Signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR] - G01R 21/12: in circuits having distributed constants - H04B 17/12: of transmit antennas, e.g. of the amplitude or phase - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) ## Abstract Various embodiments are presented of a system and method for testing (e.g., rapidly and cheaply) devices with antennas configured for radio frequency (RF) and/or millimeter wave (mmW) transmission and/or reception. A device to be tested (e.g., the device under test (DUT)) may be mounted to an interface in a measurement fixture (e.g., a socket, anechoic chamber, etc.). Power and data connections of the DUT may be tested over the interface, which may also provide connections for input/output signals, power, and control and may also provide positioning. RF characteristics (e.g., including transmission, reception, and/or beamforming) of the DUT may be tested over-the-air using an array of antennas or probes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for performing over the air production testing of a device under test (DUT), the method comprising: installing the DUT in a testing position, wherein the testing position is in a measurement fixture, wherein the testing position comprises connections for power, control, and data to the DUT; transmitting, to the DUT, a wireless signal based on a test input, wherein the test input is transmitted using an array of testing antennas and a first receive pattern definition, wherein the first receive pattern definition comprises at least one impairment, wherein the at least one impairment comprises a pattern impairment; receiving, from the DUT, a first output signal based on the wireless signal, wherein the first output signal comprises one of: a modulation signal received by the DUT; or a quality metric of the modulation signal received by the DUT; and determining, based at least in part on the first output signal, whether the DUT meets a quality standard. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the DUT meets the quality standard comprises: comparing the first output signal to an expected output signal of the first receive pattern definition. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the quality metric comprises one of: bit error rate (BER); frame error rate (FER); or signal noise and distortion (SINAD). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first output signal comprises a wireless transmission from the DUT. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the first output signal is received by at least one antenna of the array of testing antennas. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one impairment comprises a beamforming impairment. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, the method further comprising: developing a signature, wherein the signature comprises the first receive pattern definition, wherein the signature is developed based at least in part on one or more of: mathematical methods; empirical methods; or computer-generated models. ### Claim 8 A method for performing over the air production testing of a device under test (DUT), the method comprising: installing the DUT in a testing position, wherein the testing position is in a measurement fixture, wherein the testing position comprises connections for power, control, and data to the DUT; causing the DUT to transmit a wireless signal based on a test input using a first pattern definition; performing a plurality of measurements of the wireless signal using an array of antennas connected to at least one instrument, wherein the at least one instrument is configured to measure the wireless signal; comparing the plurality of measurements of the wireless signal to a plurality of expected measurements based on the first pattern definition; and determining, based at least in part on the comparison, whether the DUT meets a quality standard. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, the method further comprising: developing a signature comprising the first pattern definition; and determining a plurality of testing antenna locations associated with the first pattern definition, wherein the array of antennas comprises antennas in the plurality of testing antenna locations, wherein the plurality of expected measurements comprises respective measurements associated with respective testing antenna locations of the plurality of testing antenna locations, wherein the respective measurements are based on calculations or modeling of an ideal DUT. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein developing the signature comprises: performing modeling of a faulty DUT; and determining at least one pattern definition to expose a first fault of the faulty DUT, wherein the at least one pattern definition comprises the first pattern definition. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the comparison comprises calculating respective differences between respective measurements of the plurality of measurements and respective expected measurements of the plurality of expected measurements and comparing the respective differences to a first threshold. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the comparison further comprises: determining a number of the respective differences that exceed the first threshold; and determining whether the number is less than a second threshold. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the comparison further comprises: comparing the respective differences to a third threshold, wherein if at least one of the respective differences exceeds the third threshold, determine that the DUT does not meet the quality standard. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, the method further comprising: causing the DUT to transmit a second wireless signal based on a second test input using a second pattern definition; performing a second plurality of measurements of the second wireless signal using the array of antennas; comparing the second plurality of measurements to a second plurality of expected measurements based on the second pattern definition, wherein the determination of whether the DUT meets the quality standard is further based at least on part on the second comparison. ### Claim 15 A built-in antenna test system (BATS), comprising: a processing element; a measurement fixture; an interface, wherein the interface is configured to position a device under test (DUT) inside the measurement fixture, wherein the interface provides power, control and data connections to the DUT; and an array of antennas, wherein the array of antennas is inside the measurement fixture, wherein the array of antennas is configured to test radio frequency (RF) characteristics of the DUT, wherein at least a subset of the antennas of the array of antennas is connected to at least one instrument, wherein the at least one instrument is configured to perform over the air testing, wherein the over the air testing comprises comparing at least one over the air measurement to at least one expected measurement. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The BATS of claim 15, wherein at least one of the control or data connections is over the air. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The BATS of claim 15, wherein the power connection is over the air. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The BATS of claim 15, wherein the distance between the interface and the array of antennas is adjustable. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The BATS of claim 15, wherein the BATS is configured to perform simultaneous testing of at least one other feature of the DUT while testing RF characteristics of the DUT. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The BATS of claim 15, further comprising: a switch, wherein the switch connects the subset of the antennas to the at least one instrument while in a first position, wherein the switch connects a different subset of the antennas to the at least one instrument while in a second position.