US 9,069,037 B2 · Methods for testing wireless electronic devices using automatic self-test mode

Abstract

A device under test (DUT) may be tested using a radio-frequency test station. The DUT may include at least one antenna, wireless communications circuitry associated with the antenna, and other peripheral components such as a camera module, a display module, and audio circuitry. The test station may include a shielded enclosure in which the DUT is placed during testing. The DUT need not be electrically wired to any test equipment. The DUT may be configured to operate in self test mode. The DUT may be configured to obtain baseline noise floor measurements while all the peripheral components are deactivated and may be configured to obtain elevated noise floor measurements while selectively activating desired subsets of the peripheral components. The difference between the elevated and baseline noise floor measurements may be computed to determine whether at least some of the peripheral components negatively impact the antenna performance by an excessive amount.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method for testing an electronic device under test that contains wireless communications circuitry and peripheral input-output devices, the method comprising:

while each of the peripheral input-output devices is turned off, using the wireless communications circuitry to obtain a first radio-frequency power level measurement at a selected frequency channel and a first radio frequency power level measurement at an additional frequency channel;
after the wireless communications circuitry has obtained the first radio frequency power level measurement at the selected frequency channel and the first radio frequency power level measurement at the additional frequency channel, while at least one of the peripheral input-output devices is turned on, using the wireless communications circuitry to obtain a second radio frequency power level measurement at the selected frequency channel;
and
characterizing radio-frequency performance of the electronic device under test based on the first and second radio frequency power level measurements at the selected channel.

1 more element

A method for testing an electronic device under test using a test station, wherein the test station includes a test enclosure in which the electronic device under test is tested and wherein the electronic device under test contains processing circuitry and wireless communications circuitry, the method comprising:

using an antenna in the wireless communications circuitry to receive noise signals generated by the wireless communications circuitry and the processing circuitry, wherein the antenna does not receive radio-frequency signals generated by the test station;
with the wireless communications circuitry, making radio frequency power level measurements on the received noise signals, wherein the electronic device under test further contains peripheral input-output devices, and wherein making the radio-frequency power level measurements on the received noise signals comprises:
making a first radio frequency power level measurement in a selected frequency channel while the peripheral input-output devices are turned off;
after making the first radio frequency power level measurement in the selected frequency channel, making a first radio frequency power level measurement in an additional frequency channel while the peripheral input-output devices are turned off;
after making the first radio frequency power level measurement in the additional frequency channel, making a second radio frequency power level measurement in the selected frequency channel while a subset of the peripheral input-output devices is turned on;
and
after making the second radio frequency power level measurement in the selected frequency channel, making a second radio frequency power level measurement in a additional frequency channel while the subset of the peripheral input-output devices is turned on;
and
characterizing radio-frequency performance of the electronic device under test based on the first radio frequency power level measurements in the selected and additional frequency channels and the second radio frequency power level measurements in the selected and additional frequency channels.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods for testing wireless electronic devices using automatic self-test mode

Life of this patent

Methods for testing wireless electronic devices using automatic self-test mode

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18