Method for measuring beam steering characteristics and measurement system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10732213-B2
Application number	US-201715676718-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2017
Priority date	Aug 14, 2017
Publication date	Aug 4, 2020
Grant date	Aug 4, 2020

Abstract

A method for measuring beam steering characteristics of a device under test using a measurement system comprising a probe array with at least two field probes. The field probes can be arranged at different angles with respect to the device under test. A reference unit for calibrating the probe array is provided. At least two calibration measurements with different main radiation directions of the reference unit are performed wherein a predefined number of field probes of the probe array is used for measuring the radiation pattern of the reference unit. A calibration dataset for at least each field probe of the predefined number of field probes and each radiation direction is generated and stored. The reference unit is replaced by a device under test such that the device under test is located at the same measurement position as the reference unit was during the calibration measurements. A measurement of the device under test is performed by using the predefined number of field probes of the probe array.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A method for measuring beam steering characteristics of a device under test using a measurement system, the measurement system comprising a probe array with at least two field probes, said field probes being arranged at different angles with respect to said device under test, the method comprising:
providing a reference unit for calibrating said probe array, said reference unit positioned at a measurement position that is a distance D with respect to the probe array and configured to generate at least two radiation patterns each with a different main radiation direction;
performing at least two calibration measurements of said main radiation patterns of said reference unit, wherein a predefined number of field probes of said probe array is used for measuring said at least two radiation patterns of said reference unit;
generating a calibration dataset for at least each field probe of said predefined number of field probes and each radiation direction;
storing said calibration datasets;
replacing, after said performing at least two calibration measurements, said reference unit with said device under test such that said device under test is located at said measurement position; and
performing a measurement of said device under test by using said predefined number of field probes of said probe array.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said probe array remains in its position.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the same field probes of said probe array are used for said calibration measurements and said measurement of said device under test.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein all field probes of said probe array are used for said calibration measurements and said measurement of said device under test.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein all calibration datasets generated are used to determine the main radiation direction of said device under test.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the main radiation direction of said device under test is calculated.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein said main radiation direction is determined by calculating the smallest error against said calibration datasets generated.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein said smallest error is calculated by taking said calibration datasets of said predefined number of field probes into account.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein said smallest error is calculated by using at least one of a root means squared error, a mean absolute error, and a mean squared error.

10. The method according to claim 5 , wherein an interpolation of the measurement results is performed based on said calibration datasets such that at least the second smallest error is also taken into account in order to determine said main radiation direction of said device under test.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said interpolation is performed by taking all calibration datasets of said predefined number of field probes into account.

12. The method according to claim 5 , wherein an interpolation of the measurement results is performed based on said calibration datasets of the field probes surrounding said field probe located closest to the main radiation direction determined.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the position of said probe array with respect to said device under test or said reference unit is defined at least by the azimuth angle and the elevation angle.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said reference unit is a reference antenna.

Assignees

• Rohde & Schwarz

Inventors

• Gerbl Florian
• Neuhaeusler Chlodwig

Classifications

• H01Q3/267 Primary

  Phased-array testing or checking devices · CPC title

• G01R35/007

  Standards or reference devices, e.g. voltage or resistance standards, "golden references" · CPC title

• G01R29/10 Primary

  Radiation diagrams of antennas · CPC title