Measurement system and method of determining an energy usage parameter of an electronic device under test

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11480593-B1
Application number	US-202117389703-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 30, 2021
Priority date	Jul 30, 2021
Publication date	Oct 25, 2022
Grant date	Oct 25, 2022

Abstract

A measurement system for determining an energy usage parameter of an electronic device under test is described. The measurement system includes a thermal chamber and an analysis circuit. The thermal chamber includes a housing, a temperature regulator and a thermal control circuit. The housing encloses an interior space of the thermal chamber, wherein the interior space is configured to accommodate the device under test. The thermal control circuit is configured to control the temperature regulator to keep a temperature of the interior space at a predefined reference temperature. The thermal control circuit is configured to determine a power consumption of the temperature regulator, wherein the power consumption is associated with keeping the temperature of the interior space at the predefined reference temperature. The analysis circuit is configured to determine at least one energy usage parameter of the device under test based on the determined power consumption. Further, a method of determining an energy usage parameter of an electronic device under test is described.

First claim

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

1. A measurement system for determining an energy usage parameter of an electronic device under test, comprising: a thermal chamber and an analysis circuit, the thermal chamber comprising a housing, a temperature regulator and a thermal control circuit,
wherein the housing encloses an interior space of the thermal chamber, the interior space being configured to accommodate the device under test,
wherein the thermal control circuit is configured to control the temperature regulator to keep a temperature of the interior space at a predefined reference temperature,
wherein the thermal control circuit is configured to determine a power consumption of the temperature regulator, wherein the power consumption is associated with keeping the temperature of the interior space at the predefined reference temperature, and
wherein the analysis circuit is configured to determine at least one energy usage parameter of the device under test based on the determined power consumption.

2. The measurement system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one energy usage parameter comprises at least one of a total power consumption of the device under test, a heat loss associated with the device under test, a usable power portion of the device under test, or a power efficiency of the device under test.

3. The measurement system of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises at least one sealable opening for supplying cold air or hot air to the interior space.

4. The measurement system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal chamber comprises an internal temperature sensor, wherein the internal temperature sensor is configured to sense an actual internal temperature of the interior space.

5. The measurement system of claim 4 , wherein the analysis circuit is configured to determine the at least one energy usage parameter of the device under test based on the sensed actual internal temperature of the interior space.

6. The measurement system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal chamber comprises an external temperature sensor, wherein the external temperature sensor is configured to sense an actual external temperature of an immediate environment of the housing.

7. The measurement system of claim 6 , wherein the analysis circuit is configured to determine the at least one energy usage parameter of the device under test based on the sensed actual external temperature of the interior space.

8. The measurement system of claim 6 , wherein the thermal chamber comprises an internal temperature sensor, wherein the internal temperature sensor is configured to sense an actual internal temperature of the interior space, and wherein the analysis circuit is configured to determine the at least one energy usage parameter of the device under test based on a difference between the external temperature and the internal temperature.

9. The measurement system of claim 1 , wherein the predefined temperature varies over time.

10. The measurement system of claim 1 , wherein the housing is transparent for electromagnetic waves in a predetermined frequency range.

11. The measurement system of claim 1 , further comprising an RF test chamber, wherein the thermal chamber is arranged in the RF test chamber.

12. The measurement system of claim 11 , wherein the RF test chamber comprises an anechoic chamber.

13. The measurement system of claim 11 , wherein the RF test chamber is configured to determine at least one RF emission parameter of the device under test, wherein the RF emission parameter is associated with RF waves emitted by the device under test.

14. The measurement system of claim 1 , wherein the analysis circuit comprises a machine-learning circuit, wherein the machine-learning circuit is trained to determine the at least one energy usage parameter of the device under test based on the determined power consumption of the temperature regulator.

15. The measurement system of claim 14 , wherein the machine-learning circuit comprises an artificial neural network.

16. The measurement system of claim 14 , wherein the machine-learning circuit is trained by placing a heater having known thermal emissions into the interior space of the thermal chamber.

17. The measurement system of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic device under test being arranged in the interior space of the thermal chamber.

18. A method of determining an energy usage parameter of an electronic device under test by a measurement system, the measurement system comprising a thermal chamber and an analysis circuit, the thermal chamber comprising a housing, a temperature regulator and a thermal control circuit, wherein the housing encloses an interior space of the thermal chamber, the interior space being configured to accommodate the device under test, the method comprising:
providing the electronic device under test in the interior space of the thermal chamber;
powering the device under test;
keeping an internal temperature of the interior space at a predefined reference temperature by the temperature regulator that is controlled by the thermal control circuit;
determining a power consumption of the temperature regulator, wherein the power consumption is associated with keeping the temperature of the interior space at the predefined reference temperature; and
determining at least one energy usage parameter of the device under test based on the determined power consumption.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the thermal chamber is arranged in an RF test chamber, and wherein at least one RF emission parameter of the device under test is determined by the RF test chamber, wherein the RF emission parameter is associated with RF waves emitted by the device under test.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the at least one energy usage parameter comprises at least one of a total power consumption of the device under test, a heat loss associated with the device under test, a usable power portion of the device under test, or a power efficiency of the device under test.

Assignees

• Rohde & Schwarz

Inventors

• Sterzbach Bernhard
• Steffan Byron-Lim Timothy
• Dippon Andreas

Classifications

• G01R31/28

  Testing of electronic circuits, e.g. by signal tracer ({EMC, EMP or similar testing of electronic circuits G01R31/002;} testing for short-circuits, discontinuities, leakage or incorrect line connection G01R31/50; checking computers {or computer components} G06F11/00; checking static stores for correct operation G11C29/00 {; testing receivers or transmitters of transmission systems H04B17/00}) · CPC title

• G01R21/133

  by using digital technique · CPC title

• G01R21/02 Primary

  by thermal methods {, e.g. calorimetric} · CPC title

• G01R29/0864

  characterised by constructional or functional features · CPC title

• G01R29/105

  using anechoic chambers; Chambers or open field sites used therefor (test sites used for measuring on other objects than aerials G01R29/0828; wave absorbing devices H01Q17/00) · CPC title