Methods for reducing path loss while testing wireless electronic devices with multiple antennas

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9319908-B2
Application number	US-201113272067-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2011
Priority date	Oct 12, 2011
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

A test station may include a test host, a test unit, and a test enclosure. A device under test (DUT) having at least first and second antennas may be placed in the test enclosure during production testing. Radio-frequency test signals may be conveyed from the test unit to the DUT using a test antenna in the test enclosure. In a first time period during which the performance of the first antenna is being tested, the DUT may be oriented in a first position such that path loss between the first antenna and the test antenna is minimized. In a second time period during which the performance of the second antenna is being tested, the DUT may be oriented in a second position such that path loss between the second antenna and the test antenna is minimized. The DUT is marked as a passing DUT if gathered test data is satisfactory.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for using a test station to test a production device under test that includes at least first and second antenna structures, wherein the first and second antenna structures are formed on opposing sides of the production device under test, and wherein the test station includes a test enclosure, the method comprising:
coupling the production device under test to a test fixture in the test enclosure;
positioning the production device under test in a first orientation;
after positioning the production device under test in the first orientation and while the production device under test is coupled to the test fixture, gathering test measurements on only the first antenna structure to determine whether the first antenna structure satisfies predetermined performance criteria associated with the first antenna structure, wherein test measurements are only gathered on the first antenna structure while the production device under test is in the first orientation;
after gathering test measurements on only the first antenna, positioning the production device under test in a second orientation that is different than the first orientation; and
following positioning the production device under test in a second orientation and the gathering of test measurements on only the first antenna structure and while the production device under test is still coupled to the test fixture, gathering test measurements on only the second antenna structure to determine whether the second antenna structure satisfies predetermined performance criteria associated with the second antenna structure, wherein test measurements are only gathered on the second antenna structure while the production device under test is in the second orientation.

2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein positioning the production device under test from the first orientation to the second orientation comprises rotating the production device under test about a rotational axis.

3. The method defined in claim 1 wherein positioning the production device under test from the first orientation to the second orientation comprises rotating the production device under test about a rotational axis that is perpendicular to a planar base surface of the test enclosure.

4. The method defined in claim 1 wherein positioning the production device under test from the first orientation to the second orientation comprises vertically shifting the production device under test about along an axis that is perpendicular to a planar base surface of the test enclosure.

5. The method defined in claim 1 wherein positioning the production device under test from the first orientation to the second orientation comprises horizontally shifting the production device under test about along an axis that is parallel to a planar base surface of the test enclosure.

6. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the test enclosure includes a test antenna and wherein positioning the production device under test in the first orientation comprises positioning the production device under test such that over-the-air radio-frequency signal path loss between the test antenna and the first antenna structure is minimized.

7. The method defined in claim 6 wherein positioning the production device under test in the second orientation comprises positioning the production device under test such that over-the-air radio-frequency signal path loss between the test antenna and the second antenna structure is minimized.

8. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising:
in response to determining that at least one of the first and second antenna structures fails to satisfy the predetermined performance criteria, marking the production device under test as a failing device that needs to be reworked.

9. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising:
in response to determining that the first and second antenna structures satisfy the predetermined performance criteria, marking the production device under test as a passing device and packaging the passing device as a brand new product.

10. A method for using a test station to test a device under test that includes at least first and second antenna structures, wherein the test station includes a test enclosure and a test antenna within the test enclosure, the method comprising:
switching the second antenna structure out of use;
after switching the second antenna structure out of use and while the device under test is mated with a test fixture within the test enclosure, positioning the device under test in a first orientation that minimizes over-the-air radio-frequency signal path loss for radio-frequency signals traveling between the test antenna and the first antenna structure;
performing radio-frequency measurements on the first antenna structure while the device under test is in the first orientation, wherein radio-frequency measurements are only performed on the first antenna structure while the device under test is in the first orientation;
switching the first antenna structure out of use and switching the second antenna structure into use;
after switching the first antenna structure out of use and switching the second antenna structure into use and while the device under test is mated with the test fixture, positioning the device under test in a second orientation that minimizes over-the-air radio-frequency signal path loss for radio-frequency signals travelling between the test antenna and the second antenna structure; and
performing radio-frequency measurements on the second antenna structure while the device under test is in the second orientation, wherein radio-frequency measurements are only performed on the second antenna structure while the device under test is in the second orientation.

11. The method defined in claim 10 wherein the test enclosure comprises a transverse electromagnetic cell.

12. The method defined in claim 10 wherein positioning the device under test from the first orientation to the second orientation comprises rotating the device under test about a rotational axis.

13. The method defined in claim 10 wherein positioning the device under test from the first orientation to the second orientation comprises shifting the device under test along an axis.

14. The method defined in claim 10 wherein the test antenna comprises a near field communications element suitable for transmitting and receiving radio-frequency signals to and from the device under test using near field electromagnetic coupling mechanisms.

15. The method defined in claim 10 further comprising:
using the test station to calibrate a reference device under test to determine the first and second orientations for use when testing the device under test.

16. A method for using a test station to test a device under test that includes at least first and second antenna structures, wherein the test station includes a test enclosure and a near field communications element within the test enclosure, the method comprising:
positioning the device under test in a first orientation, wherein the first antenna structure is positioned closer to the near field communications element than the second antenna structure in the first orientation;
while the device under test is in the first orientation, receiving radio-frequency signals from the first antenna structure of the device under test with the near field communications element using near field electromagnetic coupling without receiving any radio-frequency signals from the second antenna structure of the device under test with the near field communications element while the device under test is in the

Assignees

• Nickel Joshua G
• Pascolini Mattia
• Shen Jr-Yi
• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Nickel Joshua G
• Pascolini Mattia
• Shen Jr-Yi

Classifications

• H04W24/06 Primary

  Testing, {supervising or monitoring} using simulated traffic · CPC title

• G01R29/10

  Radiation diagrams of antennas · CPC title

• G01R29/0821

  rooms and test sites therefor, e.g. anechoic chambers, open field sites or TEM cells (for testing antennas G01R29/105) · CPC title