Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04B—TRANSMISSION
  • H04B17/00—Monitoring; Testing
  • H04B17/0082—Monitoring; Testing using service channels; using auxiliary channels
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04B—TRANSMISSION
  • H04B17/00—Monitoring; Testing
  • H04B17/0082—Monitoring; Testing using service channels; using auxiliary channels
  • H04B17/0085—Monitoring; Testing using service channels; using auxiliary channels using test signal generators
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04B—TRANSMISSION
  • H04B17/00—Monitoring; Testing
  • H04B17/0082—Monitoring; Testing using service channels; using auxiliary channels
  • H04B17/0087—Monitoring; Testing using service channels; using auxiliary channels using auxiliary channels or channel simulators

Definitions

• the invention relates to a method of simulating a radio channel, and to a device.
• Radio channel simulation techniques provide efficient and cost- effective means for mimicking a radio channel between radio transceivers in a well-defined environment.
• a signal representing a transmit antenna signal is subjected to digital processing, which characterizes propagation effects and interference on the transmit signal.
• Radio channel simulation is a complex process requiring high processing power, which is proportional to the number of propagation effects taken into account in the simulation and the bandwidth used in the air interface between the two transceivers. The complexity of the calculation and the required processing power increases substantially if the simulation parameters, such as the bandwidth of the transmission, the number of propagation channels, the number of propagation paths, and the number and/or type of propagation effects, are increased.
• Simulating a radio channel requires the simulation of a propagation channel between a transmit-receive antenna pair provided by the antennas forming the radio channel. Assume that M transmit antennas and N antennas are used in forming the radio channel, and L propagation paths are taken into account in each propagation channel formed by each transmit-receive antenna pair. Let the bandwidth of the transmission be B. In such as case, the complexity of the calculation and the required processing power is proportional to the product of N, M, L, and B. When the values of the aforementioned figures increase, the required processing power, the number of processing elements providing the processing power, and the cost of the channel simulation may become too high. Therefore, it is attractive to consider methods and techniques to improve the efficiency of radio channel simulators.
• An object of the invention is to provide an improved method and device for simulating a radio channel.
• a method of simulating a radio channel including: configuring, on site, a configurable processing resource with a control information data stream to process a first transmit test signal according to the characteristics of a first test signal; and simulating at least a portion of a first propagation channel of the radio channel by processing a first transmit test signal with the processing resource.
• a device for simulating a radio channel including: a processing unit including a configurable processing resource for processing a first transmit test signal in order to simulate at least a portion of a first propagation channel of the radio channel, which processing resource is configurable on site with a control information data stream; and a control unit (330) connected to the processing unit (314), for configuring the processing resource (316A) on site with the control information data stream (332A) according to the characteristics of the first transmit test signal.
• a processing unit including a configurable processing resource for processing a first transmit test signal in order to simulate at least a portion of a first propagation channel of the radio channel, which processing resource is configurable on site with a control information data stream; and a control unit (330) connected to the processing unit (314), for configuring the processing resource (316A) on site with the control information data stream (332A) according to the characteristics of the first transmit test signal.
• a control unit connected to the processing unit (314), for configuring the processing resource (316A) on site with the control
• Figure 1 illustrates a signal propagation environment typical of radio systems
• Figure 2 illustrates an exemplified channel model by means of a block diagram
• Figure 3 shows an example of embodiments of the device of the invention
• Figure 4 shows a first example of a use of processing resources
• Figure 5 shows a second example of a use of processing resources
• Figure 6 shows an example of methodology according to embodiments of the invention.
• Figure 1 illustrates a propagation channel 114 formed by a transmit receive-antenna pair, which consists of a transmit antenna 100 and a receive antenna 102.
• a transmit signal 116 is inputted into the transmit antenna 100, which converts the transmit signal 116 into an electromagnetic wave 16.
• a portion of the electromagnetic wave 116 hits the receive antenna 102, which converts the portion of the electromagnetic wave 116 into a receive signal 118.
• the propagation channel 114 includes at least one propagation path 104, 106 for the electromagnetic wave 116.
• the electromagnetic wave 116 carries information between the transmit antenna 100 and the receive antenna 102.
• a plurality of propagation paths 104, 106 occurs in a propagation channel 114.
• the amplitude of the receive signal 118 is a vector sum of the multi-path components of the electromagnetic field 116. While propagating from the transmit antenna 100 to the receive antenna 102, the electromagnetic wave 116 is subjected to propagation effects, such as attenuation, absorption, reflection, scattering, diffraction, and refraction. Some of the propagation effects, such as absorption, reflection, scattering, diffraction, and refraction, may be caused by obstructions 108, 110, 112, which are encountered by the electromagnetic wave 116. Some of the obstructions 108, 110, 112 may be in a motion relative to the transmit antenna 100 and/or receive antenna 102.
• Attenuation typically arises from the reduction of the power of the electromagnetic wave as a function of the physical length of a propagation path 104, 106.
• the propagation effects may affect the amplitude, phase and frequency of the electromagnetic wave 116.
• interference to the electromagnetic wave 116 may occur from other signal sources, such as radio transmitters, and from thermal noise.
• Figure 1 further shows propagation paths 104, 106, which represent different routes of the electromagnetic wave 116 from the transmit antenna 100 to the receive antenna.
• the propagation paths 104, 106 typically represent routes, which provide the most favourable propagation effects for the electromagnetic wave 116 in terms of the receive power of the electromagnetic wave 116 in the receive antenna 102.
• Each propagation path 104, 106 may have its characteristic propagation effects on the electromagnetic wave 116.
• a response of the propagation channel 114 to the transmit signal 116 is simulated.
• the propagation channel 114 depends on the characteristics of the transmit antenna 100 and the receive antenna 102.
• the wave front associated with the electromagnetic wave 116 is dependent on the type of transmit antenna 100.
• the sampling of the portions of the electromagnetic wave 116 arriving to the receive antenna 102 depend on the type of the receive antenna 102. Therefore, the antenna characteristics of the transmit antenna 100 and the receive antenna 102 may be taken into account in radio channel simulation.
• the exemplified propagation channel 114 shown in Figure 1 illustrates a case, wherein one transmit antenna 100 and one receive antenna 102 are used.
• a plurality of propagation channels is formed by antenna pairs, which are obtained by combining individual transmit antennas and receive antennas. Each transmit-receive antenna pair forms an antenna-pair-specific propagation channel with antenna-pair-specific propagation paths.
• Radio channel simulation is typically based on a model characterizing the propagation channels.
• Figure 2 shows a block diagram representation of a radio channel and the associated radio channel parameters. The exemplified radio channel shown in Figure 2 is MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output), which is formed by using at least two transmit antennas 206, 208 and at least two receive antennas 210, 212.
• MIMO Multiple-Input Multiple-Output
• Radio channel simulation may be performed between two transceivers, such as a base transceiver station and a mobile station, of a telecommunications system.
• the invention is not, however, restricted to a telecommunications system, but may be applied to any system employing an air interface is apparent to a person skilled in the art, how to apply teachings learnt from a MIMO channel to simpler systems, such as SISO (Single-Input Single-Output), MISO (Multiple-Input Single-Output) and SIMO (Single-Input Multiple-Output).
• SISO Single-Input Single-Output
• MISO Multiple-Input Single-Output
• SIMO Single-Input Multiple-Output
• Figure 2 shows a transmitter 200 connected to transmit antennas 206, 208, a receiver 202 connected to receive antennas 210, 212, and a radio channel 204 including the effects from the propagation paths and the antennas 208 to 212.
• the transmitter 200 inputs transmit signals 220A and 220B into the transmit antennas 206 and 208, respectively.
• the receiver 202 receives a portion of the electromagnetic wave produced by the transmit antennas 206, 208 and outputs receive signals 222A and 222B from the receive antennas 210 and 212, respectively.
• Figure 2 further shows propagation channels 214, 216, 218, and 220 of the transmit-receive antenna pairs [206, 210], [206, 212], [208, 210], and [208, 212] respectively, which may be provided by the available antennas.
• the radio channel 204 may be represented using a channel equation
• coefficient h k j represent the portion of the radio channel formed by the k th transmit antenna and the j th receive antenna.
• the channel coefficients may also be called channels tap and/or impulse responses. In a wideband channel with a bandwidth of B, the channel taps may further characterize the frequency response of the propagation channel. The temporal variation of the radio channel and a multi-path propagation may be accounted for by writing wherein subscript I refers to an I th propagation path.
• Each propagation path I may be associated with a propagation-path-specific channel coefficient hl.(t) and a receive signal v (t).
• the channel coefficient k l .(t) and the receive signal y j l t) may or may not have a time dependence.
• the channel coefficients hL(i) are typically complex variables.
• the propagation of a radio signal is simulated by subjecting a transmit test signal to a chain of mathematical operations and/or splitting and combining the transmit test signal while it propagates in the simulation circuitry.
• a mathematical operation represents at least one propagation effect on the transmit test signal.
• the mathematical operations are typically carried out in the digital domain by means of digital signal processing in the processing unit 314.
• the output signal from the simulating device represents the receive antenna signal.
• the mathematical representation of the radio channel may be based on the channel model shown in Equation (1), for example.
• the mathematical formulation of the propagation effects may be approximated at a desired accuracy, and the net effect of each propagation path 104, 106 may be presented with a channel coefficient hj_.(t).
• the propagation channel is a superposition of the feasible propagation paths 104, 106.
• Figure 3 shows an exemplified device according to embodiments of the invention.
• the processing unit 314 includes at least one processing resource 316A, 316B, which may be a memory element, an adder, a multiplier, an interpolator, a decimator, a delay element, a signal source, a FIR filter, or a combination thereof.
• the processing resource 316A, 316B implements a mathematical operation, or a portion of a mathematical operation.
• the processing resource 316A, 316B may be implemented with digital signal processors, memory means, such as RAM (Random Access Memory), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA), ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), buses, switches, digital computers, and software.
• RAM Random Access Memory
• FPGA Field Programmable Gate Arrays
• ASICs Application Specific Integrated Circuit
• the first transmit test signal 306B and the second transmit test signal 306C may be, for example, digital signals suitable for digital processing.
• the first transmit test signal 306B (x' k -i) typically represents an antenna signal directed at the transmit antenna of the first transmit-receive antenna pair, such as one of those represented in conjunction with Figure 2.
• the frequency of the first transmit test signal 306B may be proportional to the radio frequency of the transmit antenna signal.
• the second transmit test signal 306C (x' k2 ) typically characterizes an antenna signal directed at the transmit antenna of the second transmit- receive antenna pair, such as one of those represented in conjunction with Figure 2.
• the frequency of the second transmit test signal 306B may be proportional to the radio frequency of the transmit antenna signal.
• the first transmit test signal 306B (x' k i) and the second transmit test signal 306C (x' k2 ) may correspond to vector components XR of the transmit signal vector.
• the first transmit test signal 306B and the second transmit signal 306C originate from separate radio signal sources.
• a radio signal source may be for example a mobile station, a base transceiver station, and a noise generator. It is noted, that the bandwidth of the first transmit signal 306B may be different from the bandwidth of the second transmit signal 306C.
• the first transmit-receive antenna pair and the second transmit- receive antenna pair may share either a receive antenna or a transmit antenna.
• the first transmit test signal 306B and the second transmit test signal 306C may be a single test signal.
• the single test signal is, however, split into at least two parts in the processing unit 314. One part is processed according to the properties of the first propagation channel. Another part is processed according to the properties of the second propagation channel.
• the processing resource 316A processes the first transmit test signal 306B in order to simulate at least a portion of a first propagation channel of the radio channel.
• the processing resource 316A processes the second transmit test signal 306C in order to simulate at least a portion of a second propagation channel of the radio channel.
• a portion of a propagation channel may be a propagation path 104, 106 of the propagation channel 114, a portion of a propagation path 104, 106, or noise.
• the portion of the propagation channel may also be a portion of a single propagation effect, such as attenuation, absorption, reflection, scattering, diffraction, and refraction, or a combination thereof.
• the processing resource 316A outputs a first receive test signal 318B (y'ji) generated by the processing resource 316A from the first transmit test signal 306B.
• the processing resource 316A further outputs a second receive test signal 318C (y'j 2 ) generated by the processing resource 316A from the second transmit test signal 306B.
• the first receive test signal 318B and the second receive test signal 318C may be inputted to another processing resource 316B or to a device external to the processing unit 314. It is noted that the first receive test signal 318B and the second receive test signal 318C do not necessarily represent the receive signals, such as the receive signals 222A, 222B shown in Figure 2, but may be subjected to further processing. However, for the ease of discussion, it is assumed that the processing resource 316A provides the receive test signals 318B, 318C, which at least at some accuracy represent the receive signals, such as signals 222A and 222B. Therefore, it is further assumed, for the ease of discussion, that the receive test signals may correspond to different components yj of the receive vector of the channel model shown in Equation (1 ).
• the processing resource 316A is configurable, on site, according to the characteristics of the radio channel being simulated or/and the characteristics of the transmit test signal 306B, 306C being processed.
• the processing resource 316A such as one implemented with a FPGA or a digital signal processor, is reconfigured to change the processing characteristics, such as the length of a delay, a value of the multiplying coefficient in a multiplier, and/or an interpolation accuracy.
• the processing resource 316A may be controlled by a control unit 330 connected to the processing unit 314 and the processing resource 316A.
• the processing resource 316A may be configured, for example, by feeding a control information data stream 332A, 332B into the processing resource 316A, 326B.
• the control information data stream 332A, 332B may include information on radio channel characteristics, information on the transmit test signal, and/or FPGA programming information, for example.
• the programming information may include a computer program dedicated to a specified functionality of FPGA.
• FPGA may be programmed according to the processing characteristics in order to obtain the required simulation characterisrics.
• the control unit 330 may be implemented with a computer and software and equipped with suitable memory means and a bus structure, which enables connections to the processing unit 314.
• the control unit 330 may be further connected to a user interface, which provides the necessary control information regarding simulation parameters defining the radio channel characteristics, for example.
• the device includes a plurality of processing resources 316A, 316B connectable to each other according to the characteristics of the radio channel being simulated, and/or the characteristics of the transmit test signal 306B, 306C being processed.
• the plurality of processing resources 316A, 316B may form a network-like structure including switches.
• a combination of switch positions provide a specific combination of processing resources 316A, 316B, which combination performs a desired process on the transmit test signal 306B, 306C.
• Figures 4 and 5 illustrate a case, wherein two different functional units are provided by a plurality of processing resources 316A, 316B, which may be delay elements 404A to 404B, multipliers 406A to 406C and an adder 408.
• the delay lengths of the delay elements 404A, 404B and 404B are represented by ⁇ -i, ⁇ , ⁇ 3 ⁇ respectively.
• the multiplying coefficients of the multipliers 406A, 406B and 406C are represented by g-i, g 2 and g 3 , respectively.
• the values of the delay lengths and multiplying coefficients may vary according to the control information data stream 332A provided by the control unit 330.
• the relative position of the processing resources 404A to 408 may be controlled by switches not shown in Figures 4 and 5.
• the switch configuration may be controlled by the control unit 330.
• the delay element 404A and the multiplier 406A provide the first propagation path of propagation channel.
• the delay element 404B and the multiplier 406B provide the second propagation path of the propagation channel.
• the delay element 404C and the multiplier 406C provide the third propagation path of the propagation channel.
• An input signal 402 is inputted into the delay elements 404A to 404B.
• the input signal 402 may represent a portion of the first transmit test signal 306B or a portion of the second transmit test signal 306C, for example.
• the input signal 402 is delayed in the delay elements 404A to 404C and multiplied in the multipliers 406A to 406C according to a desired characteristic of the three propagation paths.
• the signals propagated through the propagation paths are combined in the adder, and an output signal 410 is outputted.
• the output signal 410 may represent a portion of the first receive test signal 318B or a portion of the second receive test signal 318C.
• the delay elements 404A to 404C are connected in series.
• An input signal 502 is inputted to the first delay element 406A, and after each delay element, a signal is conducted to the multiplier 406A to 406D.
• the signals from the multipliers 406A to 406D are summed in the adder 408. It is noted, that the values of the delay lengths and multiplying coefficients may be different from the values in the example of Figure 2.
• Figure 5 represents a case, where the transmit signal is distributed to successive propagation paths, wherein each propagation path is divided into branches.
• the attenuation and phase shifts of each branch are represented by the multipliers 406A to 406D.
• the summing operation performed by the adder 408 combines the signals from the different branches.
• the resulting output signal 504 represents the first receive test signal 318B or second receive test signal 318C.
• the combination of the delay elements 404A to 404C, the multipliers 406A to 406C and the adder 408 represent portions of two different propagation channels. It is noted, that the different combinations of the delay elements 404A to 404C, multipliers 406A to 406C and the adder 408 may be obtained by reconfiguring FPGAs or altering a network of electric components, such as ASICs.
• the configuration of the processing resource 316A and the organization of a system including a plurality of processing resources 316A, 316B may be based on the characteristics of the radio channel being simulated and/or the characteristics of the transmit test signal 306B, 306C being processed.
• the characteristics of the radio channel include a number of propagation channels, i.e. a number of transmit and receive antennas, a number of propagation paths in a propagation channel, and a number of propagation effects to be taken into account in the simulation.
• the characteristic of the transmit test signal 306B, 306C may be a bandwidth, for example.
• control unit 330 allocates the processing resource 316A to process a transmit test signal 306B, 306C according to requirements, such as the number of propagation paths in a propagation channel, the frequency characteristics of the transmit test signal being processed, the number of propagation channels, calculation precision, and delay resolution.
• the allocation of a processing resource 316A may be implemented by configuring a processing resource 316A and/or a set of processing resources 316A, 316B.
• the processing resource 316A or a set of processing resources 316A, 316B may be allocated to increase the number of communication channels, at a cost of de-allocating processing resources 316A from other characteristics, such as the number of propagation paths and/or the bandwidth of the transmit test signal 306B, 306C.
• the invention provides a flexible device and method of simulating a radio channel capable of allocating processing resources to various elements in the radio channel during a simulation and between different simulations according to the characteristics of the simulated radio channel and the characteristics of the transmitted signal.
• allocating processing resources to the bandwidth of the transmit test signal consider a case, wherein the bandwidth of the radio frequency transmit antenna 302A to 302D signal is B.
• the radio frequency band is down-converted to the base band frequency f BB with a bandwidth proportional to B.
• the frequency band of the base band transmit signal 306A to 306D is divided into at least two sub-bands, and each sub-band is inputted to a sub-band-specific processing resource 316A, 316B.
• the division into sub- bands may be done in the analogue domain, for example. For instance, if the number of sub-bands is three, three processing resources 316A, 316B are needed to process the transmit test signal with bandwidth of B.
• Each processing resource 316A, 316B may be configured according to the sub-band frequency being processed.
• the three processing resources 316A, 316B may also be arranged to provide three propagation channels or three propagation channels for a transmit signal with a bandwidth of B/3.
• the first transmit test signal 306B and the second transmit test signal 306C are inputted simultaneously to the processing resource 316A.
• the first transmit test signal 306B and the second transmit test signal 306C may be inputted into a same input bus or separate input buses of the processing resource 316A.
• the processing resource 316A may perform a task, such as propagation channel simulation, for both transmit test signals 306B, 306A after which the two resulting signals are separated and routed to other processing resources 316B or out of the processing unit 314.
• the device includes a multiplexing arrangement operationally connected to the processing unit 314 for multiplexing the proc- essing resource 316A between a simulation of the first propagation channel and a simulation of the second propagation channel.
• the multiplexing arrangement implements a time multiplexing of the processing resource 316A such that the processing resource 316A is arranged to process a propagation channel per time.
• the multiplexing rate i.e. the frequency at which the allocation of the processing resource 316A is changed from one propagation channel to another, may be based on the complexity of the channel.
• the multiplexing arrangement includes a transmit multiplexer 310 and a receive de-multiplexer 324.
• the transmit multiplexer 310 receives the first transmit signal 306B and the second transmit signal 306C and outputs them at different time instants.
• the first transmit signal 306B and the second transmit signal 306C may be received simultaneously using a parallel format or at different time instants using a serial format. It is also possible to receive the two signals 306B, 306C in a packet format.
• the receive de-multiplexer 324 receives the first receive test signal 318B and the second receive test signal 318C at different time instants and outputs them simultaneously in parallel format or at different time instants using serial format. It is also possible to output the two signals 318B, 318C in a packet format.
• the multiplexer 310 and the de-multiplexer 324 may be implemented by using memory means and switches, for example.
• the multiplexer 310 and the de-multiplexer 324 may further include digital processors for preprocessing and post-processing digital signals.
• the operation and structure of the multiplexing devices are known to a person skilled in the art and, therefore, will not be discussed in further detail.
• the device includes a transmit routing unit 312 operationally connected to the process unit 314.
• the transmit routing unit 312 routes the first transmit test signal 306B from the transmit interface 304B of the first transmit-receive antenna pair to the processing resource 316A.
• the transmit routing unit 312 further routes the second transmit test signal 306C from the transmit interface 304C of the second transmit- receive antenna pair to the processing resource 316A.
• the device may include a transmit interface unit 304 for providing transmit interfaces 304A to 304D for antenna signals 302A to 302D inputted into the device.
• the antenna signals 302A to 302D inputted to the transmit interfaces 304A to 304D may be radio frequency signals, analogue base band signals, digital base band signals, or optical signals, for example.
• the antenna signal 302A to 302D may also be provided in a packet format, when the antenna signal is in a base band frequency.
• the transmit interface 304A to 304D may output transmit test signals 306A to 306D.
• the transmit interface 304A to 304D may be dedicated to a single transmit antenna.
• a transmit interface 304A to 304D may include a filter, a down- converter, an optical detector, and an analogue-to-digital converter.
• the transmit interface may convert a real radio-frequency antenna signal into a base band frequency.
• the transmit routing unit 312 receives the first transmit test signal 306B and the second transmit test signal 306C from the transmit interface unit 304 or from the transmit multiplexer 310 and routes the test signals 306B, 306C to the desired processing resource 316A.
• the processing resource 316A and the route of the transmit test signals 306B, 306C may be selected based on routing information provided by the control unit 330.
• the control unit 330 performs resource management based on knowledge on the resource requirement and the available resources.
• the routing unit 312 may include switches, memory means, and processors.
• the device further includes a receive routing unit 322 operationally connected to the processing unit 314.
• the receive routing unit 322 routes the first receive test signal 318B from the processing resource 316A to the receive interface 326B of the first transmit-receive antenna pair.
• the receive routing unit 322 further routes the second receive test signal 318C from the processing resource 316A to the receive interface 326C of the second transmit-receive antenna pair, which second receive test signal 318C is generated by the processing resource 316A from the second transmit test signal 306B.
• the device may include a receive interface unit 326 for providing receive interfaces 326A to 326D for receiving test signals 318A, 318D outputted by the processing unit 314.
• a receive interface 326A to 326D may be dedicated to a single receive antenna.
• the receive interfaces 326A to 326D may output receive antenna signals 328A to 328D to an external device, such as a base transceiver station, a mobile station or a signal analyser.
• the receive antenna signals 328A to 328D may be radio frequency signals, analogue base band signals, digital base band signals, or optical signals, for example.
• the receive antenna signals 328A to 328D may also be provided in a packet format.
• a receive interface 326A to 326D may include a filter, a down- converter, an optical light source, and a digital-to-analogue converter.
• the receive interface may, for example, convert a digital base band signal onto a radio frequency.
• the receive routing unit 322 receives the first receive test signal 318B and the second receive test signal 318C from the processing unit 314 or from the receive de-multiplexer 324.
• the receive routing unit 322 routes the first receive test signal 318B to the receive interface 328B, which corresponds to the receive antenna of the first transmit-receive antenna pair.
• the receive routing unit 322 further routes the second receive test signal 318C to the receive interface 328C, which represents the receive antenna of the second transmit-receive antenna pair.
• the transmit routing and the receive routing may be based on the packet format of the transmit test signals 306B, 306C and the receive test signals 318B, 318C.
• the signal may, for example, include address bits, which include the information on the transmit interface 304A to 304D, the receive interface 326A to 326D and the processing resource 316A, 316B to be used for processing.
• the transmit interface 304B of the first transmit- receive antenna pair and the transmit interface 304C of the second transmit- receive antenna pair are separate transmit interfaces.
• the receive interface 326B of the first transmit-receive antenna pair and the receive interface 326C of the second transmit-receive antenna pair may be separated receive interfaces.
• This embodiment enables routing any transmit signal 302A to 302D to any receive interface 326A to 326D via the processing resource 316A.
• the receive routing unit 322 may receive routing information from the control unit 330, which routing information configures the receive routing unit 322 to route the receive test signals 318B, 318C to desired receive interfaces 328D, 328C.
• the receive routing unit 322 may be implemented with switches, memory means and processors.
• the exemplified device shown in Figure 3 illustrates a situation wherein two propagation channels share the same processing resource 316A.
• NxM propagation channels are simulated using one or more shared processing resources 316A, 316B.
• the processing resources 316A, 316B may be allocated flexibly to the simulation of the different propagation channels according to the characteristics and needs of the propagation channels and the available resources.
• Figure 6 shows an example of the methodology according to embodiments of the invention is shown.
• the method is started.
• 604A at least a portion of the first propagation channel of the radio channel is simulated with the configurable processing resource 316A.
• 604B at least a portion of the second propagation channel of the radio channel is simulated with the processing resource 316A.
• the method is stopped. Different variations of the methodology may be obtained by combining the following method embodiments.
• the processing resource 316A is time-multiplexed between the simulation of the first propagation channel and the simulation of the second propagation channel.
• the first transmit test signal 306B is routed from the transmit interface 304B of the first transmit-receive antenna pair to the processing resource 316B.
• the second transmit test signal 306C is routed from the transmit interface 304C of the second transmit-receive antenna pair to the processing resource 316B.
• the processing resource 316B is configured during the operation of the device.
• 610A and 610B a plurality of processing resources 316A, 316B connectable to each other are re-organized.
• the processing resource 316A is allocated.
• the first transmit test signal 306B is processed with the processing resource 316A according to the characteristics of the first propagation channel.
• the second transmit test signal 306C is processed with the processing resource 316A according to the characteristics of the second propagation channel.
• the first receive test signal 318B is routed from the processing resource 316A to the receive interface 326B of the first transmit-receive antenna pair.
• the second receive test signal 318C is routed from the processing resource 316A to the receive interface 326C of the second transmit-receive antenna pair.
• the processing resource 316B is de-multiplexed.

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• 2003
  • 2003-07-17 FI FI20031085A patent/FI20031085A0/sv unknown
  • 2003-12-04 AU AU2003304627A patent/AU2003304627A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-12-04 WO PCT/FI2003/000929 patent/WO2005008926A1/en active Application Filing

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