Shielded enclosure for testing wireless communication devices

Abstract

A test system having a shielded enclosure and common air interface for testing the transmit and receive functionality of wireless communication devices such as mobile phones. A test system according to the present invention provides improved fault coverage by permitting robust testing of the entire signal path of a wireless device, including the antenna structure. In one embodiment of the invention, an RF-shielded enclosure having a test chamber is provided. The structure of the shielded enclosure blocks ambient RF energy from entering the test chamber and interfering with testing operations. The shielded enclosure may be lined with an RF absorbing material to improve test repeatability. A novel test antenna structure is disposed in the test chamber for wirelessly communicating test signals to a device under test. The test antenna is designed to maximize coupling with the antenna(s) of one or more types of wireless devices, while also minimizing variations in test measurements that might result from the particularized location of batteries or processing circuitry within such devices. The test antenna is coupled to an RF connector that provides a connection point for an external test set functioning as a base-station simulator for use in testing all or a subset of the features of the device under test. The test antenna may be formed on a printed circuit board. In one such embodiment, the elements of the test antenna are formed on a printed circuit board, with the element nearest the antenna of the device under test formed on the side of the circuit board nearest the device under test. The remainder of the test antenna is formed on the opposite side of the printed circuit board.