Technical data

148 Chapter 11
Example Test Scenarios
Non-Signaling Test Requirements
Example Test Scenarios
Non-Signaling Test Requirements
The EXM test set is generally used in a non-signaling test environment, in which the cellular mobile
device under test does not engage in actual call-processing with a base station or base-station emulator.
In the absence of call-processing, the mobile device must be tested by other means. Although the
requirements of non-signaling test vary greatly from one device to another, they include at least some
combination of the following elements:
• Test modes designed into the DUT itself, and activated either by commands from a PC controller or
by an RF stimulus from the test set.
• Proprietary software tools created by the maker of the mobile device, for the purpose of
communicating with the DUT from a PC controller and activating whatever device functions are
required during a test.
• An RF stimulus applied by the test set to the DUT, using an ARB waveform file that includes any
encoding (synchronization channels, for example) which the DUT must receive during testing.
Although the test set is not a base-station emulator, the RF stimulus it provides can mimic the
expected input from a base station to a sufficient degree to support testing of this kind.
• Software tools (such as Agilent Signal Studio) for creating ARB waveforms which the test set will
play during testing.
• Signal analysis of the RF output from the DUT, including a wide variety of measurements and radio
formats (all of which can be included within one test sequence).
• Time-coordination between the test set’s stimulus and measurement operations and the DUT’s
transmit and receive operations (this is accomplished by configuring the test sequence).
• Software tools (such as Agilent Sequence Studio) for creating a test sequence and aligning its steps
with a measured signal.
Because mobile devices (and modes on the same device) differ so greatly, setting up a non-signaling test
requires very detailed knowledge of that device’s characteristics and test requirements. Such information
is not only device-specific, it is also the private intellectual property of the device manufacturer, and
cannot easily be shared here. For that reason, it will be necessary to present test examples somewhat
generically, with identifying details omitted.