METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING ANTENNA PERFORMANCE BY COMPARING ORIGINAL AND RECEIVED VOICE SIGNALS

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application claims, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(a), priority to and the benefit of the earlier filing date of a Korean patent application filed on Aug. 13, 2012 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office and assigned Serial No. 10-2012-0088145, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to a method and a system for measuring performance of an antenna, and more particularly, to a method and a system for identifying quantified performance of an antenna by performing a quantification method in a channel environment.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, a terminal manufacturer in the prior art performs a field test by using a real communication network or a test communication network in order to identify antenna performance of a terminal and determines whether a desired antenna performance is obtained based on a result of the field test. For example, in order to identify antenna emission performance in the real communication network, a manufacturer tests a transmission/receipt mute, a transmission/receipt rate, or a depreciation rate by contacting the terminal to a hand and a head of a real person according to a test procedure in the real communication network or a test communication network environment installed for the test.

However, the antenna performance measurement system of the prior art determines the antenna performance according to a measurer's measurement method and a subjective opinion of the measurer or of an evaluator of the measurements, such that a measurement result is uncertain and, by repeating a measurement procedure due to uncertainty, a loss in time and cost of development are caused.

SUMMARY

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a method and a system for measuring performance of an antenna, in which the performance of the antenna may be quantified to be measured by performing a quantification method in a channel environment.

The present invention further provides a method and a system for measuring performance of an antenna, in which a quantification method is performed based on a voice signal generated in an actual environment in which the antenna is operated to measure the performance of the antenna.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a method of measuring antenna performance includes: obtaining a voice signal received or transmitted through an antenna; quantifying antenna performance by performing a quantification method based on an original voice signal and the obtained voice signal; and displaying a quantification result. The performing of the quantification method includes: using a perceptual evaluation of speech quality (PESQ) quantification method to compare and evaluate a factor according to a channel environment of the antenna to quantify the antenna performance. The factor includes at least one of a total radiated power (TRP), a total isotropic sensitivity (TIS), and a channel delay. The quantifying antenna performance includes: determining the antenna performance as an effective performance when the quantification result is equal to or above a preset threshold value, and wherein the displaying the quantification result includes: displaying a result of the effective performance determination. The antenna operates in a Raleigh fading environment, a Gaussian fading environment, or a Rician fading environment that is artificially generated. The Raleigh fading environment, the Gaussian fading environment, or the Rician fading environment is artificially generated within a predetermined closed space in which a uniform electromagnetic field is supplied.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a method of measuring antenna performance further includes: generating the original voice signal; and transmitting the original voice signal to a base station simulator which communicates with the antenna or a terminal which performs communications using the antenna. The voice signal is generated by demodulating a wireless signal by a terminal which receives the wireless signal through the antenna, wherein the wireless signal is modulated from the original voice signal by a base station simulator, and is emitted by the base station simulator. The voice signal is generated by demodulating a wireless signal by a base station simulator which receives the wireless signal, wherein the wireless signal is modulated from the original voice signal by a terminal, and is emitted through the antenna by the terminal

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a system for measuring antenna performance includes: a communication unit configured to obtain a voice signal received or transmitted through an antenna; a controller configured to quantify antenna performance by performing a quantification method based on an original voice signal and the obtained voice signal; and a display unit configured to display a quantification result. The controller uses a PESQ quantification method to compare and evaluate a factor according to a channel environment of the antenna to quantify the antenna performance. The factor includes at least one of total radiated power (TRP), a total isotropic sensitivity (TIS), and a channel delay. The controller determines the antenna performance as an effective performance when the quantification result is equal to or above a preset threshold value, and the display unit displays the quantification result of determining the effective performance. The antenna operates in a Raleigh fading environment, a Gaussian fading environment or a Rician fading environment that is artificially generated. The Raleigh fading environment, the Gaussian fading environment, or the Rician fading environment is artificially generated within a predetermined closed space in which a uniform electromagnetic field is supplied. The controller generates the original voice signal, and the communication unit transmits the original voice signal to a base station simulator which communicates with the antenna or a terminal which performs communications using the antenna.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a computer readable recording medium recorded with a program for executing an antenna performance measurement method includes: obtaining a voice signal received or transmitted through an antenna; quantifying antenna performance by performing a quantification method based on an original voice signal and the obtained voice signal; and displaying a quantification result. Performing of the quantification method includes: using a PESQ quantification method to compare and evaluate a factor according to a channel environment of the antenna to quantify the antenna performance. The factor includes at least one of total radiated power (TRP), a total isotropic sensitivity (TIS), and a channel delay. The antenna operates in a Raleigh fading environment, a Gaussian fading environment or a Rician fading environment that is artificially generated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an antenna performance measurement system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating an antenna performance measurement method according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating an example path of transmitting an original voice signal and obtaining a voice signal;

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating another example path of transmitting the original voice signal and obtaining the voice signal;

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating an environment in which an antenna is operated;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a method of quantifying antenna performance according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating an example of displaying a result of antenna performance measurement according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings in detail. The same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. Detailed descriptions of well-known functions and structures incorporated herein may be omitted to avoid obscuring the subject matter of the present invention. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. Also, terms described herein, which are defined considering the functions of the present invention, may be implemented differently depending on user and operator's intention and practice. Therefore, the terms should be understood on the basis of the disclosure throughout the specification. The principles and features of this invention may be employed in varied and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.

Furthermore, although the drawings represent exemplary embodiments of the invention, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated or omitted in order to more clearly illustrate and explain the present invention.

Among the terms set forth herein, a terminal refers to any kind of device capable of processing data which is transmitted or received to or from any external entity. The terminal may display icons or menus on a screen to which stored data and various executable functions are assigned or mapped. The terminal may include a computer, a notebook, a tablet PC, a mobile device, and the like.

Among the terms set forth herein, a screen refers to a display or other output devices which visually display information to the user, and which optionally are capable of receiving and electronically processing tactile inputs from a user using a stylo, a finger of the user, or other techniques for conveying a user selection from the user to the output devices.

The present invention may be applied to measure a performance of an antenna.

Also, the present invention relates to a method of measuring the antenna performance and may apply to a general electronic terminal such as, for example, a smart phone, a portable terminal, a mobile terminal, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP) terminal, a laptop computer, a note pad, a Wibro terminal, a tablet PC, a smart TV, a smart refrigerator as well as all types of known devices that use an antenna, for measuring the antenna performance.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an antenna performance measurement system according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention

Referring to FIG. 1, an antenna performance measurement system 100 may be configured to include an input unit 110, a communication unit 120, a controller 130, a storage unit 140, and a display unit 150.

The input unit 110 may generate a manipulation signal or an input signal according to an input from a user, such as a voice input, a manual input, or other inputted information. The input unit 110 may include, for example, a key pad, a dome switch, a touch pad which may use a constant voltage/constant current implementation, a jog wheel, and a jog switch.

According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the input unit 110 may receive an input from the user for generating a voice signal, transmitting the voice signal, or receiving the voice signal. Also, the input unit 110 may receive an input from the user to display a result of an antenna performance measurement or to store, maintain, or edit the result of the antenna performance measurement.

The communication unit 120 includes an antenna and may perform communications such as data, voice, and video communications with an external device. The communication unit 120 may perform the data communication with the external device by using a wired communication technology or a wireless communication technology including a short range communication technology. The wireless communication technology may include, for example, wireless LAN (WLAN), Wi-Fi, wireless broadband (Wibro), worldwide interoperability for microwave access (Wimax), and high speed downlink packet access (HSDPA), or any other known wireless communication technology. A wireless short range communication technology may include, for example, BLUETOOTH, radio frequency identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), ultra wideband (UWB), or ZigBee, IEEE 802-based technology, or any other known communication technology. A wired short range communication technology may use, for example, a universal serial bus (USB), an IEEE 1394 compatible device, or devices complying with THUNDERBOLT technology, commercially available from INTEL CORPORATION. The communication unit 120 may include at least one communication module such as BLUETOOTH, ZigBee, ultra wide band (UWB), wireless USB, near field communication (NFC), or wireless LAN, for data communication.

According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the communication unit 120 may obtain a voice signal received or transmitted through the antenna. Also, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the communication unit 120 may transmit an original voice signal to a base station simulator 20, shown in FIG. 3, which performs communications with the antenna or a terminal 30, shown in FIG. 3, which performs communications by using the antenna.

The communication unit 120 may download or upload a program for executing an antenna performance measurement method according to the present invention.

The controller 130 may control each element for operating the antenna performance measurement system 100. For example, the controller 130 may control each element to perform an operation for antenna performance measurement.

The controller 130 may include a voice signal generation unit 131, an algorithm operation unit 132, and a performance determination unit 133.

The voice signal generation unit 131 may generate the original voice signal. The original voice signal is a signal to be compared with the voice signal received or transmitted through the antenna of the communication unit 120, and the antenna performance may be determined according to similarity between the original voice signal and the voice signal received or transmitted through the antenna. The original voice signal may be a signal according to a voice preset by the user or preset at a time of manufacturing the antenna performance measurement system 100. The voice signal generation unit 131 may generate the original voice signal at a preset duration time or for a preset period. The original voice signal generated through the voice signal generation unit 131 may be transmitted through the antenna of the communication unit to the base station simulator 20 which performs communications with the antenna through the communication unit 120, or to the terminal 30 which performs communications by using the antenna.

The algorithm operation unit 132 may perform a quantification method, implementing an algorithm, for quantifying the antenna performance. The algorithm operation unit 132 may perform the quantification method based on the original voice signal and the voice signal received or transmitted through the antenna. For example, the quantification method may be a perceptual evaluation of speech quality (PESQ) quantification method known in the art, such as ITU-T Recommendation P.862 (02/01). The algorithm operation unit 132 may compare a factor according to a channel environment of the antenna by using the quantification method and assign a score by evaluating a comparison result. The algorithm operation unit 132 may assign a weight to the score of each factor and collect statistics or average the scores to quantify an overall antenna performance.

The performance determination unit 133 may evaluate the performance of the antenna based on a quantification result. For example, when the quantification result is equal to or greater than a preset threshold value, the performance determination unit 133 may determine the antenna performance as an effective performance. On the contrary, when the quantification result is below the preset threshold value, the performance determination unit 133 may determine the antenna performance as corresponding to an actual performance. The performance determination unit 133 may determine the quantification result as a reception or transmission performance of the antenna depending on whether the voice signal is received or transmitted through the antenna.

According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the controller 130 may control the communication unit 120 to transmit the original voice signal generated through the voice signal generation unit 131 to the base station simulator 20 which performs communications with the antenna or the terminal 30 which performs communications by using the antenna.

Also, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the controller 130 may quantify the antenna performance through the algorithm operation unit 132 and may control the display unit 150 to display the quantification result. Also, the controller 130 may control the display unit 150 to display performance information determined through the performance determination unit 133.

An example of a specific operation of the controller 130 will be described below in greater detail with reference to the drawings.

The storage unit 140 may store data as well as a program or commands for the antenna performance measurement system 100. The controller 130 may execute the program or commands stored in the storage unit 140.

The storage unit 140 may include at least one type of storage media such as a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory such as, for example, an SD or XD memory, a random access memory (RAM), a static random access memory, a read-only memory (ROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or a programmable read-only memory (PROM).

According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the storage unit 140 may store the original voice signal and/or the voice signal received or transmitted through the antenna temporarily or permanently.

Also, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the storage unit 140 may store, for example, a quantification method, a computer code, a mathematical equation, factor information, and/or evaluation criteria information for quantifying the antenna performance. The storage unit 140 may store the quantification result of the antenna performance temporarily or permanently.

According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the storage unit 140 may store a program for performing the antenna performance measurement method according to the present invention.

The display unit 150 displays or otherwise outputs information processed by the antenna performance measurement system 100. For example, the display unit 150 may display, for example, a user interface (UI), a graphic user interface (GUI), a graph, or a number related to the antenna performance measurement.

The display unit 150 may include at least one of a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT LCD), an organic light emitting diode (OLED), a flexible display, and a three dimensional (3D) display.

The display unit 150 may operate as a touch screen having an inter-layer structure with a touch sensor, which may be included in the input unit 110. Here, the display unit 150 that operates as the touch screen may perform a function as an input apparatus, and may be included in or operate in conjunction with the input unit 110.

According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the display unit 150 may display the quantification result about the antenna performance. Also, the display unit 150 may display an indication of an effective performance or an actual performance depending on the antenna performance determination result.

In alternative embodiments of the present invention, some elements and components shown in FIG. 1 may not necessary, and thus, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may be implemented by more or fewer elements and components.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating an antenna performance measurement method according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, the antenna performance measurement method according to the present invention may be performed as below.

First, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may generate the original voice signal in step 210.

The original voice signal is a signal to be compared with the voice signal received or transmitted through the antenna, and the antenna performance may be determined according to similarity between the original voice signal and the voice signal received or transmitted through the antenna. The original voice signal may be a signal generated from a voice preset or previously input by the user or preset at the time of manufacturing the antenna performance measurement system 100. The original voice signal corresponds to a human language and may be a spoken vocabulary of various words or a sentence. The original voice signal may be the original voice modulated into an analog or digital signal and may have a form to be transmitted to an external device by performing communications with the external device. For example, the original voice signal may be a voice speaking “one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten,” which is modulated into the analog or digital signal.

According to an alternative exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the original voice signal may be generated by a separate apparatus instead of by the antenna performance measurement system 100.

Next, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may transmit the original voice signal in step 220.

The antenna performance measurement system 100 may transmit the original voice signal to the base station simulator 20 in FIG. 3 which performs communications with the antenna of which performance is to be measured or to a terminal 30 in FIG. 3 which performs communications through the antenna. The antenna performance measurement system 100 may transmit the original voice signal during a preset time period or for a preset number of times. Here, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may transmit the original voice signal using wired connections such that a loss, modification, or delay of the original voice signal may be minimized.

Referring to FIG. 3, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may transmit the original voice signal to the base station simulator 20. The original voice signal transmitted to the base station simulator 20 may be encoded by the base station simulator 20 into a wireless signal according to a code division multiple access (CDMA) method or a global system for mobile communications (GSM) method. The wireless signal may be emitted by the base station simulator 20 into a region in which the antenna of the communication unit 120 is operated and received by the antenna. The received wireless signal may have a portion that is lost, modified, or delayed, according to the channel environment in which the antenna is operated. The terminal 30 operatively and/or physical connected to the antenna may decode the received wireless signal to be modulated into the voice signal. The voice signal may have a portion of the original voice signal that is lost, modified, or delayed, according to the channel environment. For example, when the original voice signal is a signal that corresponds to “one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten,” the received wireless signal may be a signal that corresponds to “one, . . . , three, . . . , . . . , six, seven, eight, . . . , ten.” Alternatively, the received wireless signal may be a signal that corresponds to “one, . . . , four, . . . five, si, . . . , seven, eight, nine, te.”

Referring to FIG. 4, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may transmit the original voice signal to the terminal 30 which performs communications through the antenna. The original voice signal transmitted to the terminal 30 may be encoded by the terminal 30 into a wireless signal according to the code division multiple access (CDMA) method or the global system for mobile communications (GSM) method. The wireless signal may be emitted by the antenna operatively or physically connected to the terminal 30 into a region in which the base station simulator 20 is operated and received by the base station simulator 20. The received wireless signal may be lost, modified, or delayed, according to the channel environment in which the antenna of the communication unit 120 is operated. The base station simulator 20 may decode the received wireless signal to be modulated into the voice signal. The voice signal may have a portion of the original voice signal that is lost, modified, or delayed, according to the channel environment. For example, when the original voice signal is a signal that corresponds to “one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten,” the received wireless signal may be a signal that corresponds to “one, . . . , three, . . . , . . . , six, seven, eight, . . . , ten.” Alternatively, the received wireless signal may be a signal that corresponds to “one, . . . , four, . . . five, si, . . . , seven, eight, nine, te.” Here, the terminal 30 may operate in a Raleigh fading environment, a Gaussian fading environment or a Rician fading environment. For example, the terminal 30 may operate in an environment that is the same or similar to an actual indoor or downtown environment. The Raleigh fading environment, the Gaussian fading environment, or the Rician fading environment may be artificially generated. For example, referring to FIG. 5, the Raleigh fading environment, the Gaussian fading environment, or the Rician fading environment may be artificially generated within a predetermined closed chamber in which a uniform electromagnetic field 31 is provided. For example, the closed chamber may be implemented by uniformly applying the electromagnetic field 31 from all directions by which an electron is reflected by a stirrer or scatter such that the electromagnetic field 31 is formed as the Raleigh fading environment, the Gaussian fading environment, or the Rician fading environment in the closed chamber. Here, the electromagnetic field may be applied to form a weak electromagnetic field.

The antenna of the communication unit 120 or the terminal 30 which performs communications through the antenna may operate within the closed chamber in which the electromagnetic field 31 is provided. The antenna or the terminal 30 which performs communications through the antenna may rotate within the closed chamber in order to uniformly receive the electromagnetic field 31. Also, by providing a separate antenna 32 for receiving an external signal within the closed chamber, the terminal 30 may transmit or receive a wireless signal to/from an external base station simulator 20 through the separate antenna 32. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the terminal 30 is disposed in the chamber, but in alternative embodiments, the entire antenna performance measurement system 100 or at least the antenna of the communication unit 120 are disposed in the chamber of FIG. 5 in addition to or instead of the terminal 30. In further alternative embodiments, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may be incorporated in the terminal 30, with the components shown in FIG. 1 being components of the terminal 30.

Next, referring back to FIG. 2, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may determine whether the voice signal is received in step 230.

When the voice signal is not received, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may perform a standby operation in the antenna performance measurement, by looping back to step 230 until the voice signal is received, until the antenna performance measurement is terminated according to a user's request or after elapse of a preset time period in which no voice signal is received in step 230.

When the voice signal is received in step 230, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may obtain the voice signal in step 240.

The antenna performance measurement system 100 may obtain the voice signal received or transmitted through the antenna of the communication unit 120.

The antenna performance measurement system 100, as shown in FIG. 3, may obtain a signal after the original voice signal is emitted through the base station simulator 20 and received and modulated through the antenna of the communication unit 120. Also, the antenna performance measurement system 100, as shown in FIG. 4, may obtain a signal after the original voice signal is transmitted by the antenna of the communication unit 120 and received and modulated through the base station simulator 20. The voice signal may be the original voice signal in which a portion thereof is lost, modified, or delayed. For example, if the original voice signal is a signal corresponding to “one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten”, the voice signal may be a signal corresponding to “one, . . . , three, . . . , . . . , six, seven, eight, . . . , ten.” Alternatively, the voice signal may be a signal corresponding to “one, . . . , four, . . . , five, si, . . . , seven, eight, nine, te.”

Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the antenna performance measurement system 100, incorporated into the terminal 30 in an alternative embodiment, may obtain the voice signal received or transmitted through the antenna which operates in the Raleigh fading environment, the Gaussian fading environment, or the Rician fading environment that is artificially generated. Here, the Raleigh fading environment, the Gaussian fading environment, or the Rician fading environment may be artificially generated in the closed chamber in which the uniform electromagnetic field 31 is provided.

The antenna performance measurement system 100 may obtain the voice signal during a preset time period. For example, when the original voice signal is transmitted to the antenna or the base station simulator 20 during a preset time period, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may receive the voice signal that is transmitted or received through the antenna during the same period of time. Thus, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may measure how much the transmitted or received signal is lost, modified, or delayed through the antenna with respect to the original voice signal during the same time period. Alternatively, when the original voice signal is transmitted to the antenna or the base station simulator 20 for the preset number of times, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may measure how much the transmitted or received signal is lost, modified, or delayed through the number of the voice signals transmitted or received through the antenna.

Next, referring back to FIG. 2, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may quantify the antenna performance in step 250.

The antenna performance measurement system 100 may quantify the antenna performance by performing a quantification method based on the original voice signal and the obtained voice signal. In one example, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may quantify the antenna performance by using the quantification method to compare and evaluate the original voice signal and the obtained voice signal. For example, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may perform the PESQ quantification method to quantify the antenna performance. When the original voice signal is transmitted during the preset time period or for the preset number of times to obtain a plurality of voice signals, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may repeatedly perform the quantification method based on a plurality of original voice signals and a plurality of obtained voice signals.

Specifically, referring to FIG. 6, the step 250 of FIG. 5 is shown in greater detail, such that the antenna performance measurement system 100 may compare and evaluate factors by using the PESQ quantification method in step 251, implemented, for example, by the algorithm operation unit 132.

The PESQ quantification method, which is a quantification method for evaluating a voice system, evaluates a call quality by comparing and evaluating the original signal and an attenuated signal outputted after the original signal passes through a communication system. Specifically, the PESQ quantification method compares the original signal and the attenuated signal for each of a plurality of predetermined factors known in the art, and assigns an evaluation score according to a predetermined criteria specified by the PESQ quantification method. The PESQ quantification method may assign a weight to the evaluation score of each factor and collect statistics or average the evaluation scores to evaluate an overall call quality. Here, the plurality of predetermined factors to be compared may include at least one of a plurality of accuracy factors such as a speech input level to a codec, a transmission channel error, packet loss, packet loss concealment, a bit rate, transcodings, environmental noise, and an effect of varying delay, and also may include at least one of a plurality of non-accuracy factors such as a listening level, volume loss, an effect of delay, talker echo, and a side tone.

The antenna performance measurement system 100 may compare, evaluate, and quantify factors according to the channel environment of the antenna by using the PESQ quantification method. The antenna performance measurement system 100 may compare the original voice signal and the obtained voice signal according to the channel environment. The factors according to the channel environment may include at least one of a total radiated power (TRP), a total isotropic sensitivity (TIS), and a channel delay.

The antenna performance measurement system 100 may assign a score to a comparison result of each factor according to a preset evaluation criterion. For example, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may assign the score to the comparison result of each factor according to similarity on a four-point scale, in a manner and using methods known in the art.

When the original voice signal is a signal corresponding to “one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten” and the obtained voice signal is a signal corresponding to “one, . . . , three, . . . , . . . , six, seven, eight, . . . , ten,” the antenna performance measurement system 100 compares the two signals and assigns a score according to similarity therebetween, in a manner and using methods known in the art. For example, when a perfect score is 4, six out of ten signals of the original voice signal and the obtained voice signal are similar and the antenna performance measurement system 100 may assign a 2.5 score to the comparison result.

Next, referring to FIG. 6, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may determine whether all factors are compared in step 252.

In particular, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may determine whether all factors for measuring the antenna performance, i.e., the accuracy factors and non-accuracy factors for the PESQ quantification method and a factor according to the channel environment of the antenna are compared and evaluated in step 252.

When the algorithm operation unit 132 determines that all factors are not compared, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may repeatedly perform the PESQ quantification method of steps 251-252 by looping back to step 251 until all the factors are compared and evaluated.

When the algorithm operation unit 132 determines that all the factors are compared, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may quantify the antenna performance in step 253, and then end step 250 and proceed to step 260 in FIG. 2.

The antenna performance measurement system 100 may quantify overall performance into one number by calculating an average of the scores assigned to the comparison result or by a predetermined equation known in the art. The antenna performance measurement system 100 may assign a weight to each score according to the comparison result of each element and collect statistics or average the scores to quantify the overall antenna performance. Thus, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may quantify the antenna performance in step 250 by using the PESQ quantification method while taking into account a channel environment factor that operates as an important factor of antenna performance evaluation, thereby objectively providing antenna performance.

The antenna performance measurement system 100 may quantify transmission or reception performance of the antenna depending on whether the voice signal is a signal transmitted or received through the antenna.

Next, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may determine whether the quantification result is equal to or above a predetermined threshold value in step 260.

The antenna performance measurement system 100 may determine whether the quantification result is equal to or above the predetermined threshold value based on a preset threshold value. The threshold value may be set by the user or set and stored in advance at the time of manufacturing the antenna performance measurement system 100 and the threshold value may be used for determining whether the antenna and the terminal 30 including the antenna have a performance sufficient for commercialization.

When the quantification result is equal to or above the threshold value in step 260, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may determine the antenna performance as an effective performance in step 270. The antenna performance measurement system 100 may determine the transmission or reception performance of the antenna to be an effective performance depending on whether the voice signal is a signal transmitted or received through the antenna. The method then proceeds to step 290.

On the contrary, when the quantification result is below the threshold value in step 260, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may determine the antenna performance as an actual performance in step 280, and the method then proceeds to step 290.

Next, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may display the result in step 290 and the method then ends.

The antenna performance measurement system 100 may display the quantification result and/or performance determination result. For example, referring to FIG. 7, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may display a PESQ quantification method performance result in a PESQ window or screen 40 through the display unit 150. Specifically, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may display the quantification result 41 according to execution of the PESQ quantification method. Also, when the antenna performance is quantified based on a plurality of original voice signals transmitted during the preset time period or for the preset number of times, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may display a maximum quantification result 43 with respect to the plurality of the original voice signal and a minimum quantification result 44. Here, the antenna performance measurement system 100 may display the number 45 of the transmitted original voice signals and/or the time period 46 during which the original voice signal is transmitted or received.

The above-described antenna performance measurement apparatus and methods according to the present invention can be implemented in hardware, firmware or as software or computer code that can be stored in a non-transitory recording medium such as a CD ROM, a RAM, a ROM, a floppy disk, DVDs, a hard disk, a magnetic storage media, an optical recording media, or a magneto-optical disk or computer code downloaded over a network originally stored on a remote recording medium, a computer readable recording medium, or a non-transitory machine readable medium and to be stored on a local recording medium, so that the methods described herein can be rendered in such software that is stored on the recording medium using a general purpose computer, a digital computer, or a special processor or in programmable or dedicated hardware, such as an ASIC or FPGA. As would be understood in the art, the computer, the processor, microprocessor controller or the programmable hardware include memory components, e.g., RAM, ROM, Flash, etc. that may store or receive software or computer code that when accessed and executed by the computer, processor or hardware implement the processing methods described herein. In addition, it would be recognized that when a general purpose computer accesses code for implementing the processing shown herein, the execution of the code transforms the general purpose computer into a special purpose computer for executing the processing shown herein. In addition, the program may be electronically transferred through any media such as communication signals transmitted by wire/wireless connections, and their equivalents. The computer readable recording medium can also be distributed in network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. According to the method and the system for measuring the performance of an antenna of the present invention, antenna performance is quantified by using a perceptual evaluation of speech quality (PESQ) quantification method known in the art, thereby achieving reliability and objectiveness of a result of the antenna performance measurement.

Also, a method and a system for measuring the performance of an antenna of the present invention may be combined with automated hardware and software and to implement an antenna performance measurement system through an automated system.

Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail hereinabove, it should be clearly understood that many variations and modifications of the basic inventive concepts herein taught which may appear to those skilled in the present art will still fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING ANTENNA PERFORMANCE BY COMPARING ORIGINAL AND RECEIVED VOICE SIGNALS

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Priority Claims (1)