KR20110068609A - System and method for measuring radio wave receiving environment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A system and method for measuring an electric wave receiving environment are provided to improve the reliability of measurement data by simultaneously detecting the variation of an electric wave environment according to the variation of the measurement position in real time. CONSTITUTION: A test signal transmitting unit(11) transmits a test signal to an electric wave receiving environment measuring field. A test module(12) is arranged in the electric wave receiving environment measuring field and receives the test signal from the test signal transmitting unit. An electric field intensity receiving unit(13) receives the electric field intensity value from the test module. A data analyzing unit determines the electric wave receiving environment about the measurement field by analyzing the electric field intensity value.

Description

Radio reception environment measurement system and method {SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MEASURING RADIO WAVE RECEIVING ENVIRONMENT}

The present invention relates to a radio wave reception environment measurement system, and more particularly, to measure a radio wave reception environment using a spectrum analyzer or a network analyzer in which an error due to a cable present in an analysis equipment or an influence of another communication signal of a similar frequency band occurs. It relates to a radio wave reception environment measurement system and method that can solve the disadvantage of the method.

The radio wave reception environment is one of important factors for determining communication quality in various wireless communication systems. Therefore, measuring accurate radio wave reception environment has become a basic and essential requirement to provide high quality communication service.

In general, a method of measuring a radio wave reception environment is variously applied according to conditions of a radio wave reception environment. Mobile communication systems such as general cellular phones have used a method of generating a radio wave reception environment map by measuring electric field strength while moving by using a vehicle for measuring radio wave reception environments. This method is used to measure the outdoor radio wave reception environment and cannot be applied to the radio wave reception environment of a wireless network configured indoors.

In general, a method using a spectrum analyzer or a network analyzer is used as a method for measuring an indoor radio wave reception environment.

As the most widely used method using the spectrum analyzer, each measurer attempts to measure an accurate radio wave reception environment using his or her own measurement know-how. However, the spectrum analyzer has a disadvantage in that accurate reception environment measurement is impossible due to the influence on the spectrum analyzer when signals in a frequency band similar to the frequency band measured in the reception environment are mixed in a space where the reception environment is to be measured. In particular, the 2.4 GHz band, which is one of the ISM bands, may have mixed signals according to various communication methods such as wireless LAN, Bluetooth, Zigbee, etc., and thus the accuracy of measurement by the spectrum analyzer is inferior. Occurs.

The method of using the network analyzer is a method of installing a receiving antenna at a point where a reception environment is to be measured, transmitting a power for measurement through the transmitting antenna, and then measuring the receiving power at the receiving antenna to calculate the loss. Is done. However, the method of measuring the receiving environment using the network analyzer requires connecting the receiving antenna, the transmitting antenna and the network analyzer with a cable, so that data errors may occur due to the influence of the cable. Since it is necessary to measure while moving to the position to be measured, there is a problem that it is not easy to measure the reception environment for various locations in the room.

In particular, a measurement method using a spectrum analyzer or a network analyzer uses a separate external antenna for measuring a reception environment. However, since a monopole antenna used in general mobile phones or electronic price indicators has a characteristic that surface current is induced in the ground direction, the size of the ground plane affects bandwidth and radiation pattern. Therefore, since there is a very large difference in electromagnetic characteristics between the antenna used for the measurement method using the spectrum analyzer or the network analyzer and the antenna applied to the system to be applied, the radio wave reception measured by the measurement method using the spectrum analyzer or the network analyzer There may be a big difference between the environment and the radio wave reception environment of the communication system.

According to the present invention, after installing a test module at a position where a radio wave reception environment is to be measured, a similar frequency band is calculated by calculating an electric field strength with respect to the test power received by the test module and transmitting it to the data analysis means wirelessly. The technical problem to be solved is to provide a radio wave reception environment measurement system and method that can eliminate the influence of other communication signals to have, or the effect of a cable present in the analysis equipment.

As a means for solving the above technical problem, the present invention,

Test signal transmission means for transmitting a test signal to a radio wave reception environment measurement field at a predetermined power;

At least one test module disposed in the radio wave reception environment measurement field and configured to receive the test signal transmitted from the test transmission means, calculate and transmit an electric field strength value (RSSI) of the received test signal;

Electric field strength receiving means for receiving the electric field strength value transmitted from the test module; And

Data analysis means for determining an electric wave reception environment for the measurement field by analyzing the electric field strength value received by the electric field strength receiving means

It provides a radio wave reception environment measurement system comprising a.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the communication between the test signal transmitting means, the test module and the electric field strength receiving means may be performed in a wireless LAN or a Bluetooth or ZigBee scheme.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the test module may be installed under the same ground conditions as the wireless transceiver of the communication network to be applied to the reception environment measurement field.

As another means for solving the above technical problem, the present invention,

Installing a test module in a radio wave reception environment measurement field;

Transmitting a test signal of a predetermined power to the radio wave reception environment measurement field;

Receiving, by the test module, the test signal transmitted from the test transmitting means, calculating and transmitting an electric field strength value RSSI of the received test signal;

Receiving the field strength value transmitted from the test module; And

Analyzing the received electric field strength to determine a radio wave reception environment for the measurement field;

It provides a radio wave reception environment measurement method comprising a.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of installing the test module may be a step of installing the test module to be the same ground condition as the radio transceiver of the communication network to be applied to the reception environment measurement field.

According to the present invention, since the measurement equipment is not directly connected to the measurement module disposed in the field for measuring the radio wave reception environment, the influence of the cable for the measurement equipment, which may occur according to the radio wave characteristics, can be eliminated. In addition, since the radio wave reception environment is measured using the electric field strength value of the signal received from the specific test signal transmission means, it is easy to exclude the interference by other communication means.

In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to increase the reliability of the measurement data and improve the measurement efficiency of the user of the measurement system by simultaneously detecting the change in the radio wave environment according to the change in the measurement time and the measurement position in real time.

In addition, according to the present invention, by installing the measurement module to be the same ground conditions as the radio transceiver of the communication network to actually apply to eliminate the difference between the radio wave reception environment during the test and the radio wave reception environment after the actual network is applied. Can be.

Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various other forms, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. Embodiment of this invention is provided in order to demonstrate this invention more completely to the person skilled in the art to which this invention belongs. Therefore, it should be noted that the shape and size of the components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for more clear explanation.

1 is a block diagram of a radio wave reception environment measurement system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the radio wave environment measuring system using the wireless communication system according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a test signal transmitting means 11, a plurality of terminals 12, and an electric field strength receiving means 13. ) And a data analysis means 14.

The test signal transmitting means 11 transmits a test signal to the field F for radio wave reception environment measurement at a predetermined power by using a preset wireless communication method. The test signal transmission means 11 may have a format of a data frame defined in a preset wireless communication scheme as the test signal. The data frame transmitting means 11 is preferably implemented as a transmission-only communication apparatus that does not have a function of receiving a data frame.

The plurality of test modules 12 are arranged at a point where a real radio wave is to be received in a field for measuring a radio wave reception environment, and receive test signals transmitted from the test signal transmission means 11, respectively. The plurality of test modules 12 may be implemented in the form of a module including an antenna and a communication chipset for the preset wireless communication method that can communicate with the test signal transmission means 11.

The test module 12 is preferably installed under the same ground conditions as the radio transceiver of the communication network to be actually applied to the radio wave reception environment measurement field. For example, when the communication network for the electronic price indicator installed in a large store is a communication network to be actually applied, the test module 12 is installed under the same grounding condition that the communication module of the electronic price indicator is installed. It is desirable to. This is because the radiation characteristics of the antenna may be affected by the shape or size of the ground in the communication using the monopole antenna, and the radio wave environment can be measured under the same conditions as the communication devices of the communication network to be actually applied. This is to minimize the difference between the radio wave reception environment measured in the test and the radio wave reception environment of the actually applied network.

The test module 12 calculates and transmits an electric field strength value RSSI of the test signal received from the test signal transmitting means 11. The test module 12 combines and transmits its identifier when transmitting the calculated electric field strength value, so that the electric field strength receiving means 13 receives the electric field strength value and analyzes it in the data analyzing means 41. In this case, it is possible to check which field strength value is transmitted from which test module 12. In addition, the test module 12 receives a test signal transmitted by the test signal transmission means 11 and obtains an electric field strength value, so that signals used in other communication methods do not affect the measurement result. Can be.

The field strength receiving means 13 receives a field strength value transmitted from the at least one test module 12. Similarly to the test signal transmission means 11, the electric field strength receiving means 13 is preferably implemented as a reception-only communication device dedicated to reception without signal transmission. As described above, the transmission-only or reception-only device is implemented in order to prevent unnecessary transmission / reception communication failures and errors in measurement of the radio wave environment.

The data analysis means 14 receives a field strength value (RSSI: Received Signal Strength Indicator) of the received signal transmitted from the test module 12, and the electric field strength at a position where each test module 12 is installed. The radio wave reception environment can be determined based on the value.

Hereinafter, the effect of the radio wave environment measurement system using a wireless communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, first, a plurality of test modules 12 are disposed in a field F, which is a target of a preset radio wave environment measurement (S11). In the process of arranging the plurality of test modules 12 (S11), the plurality of test modules 12 may minimize the difference between the radio wave reception environment measured during the test and the radio wave reception environment of the actually applied network. To this end, it may be installed under the same ground conditions as the radio transceiver of the communication network to be actually applied.

Subsequently, the test signal transmission means 11 transmits a test signal having a predetermined power to the field F to test the radio wave reception environment (S12). The test signal transmitting means 11 may transmit the test signal in a preset transmission scheme. For example, a wireless LAN, Bluetooth, or ZigBee scheme may be employed as a communication scheme that may be used for transmission of a test signal.

Subsequently, the plurality of test modules 12 installed in the radio wave reception environment measurement field F each receive a test signal at a position where they are arranged (S13), and then the electric field strength value of the received test signal S13 ( RSSI) is calculated and transmitted (S14). The plurality of test modules 12 may employ the same communication scheme as that applied to the test signal transmission means 11 so as to communicate with the test signal transmission means 11. The electric field strength value calculated by each test module 12 depends on the radio wave reception environment (distance from the test signal transmission means, obstacles, interference by other communication devices, etc.) at the location where the test module 12 is disposed. It can make a difference. For example, a test module placed in a good propagation environment free of other interference may have high field strength values. On the contrary, the field strength value may appear low in a poor propagation environment.

Subsequently, the electric field strength receiving means 13 receives the electric field strength value transmitted from the test module 12 (S15). At this time, the strong electric field must be maintained so that an error does not occur in wireless communication between the field strength receiving means 13 in the test module 12. To this end, although not shown, a plurality of electric field strength receiving means 13 may be disposed within a distance capable of maintaining a strong electric field with the terminal. In the communication between the test module 12 and the electric field strength receiving means 13, the same communication method as that applied to the test signal transmitting means 11 may be employed.

Meanwhile, the steps S11 to S15 may be repeated until a predetermined number of measurements is made (S16).

Subsequently, the propagation environment of the location where each test module 12 is disposed may be determined using the electric field strength value measured by each test module 12 received by the data analyzing means 14. As shown in FIG. 3, the data analyzing means 14 analyzes the electric field intensity values of each test module 12 disposed in the field for measuring the radio wave reception environment in the form of a graph, or does not show the radio wave reception. It is also possible to create a radio wave reception environment map using a plan view of the environmental measurement field.

As described above, the present invention does not connect the measurement equipment by using a cable directly to the measurement module disposed in the field for measuring the radio wave reception environment, and thus the influence of the cable for the measurement equipment that may occur according to radio wave characteristics. It can be eliminated at source, and it is easy to exclude the interference by other communication means because the electric wave reception environment is measured using the electric field strength value for the signal received from the specific test signal transmission means. In addition, the present invention can increase the reliability of the measurement data and improve the measurement efficiency of the user of the measurement system by simultaneously detecting the change in the radio wave environment according to the measurement time and the change in the measurement position in real time. In addition, the present invention, by installing the measurement module to be the same ground condition as the radio transceiver of the communication network to actually apply can eliminate the difference between the radio wave reception environment during the test and the radio wave reception environment after the actual network is applied. have.

In the detailed description of the present invention, specific embodiments have been described, but various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.

1 is a block diagram of a radio wave reception environment measurement system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flow chart of a radio wave reception environment measurement method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a diagram showing an example of a radio wave environment analysis graph of a radio wave reception environment measurement system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

11: test signal transmission means 12: test module

13: field strength receiving means 14: data analyzing means

Claims (6)

Test signal transmission means for transmitting a test signal to a radio wave reception environment measurement field at a predetermined power; At least one test module disposed in the radio wave reception environment measurement field and configured to receive the test signal transmitted from the test transmission means, calculate and transmit an electric field strength value (RSSI) of the received test signal; Electric field strength receiving means for receiving the electric field strength value transmitted from the test module; And Data analysis means for determining an electric wave reception environment for the measurement field by analyzing the electric field strength value received by the electric field strength receiving means Radio reception environment measurement system comprising a. The method of claim 1, The communication between the test signal transmitting means, the test module and the electric field strength receiving means is performed by a wireless LAN, Bluetooth, or ZigBee system. The method of claim 1, The test module is a radio wave reception environment measurement system, characterized in that installed in the same ground conditions as the radio transceiver of the communication network to be applied to the reception environment measurement field. Installing a test module in a radio wave reception environment measurement field; Transmitting a test signal of a predetermined power to the radio wave reception environment measurement field; Receiving, by the test module, the test signal transmitted from the test transmitting means, calculating and transmitting an electric field strength value RSSI of the received test signal; Receiving the field strength value transmitted from the test module; And Analyzing the received electric field strength to determine a radio wave reception environment for the measurement field; Radio reception environment measurement method comprising a. 5. The method of claim 4, The test signal transmission and reception and transmission and reception of the electric field strength value, the radio wave reception environment measurement method, characterized in that made in a wireless LAN, Bluetooth (Bluetooth) or ZigBee (ZigBee) method. The method of claim 4, wherein installing the test module comprises: And installing the test module to be in the same ground condition as the radio transceiver of the communication network to be applied to the reception environment measurement field.

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