US 11,871,366 B2
Test device for measuring synchronization errors between clusters in a cellular network
Jong-Min Kim, Seoul (KR); Young-Kill Kim, Seoul (KR); Hyuck-In Kwon, Seoul (KR); Yoo-Chul Shin, Seoul (KR); and Jae-Gab Lee, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC., Chandler, AZ (US)
Filed by VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 15, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/552,146.
Prior Publication US 2023/0189170 A1, Jun. 15, 2023
Int. Cl. H04W 56/00 (2009.01); G01S 19/13 (2010.01); H04W 4/021 (2018.01); H04W 24/08 (2009.01)
CPC H04W 56/001 (2013.01) [G01S 19/13 (2013.01); H04W 4/021 (2013.01); H04W 24/08 (2013.01); H04W 56/006 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A test device operable to test timing synchronization between neighboring clusters in a cellular network, comprising:
a power source;
a display;
a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver to:
enter a timing mode to generate a one pulse per second (1PPS) reference signal based on GNSS signals received from a satellite;
a clock tunable to the 1PPS reference signal;
a radio to transmit and receive over the air signals;
a processor to:
measure physical cell identities (PCIS) and time error offsets based on synchronization signals received via the radio from a plurality of base stations in the neighboring clusters, wherein each time error offset is an offset between a start of a frame for a cell and the 1PPS reference signal;
determine a primary PCI from the PCIs;
calculate a sync error from differences between the time error offsets for the primary PCI and remaining PCIs of the PCIS;
determine whether the sync error is within a predetermined threshold; and
generate a graphical user interface (GUI) on the display based on whether the sync error is within the predetermined threshold;
wherein the GUI comprises
a map and a point on the map indicating a geographic measurement location of the test device when the PCIs and the time error offsets are measured;
a table showing the PCIS, the time error offsets, and the sync error; and
an indicator in at least one of the table and the map that indicates whether the sync error is within the predetermined threshold.