METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TESTING A DIGITAL COMMUNICATION CHANNEL AT VARIABLE OR FIXED DATA RATES

摘要

The invention provides a system and method for testing signal transmission quality wihin a digital communication system and may be incorporated within a digital cellular communication system in which information is exchanged over spread spectrum communication channels. A test sequence of digital data transmitted over the communication channel is received at a receiving station, within which is also generated a replica of the test sequence of digital data. The accuracy of transmission over the communication channel is then determined by comparing the replica of the test sequence of digital data to the test sequence of data received over the communication channel. The invention allows the test sequence of digital data to be transmitted at one of a set of known data rates, with the received station being disposed to identify the data rate associated with each test sequence of digital data. In order to simulate the transmission of, for example, voice data, the system may be configured such that each test sequence of digital data is generated in accordance with a pseudorandom process.