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MIMO RF Signal Analysis and Generation Test Systems and Software with V2895A MIMO Synchronization Unit

Technical Overviews

Technical Overview

Introduction

The MIMO RF signal analysis and generation test systems and software are ideal tools for research and development of evolving radio technologies such as multiple antenna systems known as multipleinput, multiple-output (MIMO) communication systems, MIMO configurations of wireless standards such as 802.11n WLAN, and 802.16e Mobile WiMAX Wave 2.

These tools are also excellent for development and production test of wireless equipment, modules, sub-assemblies, and RFIC devices. The systems provide precise and stable synchronization with ≤±1 ns arbitrary waveform alignment, ≤1 ns arbitrary waveform jitter, ≤1º relative signal generation phase jitter, and ≤250 μs signal acquisition time record jitter.

System flexibility allows standalone MIMO-ready vector signal generators or analyzers to be configured in any MIMO configuration up to 8x8 using the V2895A MIMO synchronization unit.

MIMO signal generation and analysis can be performed with the V2901A SignalMeister integrated RF signal analysis and generation toolkit, a solution perfectly suited for 802.11n WLAN and 802.16e MobileWiMAX Wave 2 applications. 

MIMO RF Signal Analysis and Generation Test Systems and Software with V2895A MIMO Synchronization Unit

Radio technology is evolving from single antenna transmit-receive communication systems to MIMO antenna communication systems. MIMO systems significantly increase spectral efficiency; furthermore, they offer much higher data throughput rates and improved coverage.

To maximize performance, many new wireless communication standards (WiMAX and UMTS HSPA+), and enhancements to existing standards (WLAN), include MIMO configurations. The trade-off is more complex transmitters and receivers, more elaborate transmission protocols, and substantially more signal processing. 

The MIMO RF signal analysis and generation high performance test systems are designed to meet the challenges of MIMO technology research, product development, and production. The MIMO systems can test devices designed to operate on all MIMO-based wireless communication standards, including WLAN 802.11n, Mobile WiMAX 802.16e Wave 2, and UMTS HSPA+.

The key to superior MIMO test performance in the Keysight Technologies, Inc. MIMO RF signal analysis and generation test systems is the V2895A MIMO synchronization unit that provides frequency locking, phase coherence, and time synchronization for multiple signal generation and multiple signal analysis. The high level of synchronization ensures that an Keysight MIMO system will provide highly accurate and repeatable measurements for research and development. 

Each system can be configured with up to 8 V2820A RF vector signal analyzers or V2920A RF vector signal generators. The MIMO system can be initially configured as a 2×2 system then upgraded at a later date to 3, 4, or up to 8 channels by adding standard V2820A or V2920A instruments. 

They are MIMO-ready with the hardware connections and firmware built into every instrument. Moreover, the instruments need not be dedicated to a MIMO system. They can be configured for use either in a MIMO system or as stand-alone SISO (single-input, single-output) instruments by selecting the configuration in the firmware and changing a few rear-panel cables. 

Precise and stable synchronization

The MIMO systems are designed to have synchronized RF carriers and a precise signal sampler alignment between all instruments in the system. This tight control is accomplished with the V2895A MIMO synchronization unit which distributes a common LO (local oscillator), common clock, and precise trigger to all the signal analyzers or generators connected in the system.

Precise alignment enables the system to make accurate and repeatable measurements of W-CDMA and OFDM (orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing) MIMO signals. The V2895A includes all the connectors and cables to configure up to eight V2820A RF vector signal analyzers or V2920A RF vector signal generators. 

A single oscillator provides the frequency reference and a single synthesizer provides the LO reference that reduces phase jitter and frequency jitter to an absolute minimum. The RF carrier phases have less than one degree peak-to-peak phase jitter. The arbitrary waveform outputs have a maximum sample time difference of 1 ns and peak-to-peak sampler jitter of less than 1 ns. 

Simplified MIMO Testing

SignalMeister can be used for signal creation and analysis in Mobile WiMAX 802.16e Wave 2 and WLAN 802.11n MIMO communications systems. It can also create channel conditions such as the 802.11a/b/g/j, and 802.11n channel models and impairments to model nonideal transmitter conditions and can perform simulation studies without the use of the actual hardware.

The graphical user interface (GUI) allows users to quickly and easily configure systems with drag-anddrop block diagrams. SignalMeister can seamlessly control up to eight V2820A vector signal analyzers or V2920A vector signal generators. For more information, see the technical overview for the Keysight V2901A SignalMeister Integrated RF Signal Analysis and Generation Toolkit, literature number 5990-5485EN. 

Production Test Systems 

Production testing of MIMO devices usually calibrates and tests the characteristics of each individual radio using a SISO test system. This reduces test system cost. Each radio is tested sequentially with the other radios in an inactive state. 

The V2820A RF vector signal analyzer and V2920A RF vector signal generator are used with a multiplexer switch to connect to each of the DUT radio transceivers. The multiplexer may have the capability to connect and test more than one DUT in the test fixture, provide signal conditioning elements, or both. 

The V2920A vector signal generators and V2820A vector signal analyzers operate seamlessly in either SISO or MIMO test systems. MIMO measurements are made on production samples to audit and to ensure that device performance has not degraded.

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