PXI system gets MIMO capabilities

This latest release of the WLAN Measurement Suite supports testing of WLAN devices implementing up to 2x2 MIMO communications.

-- Test & Measurement World, 3/18/2010 10:16:04 AM

Aeroflex has added support for MIMO (multiple-input/multiple-output) testing to its PXI 3000 Series manufacturing test system with the introduction of its new PXI 3061 module, a multiport RF combiner. The initial target application for the new module is WLAN IEEE 802.11n device testing. In addition, the company has updated the WLAN Measurement Suite software (3030 RF digitizer software option 103) to take advantage of the MIMO capabilities offered by the 3061 RF combiner. This latest release of the WLAN Measurement Suite supports testing of WLAN devices implementing up to 2x2 MIMO communications. Support for 4x4 MIMO device testing is expected later this year.

The 3030 RF digitizer Option 103 WLAN Measurement Suite now supports IEEE 802.11n MCS (Modulation and Coding Scheme) 8 to 15 test in addition to MIMO test. Power modulation and spectrum measurement results for each transmit stream can be viewed independently using PXI Studio application software, as well as supporting composite measurement of EVM (error vector magnitude) for multiple antenna configurations.

The WLAN Measurement Suite is designed for use in conjunction with the new 3061 RF combiner/RF switch module, which provides three RF in/out interfaces to a single VSA/VGA (vector signal analyzer/vector generator analyzer) resource. During MIMO measurements the WLAN Measurement Suite sequences switch selection between each antenna automatically and at high speed. With instantaneous measurement bandwidths up to 90 MHz available, the PXI 3000 Series is equipped to perform WLAN spectral emission mask measurements in a single step. Not only does this single-step approach lead to faster measurement times, it eliminates the need for an external trigger to ensure synchronous measurement.

Aeroflex, www.aeroflex.com.