Mobile World Congress, Barcelona 2008 — When used as an LTE protocol tester, the R&S CMW500 delivers multiple benefits to chipset and wireless device manufacturers – in every phase of UMTS LTE-compliant protocol development. Benefits include significant cost reductions for the entire development of UMTS LTE wireless devices because the protocol stack can be checked at an early stage. Furthermore, the protocol tester reduces time to market since hardware and software can be co-developed, tested and fine-tuned simultaneously.
Building on Rohde & Schwarz's reputation for leading-edge UMTS LTE protocol stack testing, this powerful hardware solution provides a frequency range up to 6 GHz and a bandwidth of 40 MHz. The R&S CMW500 for LTE also extends its benefits to later stages in the lifecycle of products, when it can be used in conformance, performance and interoperability tests. An alternative software solution for PCs supports the individual developer starting at the protocol development phase.
Predefined test sequences significantly reduce development effort. Easy-to-operate programming interfaces let designers adapt these test sequences to the requirements at hand or to create an entire set of their own. A full suite of tried-and-true software tools are available for running test sequences: Project Explorer software begins by configuring the test run and managing the results; Message Analyzer analyzes the protocol layers. The high level of detail provided by the R&S CMW500 for LTE enables designers to immediately detect any problems in the protocol stack. Since all tests are fully automatic, a large number can be performed in a short time.
In the PC-based solution, the physical layer is emulated by software to which the protocol stack of the UMTS LTE wireless device is linked. With this model, the tester and protocol stack run on a PC without extra hardware and the tester can be installed on the desktop PC to perform tests. This greatly simplifies the later integration of protocol software, baseband chips and RF modules. When the software solution is retrofitted to the hardware solution as required for integration, all test sequences remain unchanged and available.
The R&S CMW500 for LTE provides detailed information about how precisely the protocol of the wireless device meets the 3GPP specifications. Featuring a frequency range up to 6 GHz and a bandwidth of 40 MHz, the architecture of the R&S CMW500 for LTE can easily handle evolving wireless standards. Future versions will accommodate complex scenarios including MIMO, multiple radio cells, and inter-RAT functionality as well as higher data rates and a digital I/Q interface. These features give the platform the ability to test the protocol stack in conjunction with IP-based applications such as file transfer or Internet browsing on the wireless device.
Rohde & Schwarz offers a complete product portfolio for the development of UMTS LTE wireless devices. The products include power meters, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, mobile radio testers, protocol testers and an RF conformance test system. Manufacturers can rely on Rohde & Schwarz products and expert support from start to finish. Specially trained application engineers from the worldwide Rohde & Schwarz support network provide the full range of customer assistance.
The R&S CMW500 for LTE can now be ordered from Rohde & Schwarz.
