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CTIA Wireless 2010, Las Vegas - Rohde & Schwarz will demonstrate its latest equipment for testing LTE/WiMAXT radio modules - also known as remote radio heads (RRH). The RRHs use the CPRIT digital interface protocol. The R&S EX-IQ-Box acts as a "translator" module between the DUT-specific digital I/Q format (in this case, CPRI) and the digital I/Q format used by Rohde & Schwarz T&M equipment. As a result, the entire range of functionality provided by signal generators, analyzers and communications testers can be utilized for precision testing of LTE/WiMAXT RRHs.

The R&S EX-IQ-Box digital interface module is a flexible solution that connects selected Rohde & Schwarz signal generators, signal analyzers and communications testers to devices or components with digital baseband inputs and/or outputs. This allows easy adaptation to standard formats as well as user-specific digital interface formats. The latest interface support to be added is for the Common Public Radio Interface (CPRIT) protocol standard.

The new option R&S EXBOX-B85 for the R&S EX-IQ-Box enables tests over the CPRIT interface between the base station radio equipment control (REC) and the base station radio equipment (RE). Simulation of either the REC or the RE allows independent testing of the RE or REC, respectively. The test solution speeds up time-to-market and saves valuable development resources. It delivers standard conforming signals that are used as references for maintaining the interoperability of products from different vendors. In the first release, the R&S EXBOX-B85 emulates the REC for testing the RE. A future software update will support emulation of the RE for testing the REC.

The connection to the device under test (DUT) is done with an enclosed CPRIT specific breakout board, which supports small form factor pluggable (SFP) modules for the optical CPRIT link. All state-of-the-art standards such as 3GPP FDD (incl. HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+), LTE, WiMAXT and CDMA2000(r) are supported. The R&S EXBOX-B85 option covers individual uplink or downlink operation and full duplex operation. Multiple signal streams with settable sample rates can be processed and line bit rates of up to 3072.0 Mbps are achieved. Control and management information can be inserted in realtime ("fast/slow C&M").

The R&S EX-IQ-Box also features an internal waveform memory option (R&S EXBOX-K90) with 64 MSamples memory depth. This option allows convenient payload generation for the CPRIT link without an additional signal generator. Test setup is simplified and costs are reduced for all applications where only the digital CPRIT signal itself is needed. Standard complying waveforms (e.g. LTE, WiMAXT, etc.) that are transmitted via the CPRIT link are easily created by Rohde & Schwarz signal generation software R&S WinIQSIM2. Alternatively, third-party tools such as MATLABT can be used. With the R&S EXBOX-K91 multi waveform playback option, up to four different waveforms can be output simultaneously via one CPRIT link. With this configuration, even complex CPRIT signals for testing diversity, MIMO transmitter tests or multi-standard scenarios are effortlessly generated.

The R&S EX-IQ-Box digital interface module, the new R&S EXBOX-B85 CPRIT option, and the R&S EXBOX-K90/K91 waveform memory options are available from Rohde & Schwarz.

SOURCE: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG