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Aeroflex Unveils Flexible Test Strategy With Introduction of PXI-Based General Purpose Wireless Test Systems Application-Specific Software Includes Capability for GSM/EDGE and WCDMA/UMTS Testing Plainview, New York--As part of the unveiling of its strategy to provide customers with flexible and cost-effective test systems, Aeroflex Incorporated launches the Aeroflex 3000 series, a PXI-based modular test suite for mobile phone and general-purpose wireless test. "In June we announced our strategy to migrate to an industry-standard modular product development platform," said Bob Vogel, vice president, business development, Aeroflex Test Solutions. "The Aeroflex 3000 series PXI products are a first step in allowing us to leverage our modular designs into other systems and standalone instruments. The core functionality is portable, which allows us to quickly address the rapidly changing customer testing needs." Systems approach extends to PXI-based products for RF communications market "Aeroflex is the first company to bring to market high-performance RF test capability for wireless applications in a PXI-based chassis, an inherently flexible and cost-effective platform," said Bill Burrows, product marketing manager, Aeroflex. "With a long history in systems development, Aeroflex is now extending its vast systems experience into the PXI instrumentation market." The Aeroflex 3000 series encompasses four PXI modules and supporting applications for signal generation and signal analysis that meet the specific requirements for GSM/EDGE and WCDMA/UMTS mobile phone testing. Applications include automated measurement of parametric performance of terminal transmitter and receiver characteristics; terminal TX and RX alignment and performance characterization for manufacturing; and research and development. In addition, the Aeroflex 3000 series expands PXI's speed and modularity into the realm of general-purpose wireless testing. For example, the new high-performance 3020 2.5 GHz signal generator can be used for general-purpose continuous wave (CW) and digital signal generation for wireless device testing and characterization. The Aeroflex PXI wireless test suite includes: * 3010 3 GHz RF synthesizer (single-slot 3U) * 3020 2.5 GHz digital RF signal generator (two-slot 3U) * 3030 3 GHz RF digitizer (two-slot 3U) * 3060 2.5 GHz RF combiner (single-slot 3U) * GSM/EDGE measurement suite * UMTS measurement suite * IQ Creator waveform creation tools The Aeroflex hardware modules are configured and controlled by a device driver implemented using NI-VISA (National Instruments Virtual Instrument Software Architecture). Each PXI module is provided with a software driver as both a DLL (dynamic link library) for use within the standard environment, and as a set of source code. With the source code, customers can adapt device drivers to their needs. In addition to the driver DLL and source, a soft front panel is provided for each module. About the ground-breaking 3000 series PXI synthesizer and signal generator modules The first in a series of PXI modules from Aeroflex, the 3000 series is designed to reduce the cost of test and provide fast, accurate and flexible test capability to the wireless market. A PXI-based test system is 100 times faster than rack-and-stack systems and allows customers to buy only the capability they need and upgrade to new standards in the future. The 3010 RF synthesizer module is an industry first for PXI. It is a high-performance frequency synthesizer with a frequency range of 1.5 GHz to 3.0 GHz. The 3010 can be used as a standalone frequency synthesizer or as the core synthesizer for the Aeroflex 3020 PXI digital RF signal generator or the Aeroflex 3030 PXI RF digitizer module. Using Aeroflex-patented technology, the 3010 synthesizer provides 1 Hz frequency resolution combined with phase noise performance and frequency agility previously only available in benchtop or rack instruments. The 3010's phase noise is typically -116 dBc/Hz. Its frequency settling times of typically 200 us (when optioned) are ideal for use in high-volume RF component test systems or testing of frequency-hopping radios. The 3010 is supplied with a VXIpnp driver and soft front panel. A high stability variant to 3010, the 3011 includes an OCXO frequency reference. The 3020 digital RF signal generator module is an industry-first for PXI. It is a high-performance module designed for complex digital IQ waveform applications in communications systems test. The 3020 with the 3010 RF synthesizer form a compact digital RF signal generator in three slots in a 3U PXI chassis. For the first time, system engineers can fully integrate RF source requirements into PXI test systems. The versatile two-slot 3020 module produces IQ modulated or CW signals between 250 MHz and 2.5 GHz with an IQ bandwidth of up to 12 MHz, while the single slot 3010 module provides a low noise, frequency-agile local oscillator input. The 3020's performance characteristics are ideal for generating complex modulated signals for research and development or manufacturing. Modulation linearity for UMTS WCDMA signals is better than 55 dB, providing a comfortable margin for measuring mobile transmitters. The internal arbitrary waveform generator has a 32 Msample capacity. It can be used to store a single long waveform or a collection of smaller waveforms up to the limit of the sample memory. The 3020 is supported by optional software applications for waveform design for common radio systems such as GSM, EDGE, UMTS, IS136, IS95 and CDMA2000, as well as waveforms for FSK, PSK and QAM modulation. The 3020 is compatible with Aeroflex's IQ Creator for design of complex modulation waveforms. The 3030 RF digitizer module is a 3 GHz precision broadband RF digitizer. It is the most compact RF digitizer available in PXI. It also yields higher performance than any similar PXI product available today. When used in conjunction with the 3010 RF synthesizer module, the 3030 frequency down-converts and digitizes RF signals up to 15 MHz in the frequency range of 330 MHz to 3 GHz. The 3030/3010 combination offers high linearity and low noise performance designed for the analysis of radio signals including WCDMA. The 3030 outputs a set of amplitude and phase-corrected digital IF or IQ data samples with an amplitude accuracy of typically <0.5 dB. The 3030 is supported by a variety of optional signal analysis applications, supplied as measurement libraries for spectrum and vector analysis of common system personalities. The 3060 RF combiner module is the first PXI module of its type designed specifically for RF component and radio terminal system test. It is a high-performance, four-port RF combiner covering 300 MHz to 2.5 GHz in a compact single-slot module. The 3060 is designed for use in RF test systems in conjunction with the 3020 RF signal generator and the 3030 RF digitizer. Together these modules enable the development of compact, high-performance, low-cost modular RF test systems. The RF combiner eliminates the need for extraneous RF combiner and signal routing development in the test fixture, simplifying test system design. The 3060 provides a single, combined port (UUT port D) from any combination of 3020 RF output modules and 3030 RF digitizer modules connected to ports A, B and C. Software measurement suites for GSM/EDGE and UMTS handset testing At launch, the 3000 series will include application-specific software suites for research and development and manufacturing test for GSM/EDGE and WCDMA/UMTS handsets. The GSM/EDGE measurement suite is a complete set of OCX measurement functions to analyze GSM and EDGE mobile transmitter performance in conjunction with the 3030 RF digitizer module. The GSM/EDGE measurement suite is a library of ActiveX controls for use in application software development environments such as LabVIEW, LabWINDOWS, Visual C, Visual Basic and C++. With the 3030 RF digitizer module, it enables precision characterization of GSM/EDGE mobile station transmitters. The GSM/EDGE measurement suite provides ActiveX controls for analysis of all major GSM/EDGE signal characteristics, including average RF power, burst profile, modulation quality (either as phase error or error vector magnitude), frequency error and spectrum due to modulation and switching. The UMTS measurement suite is a complete set of OCX measurement functions to analyze UMTS mobile transmitter performance in conjunction with the 3030 RF digitizer module. The UMTS measurement suite is a library of ActiveX controls for use in application software development environments such as LabVIEW, LabWINDOWS, Visual C, Visual Basic and C++. With the 3030 RF digitizer module, it enables precision characterization of UMTS mobile station transmitters. The UMTS measurement suite provides ActiveX controls for analysis of all major UMTS signal characteristics, including average RF power, ACLR, Peak Code Domain Error, Code Domain Power, EVM and frequency stability. Additional information concerning Aeroflex Incorporated can be found on the Company's Web site.

Aeroflex's 3000 Series of high-performance PXI-based modules are supported by source code and device drivers to customize them for so-called soft front-panel operation. That combo should make them useful building blocks for RF test suites that are configurable for the task at hand. These modules now support the company's synthetic test system thrust, too. It was rolled out earlier this year (refer to ChipCenter feature article Synthetic Test Systems, The Future of Test: Available Today). Let's look at the Model 3010 RF synthesizer module first. With its precision single-cycle resolution and low phase-noise specs, it can be used as a standalone synthesizer, or as a synthesizer for an associated signal generator or RF digitizer. In any case, it delivers its output into 50-ohm unbalanced loads. Wide Range I/Q Generation If used with Aeroflex's Model 3020 2.5-GHz signal generator, the 3010 module lets you generate I/Q-modulated signals over a range spanning 250-MHz up to 2.5-GHz, with output level settable from +5-dBm to -120 dBm. If used with Aeroflex's Model 3030 digitizer, you can dish up signals anywhere from 330-MHz to 3-GHz, with up to 15 MHz bandwidth. In addition to the low phase-noise underscored in the company's press release, the Model 3010 is also frequency agile. In use, it's able to switch frequency in as short as 1-ms (with loop bandwidth set to narrow), or 10-ms (with loop bandwidth set to normal). These settings let you optimize a 3010 for either optimum switching speed or best phase-noise performance. In its press statement Aeroflex briefly mentions its Model 3011 variant, a high stability version of the 3010. While the latter is configured with either an internal VCXO (or you can use external 10-MHz reference), the 3011 is fitted with an oven compensated crystal oscillator. The OCXO signal is brought out to a 50-ohm port so that you can use this very stable 10-MHz reference to drive and sync other equipment in your test suite, too. Not that the stability of a 3010 is bad. Over 0°C to 50°C, a Model 3010 module typically exhibits better than ±5 x 10-6 stability, but the 3011 boosts this spec to better than ±1 x 10-8. The 3011's aging rate is also specified to be just one part in 109/day (and 1 in 107/year, while the 3010 isn't specified this way at all. Marrying Modules Now let's look at Aeroflex's 3020 module. Marrying a Model 3020 with a 3010 (or more stable 3011) module lets you generate a variety of wireless signal types, especially when running under Aeroflex's optional IQ Creator software. That combo can let you generate spectrally clean waveforms for a variety of wireless standards, such as GSM, EDGE, UMTS, IS136, IS95, and cdma2000, as well as WLAN systems. You can also generate customized waveshapes for FSK, PSK, and QAM, along with burst signals. Using a 3020, an IQ waveform source can be derived from either an internal arbitrary waveform generator (AWG) or across an external (LVDS) interface. The AWG can store 32 Msamples, with each sample word consisting of 14-bit I and 14-bit Q data, and a 4-bit marker. In use, the AWG's memory can store either a single long waveform or any number of smaller waveforms, too, rapidly transferring waveform data between your system controller and the AWG, across the PXI bus. These features also support the 3020's use as a test block within other PXI-based test systems. Moreover, its fast settling time capabilities should also be advantageous in production test settings, where high throughput is desirable. Spec-wise, the 3020's IQ vector modulation has a bandwidth of 12-MHz, with carrier leakage and sideband suppression typically down -50 dBc (with a 10-kHz tone). For UMTS W-CDMA signals, modulation linearity is better than 55 dB, making the 3020 suitable for testing W-CDMA amplifiers that are also highly linear. The 3020 also gives you lots of triggering options, with inputs routed either through an LVDS front-panel input jack, or across the PXI backplane. Triggers can also be programmed into waveform files, where they can be used to trigger other instruments. Digitizing Signals For input signal processing, Aeroflex's Model 3030 broadband digitizer serves in conjunction with a 3010 (or 3011) module. The gate array-based 3030 module (the array is there for upgrades) down-converts and digitizes signals up to 15-MHz in bandwidth, from 330-MHz out to 3-GHz. Frequency conversion is to an IF at 46 MHz. Thanks to its linearity and low noise, a 3030 module can be used to digitize many types of wireless signals, accepting signals up to +10 dBm (input level control uses fast electronic switched attenuators, selectable in 4 dB steps) and outputting amplitude- and phase-corrected digital IF or IQ data samples. These samples have an amplitude accuracy of 0.5 dB (typ). The 3030 is also quite repeatable, touting less than 0.1 dB variance, an attribute that makes it suitable for production testing where yield is important. The 3030 also provides 75-dB of spurious free dynamic range (SFDR) and 75-dB intermodulation free dynamic range. That makes it possible to measure a 3G system's ACLR (adjacent channel leakage power ratio) to 68-dB. The module's 15-MHz wide digitized IF can also capture three channels of 3GPP WCDMA for ACLR measurement. Full-rate digital IF, or decimated IQ data can be output via the LVDS bus. Aeroflex points out that these capabilities are useful for realtime system emulation applications, however RF signals can also be captured, saved to internal memory, and then read over the host PCI bus. On-board memory can store up to 128 million x 16-bit samples (sampled at better than 61 Msamples/s, that's equivalent to just over two seconds). The 3030 is also supported by optional signal analysis applications supplied as measurement libraries. These give you spectrum and vector analysis capabilities for things such as GSM/EDGE and UMTS. These bits are supplied as Active X components for use in graphical programming environments such as National Instruments's LabVIEW or LabWindows, or with VisualBASIC and C++ programming. Combining Signals Tying these modules together at the RF level in a variety of ways lies at the feet of Aeroflex's Model 3060 combiner. In use, the 3060 PXI building block provides a single combined output port from any combination of 3020 generator and 3030 digitizer modules that are connected to its three bi-directional input ports. A typical system, in a National Instruments rack, is shown here. Click for larger detailed image The 3060 module is also calibrated with frequency response data. This data is stored and can therefore be read by your test system. Such data can offset stimulus input levels in a 3020, for example, or correct measurement results in a 3030 digitizer. As such, calibration to the plane of a device-under-test connection point is maintained. The 3060 module also supports direct connection between its input ports to enable test system end-to-end calibration. Not noted in Aeroflex's press release is that all-important specification: price. So, what will these building blocks set you back? A Model 3010 costs about $4000. A 3020 is priced at $7000, and the 3030 comes in at about $4000 more. The 3060 combiner is priced at about $2500. Software costs from about $1500 to $2000. Lastly, Aeroflex has been gobbling up other test-and-measurement companies like mad lately, and it now has a wide variety of T&M equipment, software, and services under its roof. For more details about that or the 3000 Series contact Aeroflex Inc., 35 So. Service Rd., Plainview, New York 11803. Phone: (516) 694-6700. Fax: (516) 694-4823.