Master Four-Channel MIMO Measurements

Sept. 21, 2010
SINGLE-ANTENNA IMPLEMENTATIONS of orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) signal formats, such as Mobile WiMAX and 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE), can enable increased data rates. By doubling or even quadrupling the number of ...

SINGLE-ANTENNA IMPLEMENTATIONS of orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) signal formats, such as Mobile WiMAX and 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE), can enable increased data rates. By doubling or even quadrupling the number of antennas in the implementation, as is done with four-channel multiple input multiple output (MIMO), the data rates can be increased further. As engineers migrate to four-channel MIMO, however, they will face increased complexity. A number of design and testing challenges must be overcome before peak data rates can be achieved. In an application note titled, "MIMO RF Test and Debug," Agilent Technologies provides an overview of the measurements that must be performed to ensure optimal performance in a four-channel MIMO implementation.

The concise four-page document emphasizes that engineers must look at all four channels individually as well as the inter-relationships between the channels. In addition, they must debug both the design and the hardware. These tasks can be accomplished by using a time-coherent, multichannel wideband oscilloscope and vector-signal-analysis software. The oscilloscope performs the four-channel, phase-coherent MIMO measurements. It also can be used to diagnose potential timing errors between the transmit antenna channels. When the software is used with the oscilloscope, it enables the measurement and analysis of LTE MIMO signals from the time, frequency, and modulation domains. Such capabilities aid an engineer in diagnosing and isolating hardware performance issues.

Agilent Technologies, Inc.
5301 Stevens Creek Blvd.
Santa Clara, CA 95051;
(408) 345-8886, FAX: (408) 345-8474
Internet: www.agilent.com.

About the Author

Nancy Friedrich | RF Product Marketing Manager for Aerospace Defense, Keysight Technologies

Nancy Friedrich is RF Product Marketing Manager for Aerospace Defense at Keysight Technologies. Nancy Friedrich started a career in engineering media about two decades ago with a stint editing copy and writing news for Electronic Design. A few years later, she began writing full time as technology editor at Wireless Systems Design. In 2005, Nancy was named editor-in-chief of Microwaves & RF, a position she held (along with other positions as group content head) until 2018. Nancy then moved to a position at UBM, where she was editor-in-chief of Design News and content director for tradeshows including DesignCon, ESC, and the Smart Manufacturing shows.

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