Microwave Engineering Europe - September 2008 - (Page 28)

28 TEST — RF AMPLIFIER PERFORMANCE capability can be changed in ﬁrmware rather than hard-wired circuitry. The SDR products can also be smaller, more reliable, and lower cost. Additionally, digital technologies are expected to advance signiﬁcantly more rapidly than analog. In general, the beneﬁts realized from implementing an SDR-based design allow test instrument manufacturers to develop instruments that deliver signiﬁcantly higher value for test engineers than traditional analog designs. For test instrument manufacturers, the architecture allows for shortened development times not only for initial products but for enhancements and new products based on SDR architecture. The ﬂexibility of the SDR approach can also allow for instruments to meet the requirements of future wireless communication standards more easily than traditional hard-wired designs. Impact on cost of test In addition to measurement quality, there are a number of key ways in which test instruments using SDR architecture can contribute to lowering the cost of test. First, measurement time is decreased. The advanced digital architecture provides for faster measurements while specialized synthesizer circuitry enables faster tuning. System integration time can also be reduced if the VSG and VSA share a common architecture and are designed to work together. Time to market can also be reduced, because the improved ease of use for bench and systems applications means more testing or the same amount of testing can be done in less time. The instruments are suitable for R&D and manufacturing, which means that they can potentially shorten the product development cycle by simplifying the transitions from research and development to qualiﬁcation to manufacturing. Test data and routines can be easily shared and reused at each step of the project. The instrument’s ﬂexible digital architecture means that new measurements can be added in software rather than hardware changes. Moreover, the high reliability inherent in a signiﬁcant percentage of the instrument based on digital technology reduces costly down time and lowers support costs. Conclusion Phase and amplitude distortion of the power ampliﬁer and other components directly effects communications quality. EVM is a key measurement for communications quality and its main beneﬁt is that it is faster than BER testing and also offers greater diagnostic insight than eye-diagram or BER testing. However, EVM is not just a single value. EVM can be a function of operating power level, operating frequency, and DC bias voltage. In addition, EVM can be a composite of multiple signals in OFDM transmissions. Thus transmitter (or power ampliﬁer) performance needs to be characterized and tested over a range of parameters to ensure that the device will operate with consumer-pleasing reliability. Next-generation RF instrumentation, such as Keithley’s line of RF test instruments, uses a digital architecture and other innovations such as SDR to accommodate existing and emerging high throughput transmission technologies. This lets these instruments achieve high measurement accuracy while signiﬁcantly improving instrument performance/price ratios and reducing the cost of test. The SDR architecture also ensures long life for the instrument, since new capabilities are added only with ﬁrmware upgrades. About the author Robert Green received his BS in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University and an MS in Electrical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis. He has over 15 years of experience in instrumentation product marketing with the majority of that time concentrated on the wireless market. Ericsson and STMicroelectronics to create joint-venture in semiconductors and platforms for mobile applications STMicroelectronics and Ericsson have announced an agreement to merge Ericsson Mobile Platforms and ST-NXP Wireless into a joint venture. The 50/50 joint venture aims to deliver the industry’s strongest product offering in semiconductors and platforms for mobile applications and will be an important supplier to Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, LG and Sharp. It will employ almost 8,000 people with pro-forma 2007 sales of USD 3.6B. ST is expected to exercise its option to buy NXP’s 20 percent of ST-NXP Wireless before closing this transaction. In the joint venture, ST contributes its multimedia and connectivity solutions as well as a complete 2G/EDGE platform and 3G offering, including customer relationships with Nokia, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson. Ericsson contributes its 3G and LTE platform technology as well as customer relationships with Sony Ericsson, LG and Sharp. The joint venture is designed for long-term stability in its original structure, and aims to become an industry leader in product research, as well as design, development, and the creation of cutting-edge mobile platforms and wireless semiconductors. The joint venture will rely on its complete platform offering, which will include modems, multimedia and connectivity solutions for 2G/ EDGE, 3G, HSPA and LTE technologies. It will also include all appropriate hardware, software and support to enable handset manufacturers to develop mass-market products. Ericsson Mobile Platforms has state-of-the-art mobile modem design and mobile terminal architecture expertise and ST-NXP Wireless brings vast experience in wireless semiconductor development, including an industry-leading ASIC, ASSP, Application Processor and connectivity portfolio and hardware assembly and testing. The business in the 50/50 joint venture will be led by a development and marketing company with approximately 7,000 people employed. This company will be consolidated by ST and Ericsson will account for it using the equity method. A separate platform design company, with approximately 1,000 people employed, will provide platform designs to the development and marketing company. Ericsson will consolidate this company and ST will account for it using the equity method. Of the almost 8,000 people employed, almost 5,000 will be from STNXP Wireless and roughly 3,000 will be from Ericsson Mobile Platforms. The new company will be fabless and will use silicon technologies and manufacturing capabilities from ST and other external providers. The joint venture will be headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and governance will be balanced. Each parent will appoint four directors to the board and Ericsson will designate Carl-Henric Svanberg as the Chairman of the Board while ST will appoint Carlo Bozotti as the Vice Chairman. In addition, ST will designate the Chief Executive Ofﬁcer and Ericsson will appoint the Executive Vice President to the company. An integration management team, led by Alain Dutheil, has already been selected. www.mwee.com/210102187 Microwave Engineering Europe ● September 2008 ● www.mwee.com 023-024-025-026-027-028_MWEE.indd 28 2/09/08 15:52:20 http://www.mwee.com/210102187 http://www.mwee.com

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Microwave Engineering Europe - September 2008 News Contents Comment Cover Feature: Uncovering Test and Measurement’s Role in Advancing LTE and Mobile WiMAX WiMax: WiMax and LTE Need to Address Issues of Backhaul, Cost and Efficiency for Successful Deployment WiMax: Manufacturing Communications Technology Products in India Test and Measurement Mobile Platforms Evolve to Meet Future Demands Products Calendar

Microwave Engineering Europe - September 2008

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