Channel Emulator for 16x24 Bi-Directional Fading Emulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional MIMO OTA test systems require multiple channel emulators to achieve 16×24 bi-directional fading emulation, leading to increased hardware resources, stability issues, and high power consumption, making it costly and impractical to replicate the system at other customer sites.

Innovation Solution

A single channel emulator is used to perform 16×24 bi-directional fading emulation by building and selecting preferred channel impulse response (CIR) files, optimizing the fading emulation process to reduce hardware requirements and power consumption, while maintaining the accuracy of the fading environment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple channel emulators are used to achieve 16×24 bi-directional fading emulation, then the fading emulation capability is improved, but the device complexity and hardware resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefading emulation capabilityVSAvoidhardware resources

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A single channel emulator is designed to perform multiple functions by supporting dynamic configuration of different fading emulation modes (16×16, 16×24, 24×24) through software control, eliminating the need for multiple dedicated hardware units for different emulation scenarios

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operational parameters (number of input ports, number of output ports, probe mapping configurations) to adapt to different fading emulation requirements, allowing a single device to replace multiple fixed-configuration devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple channel emulators are used to achieve 16×24 bi-directional fading emulation, then the fading emulation capability is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to synchronization requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefading emulation capabilityVSAvoidsystem stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple channel emulator functions are merged into a single integrated device, eliminating the synchronization interface between separate units and removing the reliability issues associated with multi-device coordination and timing alignment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If additional channel emulators are used for 16×24 bi-directional fading emulation, then the fading emulation capability is improved, but the power consumption increases requiring −8 kW cooling system

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefading emulation capabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

A single channel emulator is designed to handle multiple fading emulation configurations (16×16, 16×24, 24×24) through software reconfiguration, providing universal functionality that eliminates the need for additional power-consuming hardware units

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Use of energy by stationary object

If a single channel emulator with 64 RF channels is used, then the power consumption is reduced, but the probe connection capability deteriorates from 24 probes to 16 probes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidprobe connection capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by stationary objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically changes the mapping parameters between RF channels and probes, allowing a single channel emulator to provide 16×24 bi-directional fading emulation by configuring different mapping relationships rather than requiring fixed 1-to-1 physical connections

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The channel emulator provides universal probe support capability through software configuration, enabling the same hardware to adapt to different probe connection scenarios (16 probes or 24 probes) without physical reconfiguration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20230324445A1Method and system for modeling device under test having multiple antennas

Publication Date: 2023.10.12 KEYSIGHT TECHNOLOGIES INC

AI summary

A method for modeling an NR DUT using a MIMO OTA test system including a BTS configured to send and receive RF test signals to and from the DUT, and probes configured to reproduce a three-dimensional fading environment for the DUT placed in a quiet zone of an anechoic chamber in response to the RF test signals. The method includes building CIR files for fading channels provided by a channel emulator in the MIMO OTA test system; selecting preferred CIR files from the CIR files having corresponding channel power levels higher than a threshold corresponding to a minimum power level; and performing bi-directional fading emulation with the fading channels using the preferred CIR files, where remaining CIR files are disregarded. The probes reproduce the three-dimensional fading environment for the DUT in the quiet zone using the RF test signals adjusted by the bi-directional fading emulation with the fading channels.