Keysight’s 89600 VSA software helps system designers achieve 5G goals
Created October 23, 2017
Technologies and Products• Software lets designers jump start development with 5G analysis capabilities for signal-quality measurements of Verizon 5G signals today, planned support for 5G new radio standard signals
• Software ships with pre-5G modulation analysis based on Verizon 5G technology forum specifications
• Pre-5G modulation analysis enables signal quality measurements; enhanced with standard-compliant 5G new radio (NR) measurements upon standard’s final release
Key sight Technologies says its pre-5G modulation analysis option, available in the latest 89600 VSA software release, will include standards-compliant 5G new radio (NR) measurements upon the 3GPP 5G NR standard’s release. With this functionality, the 89600 VSA software is enabling component, module and system designers to be first-to-market with the upcoming 3GPP 5G NR standard.
Pre-5G is a 5G radio specification published by Verizon Wireless (www.5gtf.org), in cooperation with partner companies. The specification targets fixed wireless access at 28-GHz frequencies for initial trials and deployments.
Keysight’s 89600 VSA provides comprehensive time, frequency, and modulation domain analysis for pre-5G signals based on the Verizon 5G open trial specification. The software allows designers to configure result traces and pre-5G specific modulation quality metrics and traces for quick and easy identification of signal characteristics. The software also helps designers troubleshoot intermittent error peaks and repeated synchronization failures.
Support for 3GPP 5G NR
3GPP 5G NR is the emerging global 5G standard. The specification is expected to be included in Release 15 of the 3GPP standard, which is due out in 2018. Key sight comments that with its 89600 VSA software release, early adopters can design and verify performance to the draft specification now, before it is published, and be ready to work with the official standard once it is available.
Signal quality
Using 89600 VSA, designers can make EVM and other signal quality measurements of 3GPP 5G NR-like signals. Measurements for DFT-spread orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM / SC-FDMA) and CP-OFDM are made using a custom OFDM modulation analysis application. The software’s close link to the Keysight EEsof EDA SystemVue simulation environment gives designers even more flexibility when working with the draft specification.
“3GPP 5G NR represents yet another technology milestone in the evolution of 5G,” said Charles Plott, marketing and planning manager of Keysight Technologies’ Design Engineer Software organization.
“Key sight supports the standardization effort and our customer’s needs throughout that process. With our latest software release, we have accomplished that goal, giving designers the functionality they need to work with the draft specification today to be first-to-market with 5G.”
