Testing Challenges of Smart Antenna Systems for the 5G New Radio and Millimeter Waves

ETS-Lindgren Now Offers Customized Solutions

CEDAR PARK, Texas February 13, 2018 The proliferation of wireless technologies into every corner of our lives, starting with traditional cellular and wireless LAN technologies and leading to the impending evolution of autonomous vehicles and the "Internet of Things," poses unique test challenges to designers and manufacturers of wireless devices.  The smart antenna systems that adapt to their environment are not likely to perform the same way in a traditional laboratory test as they would in the real world.  As a result, today's laboratory test methodologies must advance to keep up with these innovations to be able to determine the expected Over-the-Air (OTA) performance of these devices without requiring an unlimited number of test cases.  As expected from an industry leader, ETS-Lindgren provides innovative solutions to address these test challenges.  From compact tabletop enclosures to test chambers large enough for vehicles and planes, ETS-Lindgren has the expertise to customize its standard wireless device test and measurement chambers to a user's specific requirements.  With pre- and full compliance Antenna Measurement Systems (AMS) supported by industry leading EMQuest software, ETS-Lindgren offers convenient and cost-effective solutions.

"The 3GPP New Radio (NR) for 5G will make use of antenna technologies like beamforming and massive MIMO to increase spectrum efficiency in all bands, while also adding significantly more RF spectrum in the mmWave region," said Dr. Michael Foegelle, Director of Technology Development with ETS-Lindgren.  "Much of the current effort in developing test standards within 3GPP is centered around figuring out how to perform conformance tests over the air at mmWave frequencies, since it's not possible to just hook up a cable to perform these tests on a beamforming radio.  However, it is not enough just to decide how to perform tests that are traditionally conducted using an OTA method.  These adaptive antennas will exhibit variable performance as a function of their RF environment and usage case, so understanding their overall performance will significantly increase the complexity of OTA performance evaluation over that of traditional static antenna patterns.  ETS-Lindgren has decades of experience with RF and microwave testing for the defense and aerospace industries, EMC testing across the entire spectrum, and OTA performance testing of all types of wireless devices on the market.  We are uniquely qualified to merge these disparate technologies into a cohesive solution for the wireless industry and guide our customers to the optimal solution to their 5G testing requirements."

Dr. Foegelle is an invited speaker on the 5G new radio and wireless OTA topics at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) short course entitled, "Modern Microwave and Antenna Measurements" scheduled for May 8-10, 2018.  Click here for more information and to register to attend.  You can also view Dr. Foegelle's presentation on 5G and mmWave technology from a recent meeting sponsored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) C63.  

Click here for information on ETS-Lindgren's wireless test solutions, including the industry leading AMS family of test chambers and EMQuest antenna measurement software.  You'll find our solutions overview for 5G wireless testing here.  Watch the Wireless Test Solutions Video for an overview of ETS-Lindgren's capabilities, accreditations, involvement in the wireless industry standards organizations, trusted partners, and numerous industry "firsts" achieved in advancing wireless device test and measurement.

About ETS-Lindgren

ETS-Lindgren is an international manufacturer of components and systems that measure, shield, and control electromagnetic and acoustic energy. The company's products are used for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), microwave and wireless testing, electromagnetic field (EMF) measurement, radio frequency (RF) personal safety monitoring, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and control of acoustic environments.

Headquartered in Cedar Park, Texas, ETS-Lindgren has manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and Asia. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of ESCO Technologies, a leading supplier of engineered products for growing industrial and commercial markets. ESCO is a New York Stock Exchange listed company (symbol ESE) with headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri. Additional information about ETS-Lindgren is available at www.ets-lindgren.com. Additional information about ESCO and its subsidiaries is available at www.escotechnologies.com.

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CONTACT:
Janet O'Neil
Marketing Communications
ETS-Lindgren
Office:  +1 (512) 531-2676

Cell: +1 (425) 443-8106
janet.oneil@ets-lindgren.com