Azimuth Systems Introduces Next-Generation WiMAX Channel Emulator

Azimuth Systems, introduced the new ACE™ 400WB, a comprehensive channel emulator platform for testing multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) and single-input-single-output (SISO) WiMAX solutions. The ACE 400WB is the industry’s first WiMAX channel emulator – a purpose-built, single box solution that provides sophisticated channel modeling capabilities in a complete test automation platform. The Azimuth solution enables real-time performance testing of MIMO devices, streamlining the testing of WiMAX chipsets, clients and infrastructure.

The ACE 400WB accurately emulates multipath characteristics with channel correlation to determine the effect of multi-channel RF interactions. The advanced signal processing technology is integrated in a platform that automates device control, traffic capture and results display to deliver accurate, repeatable and fast results. The ACE 400WB can be used to test and debug MIMO algorithms, optimize the performance of WiMAX devices in MIMO and SISO environments, streamline QA processes and run competitive performance benchmark tests. The ACE 400WB also tests interoperability between MIMO and SISO implementations from multiple vendors and can be used to define industry-wide mobility performance test suites for future WiMAX products.

“The growing WiMAX development market provides an exciting opportunity for Azimuth,” said Jeff Abramowitz, vice president of marketing at Azimuth Systems. “The ACE platform redefines customer expectations for channel emulation and we’ve seen tremendous interest in the ACE 400WB, particularly from vendors familiar with our award-winning Wi-Fi channel emulator.”

In next-generation MIMO systems for both Wi-Fi and WiMAX technologies, multipath emulation with correlated channels is required to determine whether MIMO algorithms are working properly and to predict performance of MIMO-based products in a real-world environment. However, multipath is difficult to predict and control because it is affected by everything from building construction to the movement of people, so accurate channel emulation is a critical element of any MIMO test bed. The ACE 400WB delivers the real-world environment to a lab, offering unprecedented RF control to enable efficient and repeatable results, while replacing time consuming wireless field tests that lack repeatability.

The ACE 400WB meets the most advanced testing needs of a broad range of WiMAX engineers. The solution’s industry-leading performance meets the requirements of silicon developers analyzing radio and baseband performance. The ACE 400WB’s flexibility and ease-of-use enables equipment manufacturers and service providers to benchmark the effect of real-world channel variations and mobility on end-user Quality of Service. The full set of highly-differentiated features includes:

Fully- functional channel emulation that scales from SISO 1x1 devices to MIMO 4x4 devices, to measure RF interactions between devices with up to four input/output antennas;
Single-box design (with inherent RF), reducing the need for daisy chaining, synchronizing multiple boxes and eliminating the need for external hardware;
Dedicated bi-directional channel modeling that emulates wireless over-the-air conditions in downlink and uplink paths, which can be used to test beamforming applications;
Complete RF isolation and high performance ensures repeatable test results that are not limited by the fidelity of the channel emulator;
Built-in ITU M.225 Pedestrian B and Vehicular A channel model profiles that allow users to recreate a variety of typical WiMAX scenarios for performance and interoperability testing;
Dynamic, real-time channel modeling with channel play/pause/rewind control, as well as practically infinite model repeat times, to enhance debug capabilities;
Expert Mode operation that allows the user to program the emulator with custom channel models to allow in-lab emulation of user-defined real-world environments.

Azimuth will demonstrate the ACE 400WB at the members showcase on January 31^st at the WiMAX Forum Member Conference in Waikoloa, Hawaii.