High-end System Enables Realistic Laboratory Device Tests
On 27 August Rohde & Schwarz announced the launch of its new high-end wideband I/Q data recorder, the IQW.
The device can be used to record signal scenarios typically required in test cases, at a bandwidth up to 512 MHz and high sampling rates. The solution records wideband RF signals and reproduces them to simulate real-world test environments, enabling realistic, repeatable device tests in the lab.
The solution consists of an R&S FSW signal and spectrum analyser, the new IQW and an SMW200A vector signal generator, all from Rohde & Schwarz. The IQW records the signal spectrum of a wideband RF signal or the spectra of multiple narrowband signals in a specific frequency band, making it ideal for realistic component tests with radar signals, for deployments using a variety of RF test scenarios in the automotive sector, and for tests employing GNSS signals, for example.
To obtain signals as realistic as possible for simulations, the IQW samples signal spectra at a rate up to 640 Msample/s and a large bit depth – 16 bits each for I and Q data. Removable 6.4 Tbyte SSD memory packs are used for storage. Signals are captured by the FSW signal and spectrum analyser, which acquires signals with high sensitivity, generates the corresponding I/Q data in real time and transfers the data gapless to the IQW. The FSW comes in seven models for frequency ranges up to 90 GHz.
For signal playback, the wideband recorder feeds the I/Q data to the SMW200A vector signal generator, which reconstructs and delivers the corresponding RF signal. This high-end generator supports a wide range of signal configurations and can add any desired radio signals, e.g. standard cellular, WLAN and GNSS signals, to the IQW signal to create more complex signal scenarios. This enables defined and repeatable measurements under controlled conditions in the lab or in an EMC test chamber, as frequently required in the test cases for various standards.
The IQW is usually operated via LAN using a web-based GUI that automatically adapts to the actual screen size. The recorder can also be operated locally via its 5.7in TFT touchscreen, with the option of connecting an accessory keyboard and mouse.
