National Instruments mmWave OTA User Manual
  1. Manuals
  2. Brands
  3. National Instruments Manuals
  4. Test Equipment
  5. mmWave OTA
  6. User manual
National Instruments mmWave OTA User Manual

National Instruments mmWave OTA User Manual

Validation test reference architecture
Hide thumbs
Table of Contents

Advertisement

Quick Links

Download this manual
USER MANUAL
mmWave OTA Validation Test
Reference Architecture
The mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture integrates mmWave signal
generation and analysis instrumentation, an anechoic chamber, a positioner, and positioner
control, providing the ability to measure the complete radiated field of the DUT in all
transmitting directions.
This manual contains hardware and software information, including step-by-step procedures
and basic information about how to begin using the mmWave OTA Validation Anechoic
Chamber and instrumentation with the mmWave OTA Validation Test Software.
Notice
The protection provided by this equipment may be impaired if it is used in
a manner not described in the documentation.
Contents
Hardware Overview.................................................................................................................. 2
Software Overview................................................................................................................... 2
Chamber Overview................................................................................................................... 5
Chamber Exterior.............................................................................................................. 5
Chamber Interior............................................................................................................... 9
Getting Started........................................................................................................................ 12
What You Need to Get Started........................................................................................12
Operating the Chamber................................................................................................... 14
Verifying System Setup...................................................................................................15
Performing System Calibration.......................................................................................26
Getting Started with Step-by-Step Position Sweeping................................................... 30
Getting Started with Autonomous Position Sweeping....................................................32
Programming...........................................................................................................................35
Soft Front Panels............................................................................................................. 35
mmWave OTA Validation Configurator......................................................................... 36
OTA Measurement Interface...........................................................................................46
Antenna Plugin................................................................................................................47
Where to Go Next................................................................................................................... 48

Advertisement

Table of Contents
loading
Need help?

Need help?

Do you have a question about the mmWave OTA and is the answer not in the manual?

Questions and answers

Related Manuals for National Instruments mmWave OTA

Summary of Contents for National Instruments mmWave OTA

  • Page 1: Table Of Contents

    DUT in all transmitting directions. This manual contains hardware and software information, including step-by-step procedures and basic information about how to begin using the mmWave OTA Validation Anechoic Chamber and instrumentation with the mmWave OTA Validation Test Software. Notice The protection provided by this equipment may be impaired if it is used in a manner not described in the documentation.

  • Page 2: Hardware Overview

    Radio Heads (direct TRX ports only) – PXIe-6361 Multifunction I/O Module – PXIe-1092 or PXIe-1095 PXI Chassis Content applies to all mmWave OTA Validation Anechoic Chamber options unless otherwise noted. Content applies to the DFF chamber. Content applies to the CATR chamber. CATR...
  • Page 3 OTA Validation Configurator Use the mmWave OTA Validation Configurator to configure an OTA sweep and access all the tools needed for your OTA test workflow. The mmWave OTA Validation Configurator creates a configuration file that you can use with TestStand template sequences or C# code. The mmWave OTA Validation Configurator also integrates the mmWave OTA Validation Visualizer so you can easily view your test results from the same interface.
  • Page 4 Heat map Plugin Interfaces Use the LabVIEW plugin interfaces to customize and adapt the mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture for your testing environment. To enable the highest degree of customization, NI provides the source code for the plugins. The following plugins are installed with the mmWave OTA Validation Test Software.

  • Page 5: Chamber Overview

    47 OTA API Reference Chamber Overview Chamber Exterior Top Bulkhead Notice To avoid damage to chamber connectors, connect only cables that have the correct connector type. mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture | © National Instruments Corporation | 5...
  • Page 6 This is required for autonomous operation. RJ45-1 RJ45 Connects to the Ethernet port 1 on the PXI controller to control the positioner. USB2.0-1 Reserved for internal use. Reserved for internal use. 6 | ni.com | mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture...
  • Page 7 Supplies power to the DUT or other internal DC connectors, DC needs. 5.08 mm (8 position) Thermal T Type Thermocouple Monitors two different temperatures inside (x2) the chamber. mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture | © National Instruments Corporation | 7...
  • Page 8 PC. Note Use the AC switch on the rear of the chamber to power on the system. Related Information External Connections on page 15 Operating the Chamber on page 14 8 | ni.com | mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture...

  • Page 9: Chamber Interior

    DUT center of rotation, it holds only one antenna for the mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture. Related Information Internal Connections on page 19 mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture | © National Instruments Corporation | 9...
  • Page 10 NI services personnel. Contact the NI services personnel contracted on your project to request these services for your CATR chamber. Related Information Internal Connections on page 19 10 | ni.com | mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture...
  • Page 11 Related Information mmWave OTA Validation Positioner Control Panel on page 35 Visualizing Measurements on page 38 mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture | © National Instruments Corporation | 11...

  • Page 12: Getting Started

    Getting Started Refer to the topics in this section to get started using the mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture. Complete the tasks in the following table in sequential order to ensure your system is ready for use. Step Task...
  • Page 13 0.9 N · m (8 lb · in.) calibrated torque wrench, 5/16 in. (NI part number 751120-01) Required Software To use the mmWave OTA Validation Test Software, you must also install NI ADEs, driver software, and application software. Refer to the...

  • Page 14: Operating The Chamber

    Required Software for Instrumentation The following instruments require specific driver software that is not installed with the mmWave OTA Validation Test Software. Refer to the instrument documentation available at ni.com/manuals for more information about installing required driver software. • PXIe-5831 Vector Signal Transceiver and mmRH-5582 mmWave Radio Head •...

  • Page 15: Verifying System Setup

    Verifying System Setup Before you begin using the mmWave OTA Validation Anechoic Chamber, refer to the following sections to verify the external and internal hardware connections, configure instrument settings in Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX), and connect the chamber to a client PC.
  • Page 16 REF PWR > > +30 dBm +30 dBm PMAX =+36 dBm PMAX =+36 dBm PMAX =+36 dBm PMAX =+36 dBm DIRECT TRX PORTS DIRECT TRX PORTS DIRECT TRX PORTS DIRECT TRX PORTS 16 | ni.com | mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture...
  • Page 17 The PXIe-6361 Connector 0 connects to the chamber control panel VHDCI connection using the SHC68-C68-RDIO2 digital cable. The PXI chassis Ethernet connects to the chamber control panel Ethernet connection. Related Information Chamber Exterior on page 5 mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture | © National Instruments Corporation | 17...
  • Page 18 Connecting the Chamber to a Client PC Connect the mmWave OTA Validation Anechoic Chamber to a client PC using a direct connection. For best results, dedicate one Ethernet port for the communication and connect the Ethernet cable from that port directly to the client PC to avoid slow hubs or switches.
  • Page 19 Internal Connections The internal chamber connections may differ depending on your specific application. Refer to the following section to ensure the components within the mmWave OTA Validation Anechoic Chamber are properly configured for system calibration. Note The tasks in this section are applicable for both the CATR and DFF chambers unless otherwise noted.
  • Page 20 The reference antenna verifies the functionality and integrity of the system during system calibration and ensures that the system is ready for testing your DUT. Mount the reference antenna to the azimuth axis as shown in the following figure. 20 | ni.com | mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture...
  • Page 21 2A port is utilized during system calibration. Use this cable if your DUT has two input ports. Set the Elevation in the mmWave OTA Validation Positioner Control Panel to rotate the positioner so the reference antenna points straight up toward the measurement antenna, as shown in the previous figure.
  • Page 22 Antenna alignment improves the repeatability and accuracy of your test. The reference antenna data assumes that the antennas are perfectly aligned, so alignment must be performed for each antenna setup. 22 | ni.com | mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture...
  • Page 23 USB port inside the chamber. Secure the laser alignment fixture to the measurement antenna fixture using an Allen wrench to tighten the screws and alignment pins on the fixture. mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture | © National Instruments Corporation | 23...
  • Page 24 Attach the reference antenna laser to the reference antenna fixture and plug the reference antenna laser USB cable into the USB port inside the chamber. Use the mmWave OTA Validation Positioner Control Panel to move the laser until it is aligned to the center of the cross marker on the measurement antenna fixture.
  • Page 25 The Start and Commit Values to Positioner buttons are disabled during the procedure. Click Commit Values to Positioner when antenna alignment is complete. mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture | © National Instruments Corporation | 25...

  • Page 26: Performing System Calibration

    Note The Rohde & Schwarz NRP50S Power Meter requires software that is not included with the mmWave OTA Validation Test Software. Install the power meter driver software before you complete the following steps. Connect the power meter USB cable to the PXI chassis USB port.
  • Page 27 Note NI does not recommend changing the default location of the calibration files in the File Resources section. mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture | © National Instruments Corporation | 27...
  • Page 28 Follow the onscreen prompts to connect the correct cables, then click Continue. When the calibration is complete, review the graphs and values to ensure the results are as expected. Click Accept Values or repeat the calibration if necessary. 28 | ni.com | mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture...
  • Page 29 Leave the Calibration Path field in the mmWave OTA Validation Configurator empty to avoid receiving an error or if you do not want to use a calibration file. mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture | © National Instruments Corporation | 29...

  • Page 30: Getting Started With Step-By-Step Position Sweeping

    Complete the following actions before getting started with step-by-step position sweeping. • Ensure that the system is properly configured as specified in Verifying System Setup. • Remove the laser alignment fixture. 30 | ni.com | mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture...
  • Page 31 • Use the mmWave OTA Validation Positioner Control Panel to verify that your DUT can move in all directions without collision. • Configure TestStand to include the following search path, including subdirectories, in the search directories: \user.lib\OTA Test <NIDir> <LabVIEW 20xx>...

  • Page 32: Getting Started With Autonomous Position Sweeping

    OTA test. Refer to the Reference for more information. When the test is complete, open the Visualization tab in the mmWave OTA Validation Configurator. In the Measurement File field, browse to the results file from the test, then click OK.
  • Page 33 • Remove the laser alignment fixture. • Use the mmWave OTA Validation Positioner Control Panel to verify that your DUT can move in all directions without collision. • Configure TestStand to include the following search path, including subdirectories, in the search directories: \user.lib\OTA Test...
  • Page 34 Performing System Calibration on page 26. NI recommends familiarizing yourself with the example sequences. When you save the example sequence as a new file, you must also save the configuration file 34 | ni.com | mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture...

  • Page 35: Programming

    38 Programming Soft Front Panels mmWave OTA Validation Positioner Control Panel The mmWave OTA Validation Positioner Control Panel allows you to quickly manipulate the positioner. You can complete the following tasks with the mmWave OTA Validation Positioner Control Panel: •...

  • Page 36: Mmwave Ota Validation Configurator

    Select OTA »Save Configuration File from the header menu. Select a location to save the configuration file, then click OK. If the RFmx SFP is open, the mmWave OTA Validation Configurator saves the RFmx SFP settings to a TDMS configuration file.
  • Page 37 If the folder path changes, click the Refresh button to detect available positioner plugins. Note A valid positioner plugin must have a LabVIEW packed library and Initial Configuration XML file. The LabVIEW packed library must contain the Configure Parameters VI. mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture | © National Instruments Corporation | 37...
  • Page 38 The Start button launches TestStand and opens a new session in TestStand Sequence Editor. Visualizing Measurements Use the mmWave OTA Validation Visualizer to complete offline analysis of your test data for antenna measurements. You can access the mmWave OTA Validation Visualizer from the Visualization tab in the mmWave OTA Validation Configurator, or launch the application separately from <NIDir>...
  • Page 39 Loading Measurement Results Load your measurement results file into the mmWave OTA Validation Visualizer to view different visualizations of your antenna pattern and analyze antenna-specific measurements. Use either of the following options to load your measurement results file: • Load the measurement results file directly from the Configuration tab in the mmWave OTA Validation Visualizer.
  • Page 40 The examples below use a file that contains multiple beams to depict how the beams are displayed on each graph. However, all visualizations can also work with only one beam. 1D Cut Analysis Example Visualization Cut Analysis (Single Beam) Cut Analysis (All Beams) 40 | ni.com | mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture...
  • Page 41 Polar Plot Example Visualization Polar Plot (Single Beam) 3D Pattern Plot (Single Beam) mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture | © National Instruments Corporation | 41...
  • Page 42 Polar Plot Example Visualization 3D Pattern Plot (All Beams) 42 | ni.com | mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture...
  • Page 43 Heat Map Example Visualization Heat Map (Single Beam) Heat Map (All Beams) mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture | © National Instruments Corporation | 43...
  • Page 44 However, in certain cases the index that best suits the direction is not the expected index. The visualization makes it easier to quickly detect a problem with your codebook. 44 | ni.com | mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture...
  • Page 45 Understanding the Measurement Results File The mmWave OTA Validation Test Software saves your measurement results as a CSV file that you can load into the mmWave OTA Validation Visualizer to visualize the measurements. Refer to the following list for details about the values of each column in the measurement results file: •...

  • Page 46: Ota Measurement Interface

    OTAMI cannot be used to interact with the system components, positioner, or DUT. OTAMI Features • Calculates measurement results for the following measurements: TRP, Peak EIRP, Gain, HPBW, FNBW, Pattern Cuts • Provides measurement data for results visualization 46 | ni.com | mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture...

  • Page 47: Antenna Plugin

    Antenna Close—Switches the antenna off and releases all potential resource handles. The child class should override this method. • DB Add Beam—Adds a beam to the antenna's beam database. The key is an integer value. mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture | © National Instruments Corporation | 47...

  • Page 48: Where To Go Next

    Set DB Beam Where to Go Next Additional Documentation Find additional documentation for the mmWave OTA Validation Test Reference Architecture including known issues, a datasheet, and readme online at ni.com/r/otahelp. Contacting NI for Support Contact the NI services personnel contracted on your project for technical support, including troubleshooting and service requests.

Table of Contents