Aeroflex has outlined a comprehensive product strategy in support of WiMAX, the IEEE 802.16e standard that has been developed to enable the delivery of last-mile wireless broadband access as an alternative to wired broadband such as cable and DSL. The Aeroflex WiMAX strategy, which covers R&D test, protocol development test, pre-certification conformance test and manufacturing test, coordinates WiMAX expertise from across the Aeroflex business.
Designed for PXI-based RF test systems including the Aeroflex 3000 Series RF digitizer family, Aeroflex’s WiMAX test suite performs WiMAX PHY (physical layer) OFDMA (orthogonal frequency division multiple access) testing of power, spectrum and modulation measurements. The WiMAX software library provides analysis of OFDMA RF transmit signal characteristics for both uplink and downlink. For complete RF characterization, the WiMAX measurement library, combined with Aeroflex’s IQCreator waveform creation software, provides a high-performance, high-speed stimulus and response capability for WiMAX OFDMA.
For protocol development test, the Aeroflex PCT AIME system is already being shipped to customers in its Development Test Mode, giving first-line WiMAX equipment manufacturers, chipset developers and protocol stack developers an early opportunity to test both subscriber and base station functionality and interoperability throughout the development phase of their products. The system facilitates the standalone testing of the MAC (protocol layer), as well as integrated testing of the PHY and MAC to check the correctness of the protocol messaging and its conformance to WiMAX Forum specifications. With this version of the Aeroflex WiMAX PCT system, users have early access to test cases under a Beta release scheme, along with the ability to develop their own test cases.
Aeroflex is also actively pursuing further development of its PXI-based WiMAX test suite for manufacturing test purposes not only providing potential solutions for its 3000 Series PXI test system but also its PXI-enabled 3280 spectrum analyzer and 4550 Series ATE system.
Aeroflex Incorporated, www.aeroflex.com
