LitePoint, a leading provider of wireless testing solutions, hosted "Future First, Smart Testing" innovative testing technology seminars in Taipei and Hsinchu on July 23rd and August 8th, 2024. This year's focus revolves around testing and validation of various wireless communication technologies, spanning from the deepening of 5G technology to the commercial progress of 5G-Advanced (5G-A) technology, as well as the mass production of Wi-Fi 7 in the latter half of 2024. Additionally, it encompasses the emergence of innovative technologies and smart applications in Bluetooth and Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technologies, showcasing the thriving influence and boundless potential of wireless communication technologies.
Elvin Ren, General Manager of APAC Sales, took the stage first to deliver an opening speech. Besides welcoming the esteemed guests present, he succinctly introduced the current dynamic developments in LitePoint's testing technologies, offering easy-to-use products and simplified testing processes that continuously drive the future of highly reliable, low-latency smart applications. Seeing the growth trends in the APAC region, LitePoint has swiftly established a service center in Vietnam and a repair center in India, reinforcing its product layout and technical support capabilities in the APAC region to assist customers in grasping diverse wireless communication testing technologies and seizing valuable market opportunities.
Frank Chang, General Manager of ACE Solution, subsequently introduced automotive applications. He addressed smart automotive applications and developments leveraging AI, validating automotive smart applications through chip and wireless communication testing. These include various smart applications such as ADAS, automotive radar, electronic power drive, and V2X, along with the introduction of LitePoint's full range of testing solution systems.
Frank Chang, General Manager of ACE Solution
The progress of multiple wireless communication technologies in the AI era
Yuka Muto, Senior Product Manager at LitePoint, echoed the future development of diversified testing technologies for wireless testing in the AI era during her keynote speech. Comparing her first visit to Taiwan in 2000 to her current business trip, she felt the wonderful use cases initiated by wireless communication technology, creating an unparalleled and comfortable business travel experience. The rise of AI technology symbolizes the takeoff of a new era.
While AI technology is dazzling, it requires massive data to train the accuracy of AI models, necessitating various wireless communication technologies to collect and connect data, providing extensive bandwidth, high-stability network connections, and low-latency data transmission capabilities. This includes the integration of technologies such as 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, UWB, and NTN, coupled with information security technologies, to create AI applications that satisfy the diverse needs of end-users. However, validating and testing these technologies require LitePoint's testing solutions to ensure data integrity, allowing AI to continuously create astonishing user experiences.
Yuka Muto, senior product manager at LitePoint
Insights from the 2024 MWC Shanghai on the new changes in 5G-advanced
Benson Wu, Senior Analyst and Research Manager at DIGITIMES, highlighted the new developments and trends of 5G-Advanced (5G-A) at the 2024 MWC Shanghai. Drawing from his on-site experience with China's three major telecom operators promoting 5G-A services, he looked forward to China surpassing the milestone of one billion users in 2024. Unfortunately, the financial outcomes of this transition are not solid, making enhancing the profitability of 5G networks a perpetual pursuit for global telecom operators. This involves the introduction of new 5G killer applications, with AI's multiplier effect becoming a significant driving force. He quoted a new formula from the event: "Compute Power x Connect AIx = Future," representing the breathtaking anticipation for thriving AI applications. He enumerated current mainstream highlights, including low-altitude drones (eVToL), AI language large models (LLM), Gen AI dialect translation applications, 5G new calls, and 5G NoVR calls, along with various mobile phone products and NTN satellite communication services. These signify the precious value of creating differentiated services and the irresistible new economic model of 5G-A.
Benson Wu, senior analyst and research manager at DIGITIMES
Validating wi-fi 7 RF performance with the IQxel-MX series
Young Huang, Team lead of applications, explored the validation of Wi-Fi 7 technology in RF performance. He focused on the real-world performance and market acceptance of Wi-Fi 7 systems, where RF performance is a crucial aspect for direct competition. He pointed out key viewpoints such as UL-OFDMA technology, transmission range, and transmission rate, along with validating the actual benefits of Wi-Fi 7 coexisting with other wireless communication technologies. Since Wi-Fi 7 requires the use of the 6GHz spectrum band to achieve optimal benefits of 320MB bandwidth and 4096 QAM modulation, validation of test strategies under different transmit power settings is necessary due to frequency interference in the 6GHz spectrum band, involving AFC-defined functions and actual simulation of the test environment.
Furthermore, in system performance testing, involving range and rate testing validation, examining transmission latency, range, and rate verification is crucial. By using IQsniffer products as intermediate monitoring tools, besides analyzing the PHY and MAC layer performance of the RF transmitter, it also measures Wi-Fi and BT signal interference, analyzing results above the MAC layer. These are important challenges faced in the design of Wi-Fi 7 systems, echoing the importance of LitePoint's testing machine capabilities. Responding to the new technical challenges of Wi-Fi 7, LitePoint deploys the IQxel series, led by the IQxel-MX series, with IQfact+ automated testing software to satisfy complete RF performance testing needs.
Young Huang, team lead of applications
The importance of seamless testing for 5G O-RAN radio units
Brady Chen, Senior Application Engineer, focused his presentation on the testing process and solutions for O-RAN Radio Units (RU). To address the needs of different field infrastructure scenarios, the diversification of O-RAN equipment becomes a key consideration for telecom operators in optimizing networks, information transmission throughput, and costs. The expected performance of O-RAN RU functions requires complete testing to ensure, for which LitePoint provides effective solutions to assist supply chain manufacturers in facing different testing needs.
He focused on O-RAN Fronthaul Conformance Test consistency testing, mainly through Fronthaul to test the test items and parameters specified by the O-RAN.WG4.CONF standard, covering M-Plane, S-Plane, and UC-Plane function testing. Therefore, LitePoint provides testing solutions to assist in the convenient testing of RU products, with the IQFR1-RU full-function testing machine as the main solution, providing complete 3GPP 5G NR RF downlink/uplink testing, MIMO testing, and Interference testing scenarios. Since test items and scenarios require considerable testing equipment setup and installation time, LitePoint provides software integration tools like IQfact5G to solve production line setup processes, saving significant time on calibration, installation, and parameter settings, and accelerating and streamlining processes with parallel processing, greatly reducing RU testing time. Additionally, RU Tx and Rx testing can be integrated into a single machine, helping RU suppliers and telecom operators accelerate the commercialization process.
Brady Chen, senior application engineer
Exploring Bluetooth next-generation features, wireless testing needs, and technologies
Joe Chang, Application Engineer at LitePoint, analyzed the testing of the new generation Bluetooth Channel Sounding positioning function, focusing on physical layer testing. Bluetooth technology is no longer limited to 2.4GHz spectrum transmission; it has now expanded to use the 5GHz and 6GHz frequency bands, switching frequency transmission to complete anti-interference design requirements. In 2024, it is estimated that there will be over 250 million Bluetooth devices, making the channel-sounding positioning function a valuable market opportunity. Regarding testing details, it emphasizes different testing technologies and needs, including RSSI and Time of Flight (ToF).
The Channel Sounding positioning function originates from important ranging technologies such as PBR (Phase Based Ranging) and ToF (Time of Flight). Testing challenges require validating multiple scenarios and technical challenges. To facilitate testing of different usage scenarios where Bluetooth devices are mixed with various electronic devices, LitePoint introduces the IQxel-MW 7G and IQxel-MX to address the needs of different testing scenarios for BT Channel Sounding positioning, assisting customers in creating next-generation Bluetooth device products and capturing important business opportunities.
Joe Chang, application engineer at LitePoint
Unlocking the full potential of 5G: 5G advanced technology leading new applications
Senior Product Manager Middle Wen presented on the current trending topic of 5G Advanced technology. He began by noting that about half of the lifecycle of the 5G era has passed since its inception. The use of a true 5G Standalone (SA) standard network will dominate the future of subsequent 5G applications, marking the birth of the 5G-A era. The related functions and specifications will be defined by the 3GPP's R17, R18, and R19 standards. Looking at the new features of 5G-A from the perspective of the 3GPP R17 standard, he listed several, including the Sidelink standard, which focuses on direct connections between devices, followed by the RedCap standard and the significant development of NTN technology for satellite communications. Other features include Network Slicing technology specifications, the introduction of AI/ML to enhance network connection efficiency, and further evolution of power-saving functions in 5G networks. The use of additional spectrum and the transition to the next-generation 6G network will be completed with the subsequent release of 3GPP standards.
Furthermore, regarding the highly regarded RedCap standard, the R17 version is tailored to the needs of wearable devices, industrial sensors, and security surveillance cameras. The R18 RedCap standard actively discusses replacing traditional IoT device connection methods. Additionally, NTN networks represent another groundbreaking change, defining IoT-NTN and NR-NTN architectures. Traditional satellites, which only performed direct signal transmission, have evolved into new-type satellites with base station functionality, completing the definition of regenerative satellites. In the future, mobile phones will be able to directly connect to satellites for data transmission. The 3GPP plans to standardize satellite communications and create examples of seamless mobile phone and satellite connections. Promising applications in the 5G-A era include AR/VR, industrial 5G private networks, IoT connections under RedCap, autonomous vehicle systems, and a wide range of smart applications composed of LBS technology.
Regarding LitePoint's testing solution product strategy, it involves supporting the FR1, FR2, and FR3 spectrums, including the expansion and development of signaling and non-signaling machines. The product strategy for automated testing software will be customized and differentiated for chipset and module manufacturers. Other testing tools are convenient and practical, advocating a plug-and-play usage approach. As 5G-A technology undergoes significant modifications to welcome the SA network architecture, more changes to the 5G SA network will soon captivate consumers' attention.
Middle Wen, senior product manager
Exploring the rapidly developing ultra-wideband (UWB) technology: a rising star
Chih-Wei Huang, Team lead of applications, delivered the presentation focusing on the currently popular UWB micro-positioning technology applications and testing solutions. UWB precise positioning technology, which can achieve accuracy within 10 centimeters, is highly popular in flagship smartphones. It is utilized in various applications such as indoor navigation, smart homes, and various automotive smart keys (Digital Key), showcasing a promising development outlook and extensive extended application opportunities in the IoT and automotive chipset markets.
Chih-Wei Huang highlighted several applications of UWB. The first is the application of smart keys (Digital Key), which has now reached the 3.0 specification. The second is the application of in-vehicle UWB radar, used to detect whether infants or pets have been left in the vehicle accidentally, preventing serious regrettable incidents. The third is the issue of precise positioning, which involves confirming distance and accuracy. These new applications are tested and verified through standards such as IEEE 802.15.4ab, FiRa 2.0, and CCC PHY-test. Taking the IEEE 802.15.4ab standard as an example, it adds several test items, including Narrow-band Assistance (NBA) and Multi-Millisecond (MMS) test items. It introduces the testing of multiple Data Rate transmissions and sensing, emphasizing narrowband signal interaction (Offloading handshaking) transmission and fast transmission of small packets. To embrace the future development of UWB technology applications, LitePoint provides a comprehensive one-box testing solution, IQgig-UWB+, along with a one-stop testing solution for FiRa certification testing requirements and CCC PHY testing, satisfying the needs of the UWB industry for certification testing solutions.
Chih-Wei Huang, team lead of applications