WLAN Instrument Handles Tough 802.11 a/b/g Requirements

Sept. 20, 2004
To meet stricter wireless local-area-network (WLAN) testing requirements at 2.5 and 5.0 GHz, LitePoint Corp. has introduced the IQflex 802.11 a/b/g instrument. The dedicated unit, based on the company's IQview 802.11 a/b/g WLAN test solution, is...

To meet stricter wireless local-area-network (WLAN) testing requirements at 2.5 and 5.0 GHz, LitePoint Corp. has introduced the IQflex 802.11 a/b/g instrument. The dedicated unit, based on the company's IQview 802.11 a/b/g WLAN test solution, is designed for high-volume testing requirements, translating into reduced costs.

Within the same housing, the wide-bandwidth instrument incorporates a vector signal analyzer, a vector signal generator, a spectrum analyzer, and a power meter. As a result, advanced transmitter performance metrics such as error vector magnitude, spectral mask compliance, and phase noise levels can be measured. Instead of relying on a conventional "golden radio" approach to test signals that drift over time and temperature, the IQflex independently produces high-accuracy signals for consistent and reliable results.

"With increased test accuracy, faster test, and higher throughput, the WLAN manufacturer not only reduces the number of production-line test stations but also improves production yield for overall increased profitability," says Anita Chapman, LitePoint's vice president of marketing. "Ongoing maintenance costs are significantly lower, and software upgrades will ensure continued compliance with WLAN standard changes."

IQflex uses the LitePoint application programming interface (API) to operate under Visual C/C++ test scripts. Test scripts can be easily and quickly created using the LitePont DLL interface to support either automated pass/fail or parametric testing.

Interestingly, IQflex is completely independent of any WLAN chip set out there today. The instrument's capabilities also can be readily incorporated as part of PC-based test suites for specific chip sets to support production-line calibration of parameters like transmit power levels, gain, and phase imbalances, as well as crystal oscillator frequency offsets.

IQflex costs $40,000.

LitePoint Corp.www.litepoint.com See associated figure
About the Author

Roger Allan

Roger Allan is an electronics journalism veteran, and served as Electronic Design's Executive Editor for 15 of those years. He has covered just about every technology beat from semiconductors, components, packaging and power devices, to communications, test and measurement, automotive electronics, robotics, medical electronics, military electronics, robotics, and industrial electronics. His specialties include MEMS and nanoelectronics technologies. He is a contributor to the McGraw Hill Annual Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. He is also a Life Senior Member of the IEEE and holds a BSEE from New York University's School of Engineering and Science. Roger has worked for major electronics magazines besides Electronic Design, including the IEEE Spectrum, Electronics, EDN, Electronic Products, and the British New Scientist. He also has working experience in the electronics industry as a design engineer in filters, power supplies and control systems.

After his retirement from Electronic Design Magazine, He has been extensively contributing articles for Penton’s Electronic Design, Power Electronics Technology, Energy Efficiency and Technology (EE&T) and Microwaves RF Magazine, covering all of the aforementioned electronics segments as well as energy efficiency, harvesting and related technologies. He has also contributed articles to other electronics technology magazines worldwide.

He is a “jack of all trades and a master in leading-edge technologies” like MEMS, nanolectronics, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, military electronics, biometrics, implantable medical devices, and energy harvesting and related technologies.

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