1

octoBox MPE (multipath

emulator) Testbed
May 2014

[email protected]
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Introduction - Multipath Emulator

• Wi-Fi manufacturers and evaluators test throughput performance in
open air ‘real-life’ environment (e.g. a typical house or office) or using
channel emulators.
• octoScope has developed an octoBoxTM based testbed that creates
multipath closely approaching the IEEE 802.11n/ac Models B or C [1],
emulating home and small office environment.
• octoBox MPE (multipath emulator) creates multipath inside octoBox MPE module
small anechoic chamber by generating reflections with stubs of coaxial
cable. A quad multipath emulator fixture supports up to 4-stream
MIMO.
• octoBox-MPE has been simulated, prototyped, measured and
compared to the IEEE models.
• Data throughput tests have been performed by
www.smallnetbuilder.com on a 2x2 and a 3x3 802.11ac MIMO
configuration demonstrating MIMO gains inside octoBox with
Patents pending
equivalent or higher throughput to that measured in a representative
home environment.
octoBox-MPE module (stacked in the
• See SmallNetBuilder.com test results at this link: middle) emulates IEEE 802.11n/ac
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-howto/32082-how-we-test-
Models B or C [1] corresponding to
wireless-products-revison-7 home and small office environment.

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octoBox-MPE MIMO OTA Testbed Diagram

Test Antennas

DUT AP
Ethernet
Traffic Filter
TX/RX

Multipath
segment

Attenuators

Ethernet
Remote
Filter
Desktop Master Client

octoBox

octoBox-26 MPE Stack

OTA = over the air

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quadAtten Module – Programmable Attenuators

• Frequency range: DC to 6000 MHz
• Dynamic range: 63 dB
• Step: 0.5 dB
New
• Insertion loss: 6 dB at 6000 MHz, typ quadAtten
• 1 dB compression: 30 dBm module

• IP3: 55 dBm Isolated

well enough
• Ethernet/PoE power and control to be
interface (single line control and power) mounted
externally
• USB power and control interface
• Provided PC software automates
attenuation control and MIMO
throughput vs. range measurements

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OB-38-TT Internal View – Turntable Model

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Automated MIMO Throughput vs. Range Test

Script controls IxChariot and programmable attenuators, outputs Excel plot

TCP Throughput OB-38 MPE Stack

400

350
Multiple points can be measured
Repeatable controlled environment
300
Measurement process is automated
Throughput (Mbps)

250
MPE
200

150

100

50

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Attenuation Setting (dB)

Measured using octoBox MPE testbed using automated throughput script - early 802.11ac device
http://www.octoscope.com/English/Products/octoBox_MPE/octoBox_MPE.html

MPE = multi path emulator

www.octoscope.com
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octoBox-TT (Turntable) Plot

Mbps Throughput vs. rotation angle
-180
165 200 -165
150 180 -150
160 0dB (Mbps)
135 140 -135
5dB (Mbps)
120
120 -120 10dB (Mbps)
100
80 15dB (Mbps)
105 60 -105 20dB (Mbps)
40 25dB (Mbps)
20
90 0 -90 30dB (Mbps)
40dB (Mbps)
45dB (Mbps)
75 -75
50dB (Mbps)
55dB (Mbps)
60 -60
60dB (Mbps)
45 -45

30 -30
15 -15
0
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CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL 8

OB-38-TT model

Watch video at this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04JOt-3aivg

www.octoscope.com
www.octoscope.com
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octoBox-MPE vs. Conventional Fader

octoBox-MPE Conventional Fader
Multipath fading Y Y
Doppler fading Y
Time variable fading Y
Channel model programmability Several fixed channel model Y
modules can be stacked
Channel modeling capabilities Up to 4 clusters, up to ~200 All standards based models and
meter distance for reflections custom models
Frequency range Up to 6 GHz, and higher 400 MHz – 6 GHz
Channel width Flexible, 160 MHz supported 100 MHz
Bi-directional Over the air (OTA) Y May require custom channel
models, power amplifiers, etc.

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802.11n Channel Models - Summary

Model [1] Distance to 1st # taps Delay Max delay # clusters

wall (avg) spread
(rms)
A* test model 1 0 ns 0 ns
B Residential 5m 9 15 ns 80 ns 2
C small office 5m 14 30 ns 200 ns 2
D typical office 10 m 18 50 ns 390 ns 3
E large office 20 m 18 100 ns 730 ns 4
F large space 30 m 18 150 ns 1050 ns 6
(indoor or outdoor)
* Model A is a flat fading model; no delay spread and no multipath

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Model B – 2 Clusters Specifications

Source: [1] Appendix C

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octoBox-MPE vs. IEEE Model B

Model B 0ns 10 ns 20ns 30ns 40ns 50ns 60ns 70ns 80ns
Cluster 1 0 -5.4 -10.8 -16.2 -21.7
Cluster 2 -3.2 -6.3 -9.4 -12.5 -15.6 -18.7 -21.8

Time domain response obtained from measured frequency domain

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Measured Frequency Response

2.4 GHz band

Background
5 GHz band

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Measured Frequency Response

Entire spectrum to 6 GHz – measured on prototype fixture using VNA

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octoBox MPE Testbed

• The octoBox MPE
testbed ships
assembled and ready to
us in a crate
• The crate door also
acts as a ramp, making
it easy to wheel the
system out and get
started

octoBox-38 MPE Stack

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References
1. IEEE, 802.11-03/940r4: TGn Channel Models; May 10, 2004
2. IEEE, 11-09-0569 , “TGac Channel Model Addendum Supporting Material”, May 2009
3. Schumacher et al, "Description of a MATLAB® implementation of the Indoor MIMO WLAN channel model proposed
by the IEEE 802.11 TGn Channel Model Special Committee", May 2004
4. IEEE 802.11-09/0308r12, “TGac Channel Model Addendum”, March 18, 2010
5. IEEE, 11-09-0334-08-00ad-channel-models-for-60-ghz-wlan-systems
6. Schumacher et al, "From antenna spacings to theoretical capacities - guidelines for simulating MIMO systems"
7. Schumacher reference software for implementing and verifying 802.11n models -
http://www.info.fundp.ac.be/~lsc/Research/IEEE_80211_HTSG_CMSC/distribution_terms.html
8. 3GPP 36-521, UE Conformance Specification, Annex B
9. 3GPP TR 25.996, "3rd Generation Partnership Project; technical specification group radio access networks; Spatial
channel model for MIMO simulations“
10. IST-WINNER II Deliverable 1.1.2 v.1.2, “WINNER II Channel Models”, IST-WINNER2, Tech. Rep., 2008
(http://projects.celtic-initiative.org/winner+/deliverables.html)
11. 3GPP TR37.976, MIMO OTA channel models
12. 3GPP TS 34.114: “User Equipment (UE) / Mobile Station (MS) Over The Air (OTA) Antenna Performance
Conformance Testing”
13. CTIA, “Test Plan for Mobile Station Over the Air Performance - Method of Measurement for Radiated RF Power and
Receiver Performance”, Revision 3.1, January 2011
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Contact
• [email protected]
Tel: +1.222.3114

• Visit our website at www.octoscope.com

Thank you!

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