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Rohde & Schwarz forges new paths in the monitoring of
the battery life of wireless devices
Long battery life is a key criterion for mobile devices as well
as for embedded systems and chips for Internet-of-Things
and machine-to-machine applications. Rohde & Schwarz
now provides a complete solution for testing battery life
in all operating modes. It consists of an R&S CMW radio
communication tester, the new R&S RT-ZVC power probe and
the R&S CMWrun sequencer software.
The radio communication tester manages the communications
with the DUT and also places the DUT in the various operating
modes. The power probe acquires current and voltage readings
at defined test points on the DUT. The sequencer software
controls the entire process and delivers detailed measurement
reports to the user. The user can precisely correlate the
events occurring at the mobile interface with the DUT’s power
consumption. Thanks to the R&S RT-ZVC probe’s high dynamic
range, this is possible over the entire measurement range –
from low currents in standby or sleep mode to large currents
when the DUT transmits at maximum power.
The multichannel design of the probe makes it possible to
simultaneously acquire and correlate the power at up
yet. The technology and its
hardware first needs to be
tested in extreme and unforgiving
environments before it can be expected
to endure years of use (and abuse)
in consumers’ cars. And what better
place than the F1 arena, where there’s
more data being downloaded in a few
hours than most of us will need in a
week. And the hardware is subjected
to the elements: the extreme heat of
Abu-Dhabi, the humidity of Malaysia,
the rain at Silverstone, the physical structure density at Monaco,
the heavy radio-traffic of fans in the U.S., and more.
Because of its ultra-fast speeds, which allow for simultaneous 4K
video streaming to multiple devices and lag-free screen mirroring
between smartphones and in-car displays, 802.11ad is expected
to emerge as the “go-to” for automotive infotainment. The 60-
GHz band is high-frequency millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum
band. Such bands are the stepping stone to 5G and provide huge
bandwidth for delivering multi-Gbps data rates.
The learnings from the Qualcomm/Mercedes development phase
will certainly accelerate the arrival of 60-GHz 802.11ad Wi-Fi for
everyday users and contribute to the evolution of 5G connectivity.
FAST FACT: During the 2016 Formula 1 season, the Mercedes-
AMG Petronas Motorsport cars could transmit on average the
data equivalent of 12 music albums while moving from the
beginning to the end of pit lane via the 802.11ac Wi-Fi solution
from Qualcomm Technologies.
Last season, Qualcomm Technologies and Mercedes-AMG
Petronas Motorsport pioneered the use of 802.11ac Wi-Fi for
F1 telemetry purposes. While the
Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 cars
were on track during Friday practice
sessions, the system gathered and
processed thermal imaging of the
tires. As soon as the cars entered
pit lane, the system would begin
wirelessly transmitting the data to
the team’s Garage. The process is
orders of magnitude faster than the
traditional method of waiting for the
car to stop in the pit box, pushing it
into the garage, and plugging in a download cable.
The new system being tested will operate similarly. Upon entering
pit lane, the cars will begin transmitting data via 802.11ac in the
5-GHz band. However, once the cars get within 4 meters of an
overhead unit in the garage, a special handoff feature will enable
the cars to switch to 802.11ad in the 60-GHz band seamlessly and
continue the download.
The updated system also features a considerable step up in
hardware and connectivity, including the Qualcomm Snapdragon
820 processor with up to 128GB of Universal Flash Storage
memory to collect data while the car is on circuit, and a Qualcomm
QCA9500 chip to support the 802.11ad Wi-Fi.
Ultimately, the system should translate to less time in the garage
and more time on track, giving the Silver Arrows a tremendous
edge over their rivals. Beyond that, expect the lessons learned
working with 11ad to trickle down to your future auto technologies,
and the lessons learned in mmWave to trickle down to future 5G
experiences.
14 l New-Tech Magazine Europe