Agilent PXT E6621ALTETM Wireless Communications Test Set
Technical Overview
Accelerate timetomarket for LTE UE designs
The PXT instrument represents a significant breakthrough in LTE UE testing. It incorporates flexible base station/network emulation and RF parametric tests into one integrated unit and extends Agilents unmatched portfolio of LTE test solutions for development and verification.
The PXT includes a suite of LTE RF measurements that may be used for characterization, calibration, and verification purposes.
With realistic base station/network emulation, the PXT LTE test set offers a controlled environment which can be used to verify network attach, idle and connected mode operation and functional performance such as throughput. The PXT provides maximum flexibility to configure a range of connection and network parameters so enabling test, stress, and debug of the protocol and data handling capabilities of designs including DL 2x2 MIMO and handovers (future). Optional software applications are
available to enable more detailed protocol and application testing and analysis.
With this exciting product, Agilent helps get designs to market faster and more efficiently, and continues to provide comprehensive tools for all stages of the product lifecycle.
Agilent LTE Design and Test Portfolio Greater insight. Greater confidence.
Figure 1. Agilent PXT E6621A LTE wireless communications test set
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Signaling Test Items
Support for multiple 3GPP LTE dated specifications
Settable frequency, power, modulation schemes, bandwidth, grant/allocation
Attach, connection, reconfiguration, authentication, NAS and RRC security
High data throughput using internal test mode or end to end IP data Up to 102.05Mbps, Cat 3 downlink
Transmission Modes 14, SISO, Tx diversity, open loop MIMO and closed loop MIMO operation
UE reporting for ACK/NACKs lost packets, CQI, PMI, RI, UCI
LTE to LTE handovers (future)
IRAT 2G/3G/cdma2000 handovers when connected to Agilent 8960 lab applications (future)
LTE realtime protocol logging and analysis
Highly configurable detailed signaling control with LTE message editor application
Figure 2. N6050A LTE mobile test software L1/L2 status screen
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UE Receiver (DL) Test
Measurements based on 3GPP 36.521 requirements
Measurements in UE test mode, end to end data test or with UE set to receive only
High data throughput using internal test mode or end to end IP data Up to 102.05Mbps, Cat 3 downlink
Settable frequency, power, modulation schemes, bandwidth, grant/allocation
Display of UE reports (CQI, PMI, RI, UCI and Power Headroom, Buffer Reporting)
2x2 Downlink MIMO channel with wideband and subband CQI per code
Builtin traffic generation for UE downlink test
ACK/NACK/Lost packet reports (per code with MIMO)
DL Error Rate % (text and graphical)
DL instantaneous throughput (text and graphical)
Figure 3. N6052A category 3 downlink MIMO throughput 102.05 Mbps
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UE Transmitter (UL) Test
Measurements based on 3GPP 36.521 requirements
Measurements in test mode, end to end data test or with UE set to transmit only
Settable frequency, power, modulation schemes, bandwidth, grant/allocation
Channel Power, Power Spectrum, Power Vs Time, Flatness
Occupied Bandwidth
Spectrum Emission Mask
Adjacent Channel Power
Constellation, EVM
Frquency and timing error
Received I/Q data
UL instantaneous throughput
Figure 4. N6051A constellation and EVM measurement
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LTE Message Editor
LTE message editor is a highly flexible tool for configurability of layer 3 messages (RRC and NAS). It provides detailed parameter control offering far more flexibility than a normal onebox tester.
Create and modify scenario files for download into the PXT
Complete control over all settings including system, network and base station information
Send erroneous messages to test UE responses
Easy to use, with intuitive tree menu structure for message management
Share scenarios during collaborative test development and for faster troubleshooting
Figure 5. Absolute signaling flexibility with message editor
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LTE Protocol Logging and Analysis
LTE protocol logging and analysis are essential tools for debugging interoperability issues inevitable with evolving radio technologies such as LTE. Even relatively simple tests such as UE attach can become frustrating without the tools to adequately debug and resolve issues.
Real time logging and post capture analysis of all layers from L1 to NAS
Message filtering sort data by protocol layer
View detailed decodes down to bit level
Application programming interface (API, future)
Figure 6. Real time logging and post capture analysis of all layers from L1 to NAS
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Product Configuration
The flexible PXT instrument can be used in a variety of configurations.
Optional PXT instrument hardware and firmware to configure the instrument for maximum flexibility or minimum cost
Additional PC and applications to further extend flexibility, debug and analysis
(future) Connections to Agilent 8960 with lab applications for 2G/3G/CDMA2000 IRAT handover testing
N6062A-1TPLTE message editor
N6061A-1TPLTE protocol logging and analysis
PC E6621AOPCEngineering PC
N6052A 1FPLTE functional and application test
N6051A 1FPLTE RF Parametric test
N6050A 7FPN6050AS-1SY/1RYLTE FDD base station emulation
E6621A PXT503, 506, 2D2, BB1PXT Instrument
Figure 7. Maximum flexibility to satisfy all configuration needs
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Product Configuration
Basic RF or signaling test The PXT can be used as a standalone bench top instrument for essential LTE RF measurements based on 3GPP 36.521 while on a data connection. Hardware and instrument firmware options enable maximum configurability and flexibility while keeping cost to a minimum.
PXT Wireless Communications Test Set (E6621A)
UEUL
DL
Figure 8. LTE RF measurement configuration
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Product Configuration
LTE protocol functional test The basic PXT instrument configuration can be used for protocol functional test, however maximum flexibility and coverage is significantly extended by the addition of several options.
LTE message editor will provide maximum L3, RRC and NAS flexibility
LTE protocol logging will add extensive debug and analysis for those difficult to diagnose issues
(future) An Agilent 8960 running Lab Applications (LAs) can be connected to provide 2G/3G/CDMA2000 cell capability enabling IRAT handover test.
Optional message editor software (N6062A) providing extensive signaling options and flexibility for download to PXT
PXT Wireless Communications Test Set (E6621A)
UEUL
DL
PC E6621AOPC
NASRRC IP
PDCPRLCMACPHY
NASRRC IP
PDCPRLCMACPHY
NASRRC
Optional protocol logging (N6061A) for complete protocol debug and analysis
Optional Agilent 8960 running lab applications for IRAT Handovers (future)
RF
Figure 9. LTE protocol functional test configuration
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Product Configuration
End to end application test Data throughput in the real world can only be adequately replicated in the laboratory by utilizing real user data in realistic truelife test scenarios. The PXT provides full data connection between UE and the PXT rear panel LAN connector, allowing the simple addition of user supplied external data servers for full end to end data test. With this configuration it is possible to stress the UE to its maximum testing throughput test processing power and exercising the LTE protocol stack completely from application layer to PHY.
PXT Wireless Communications Test Set (E6621A)
UEUL
DL
PC E6621AOPC
NASRRC IP
PDCPRLCMACPHY
NASRRC IP
PDCPRLCMACPHY
RF
NASRRC
Optional protocol logging (N6061A) for complete protocol debug and analysis
Application Server PC
Optional message editor software (N6062A) providing extensive signaling options and flexibility for download to PXT
IP network
IP
MAC (ethernet)
PHY
IP
MAC (ethernet)
PHY
Ethernet
Optional message editor software (N6062A) providing extensive signaling options and flexibility for download to PXT
Figure 10. LTE end to end application test using external servers
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Product Configuration
PXT frequency rangeE6621A PXT Wireless communications test setE6621A503 Frequency Range from 500 MHz to 3.0 GHzE6621A506 Frequency Range from 500 MHz to 6.0 GHz
Other PXT optionsE6621A2D2 Downlink 2x2 MIMO (required)E6621ABB1 Enhanced baseband processing (Adds hardware
required for 2cell and higher UL data throughput)
PXT application optionsN6050A LTE mobile test softwareN6050A7FP LTE FDD base station emulation (required)N6051A1FP LTE RF parametric test with test mode signalingN6052A1FP LTE functional and application test
PC for N6061A and N6062AE6621A0PC Desktop PC, high performance
PC application optionsN6061A1TP LTE protocol logging and analysis N6062A1TP LTE message editor
Software and technical support contractThe N6050AS LTE mobile test software software and technical support contract (STSC) entitles the user to software updates and technical support for the E6621A PXT firmware N6050A, N6051A, N6052A LTE mobile test software, N6061A LTE protocol logging and analysis software and the N6062A LTE