LitePoint Is First To Offer A One-Box Solution For IEEE 802.11p Testing

SUNNYVALE, Calif. Sept. 14. LitePoint Corporation, the leader in wireless test solutions, is the first to offer a one-box solution that meets the testing needs of 802.11p devices. The IEEE 802.11p 2010 standard, published in July, defines mechanisms that allow IEEE 802.11 technology, also known as WiFi, to be used in high-speed radio environments typical of automobiles and trucks. In these environments, IEEE 802.11p enables robust and reliable car-to-car and car-to-curb communications by addressing challenges such as extreme Doppler shifts, rapidly changing multipath conditions, and the need to quickly establish a link and exchange data instantly.

The IEEE 802.11p standard operates in the 5.835-5.925 GHz range; its PHY-layer description builds on the OFDM section of the 802.11-2007 IEEE Specifications document, and uses the half-clock mode with 10 MHz bandwidth defined in the latter.

For testing of 802.11p devices, LitePoint has developed an adhoc operating mode in its WiFi platform, with LitePoint IQview/IQflex test systems, and in its multi-radio test platform, with LitePoint IQ2010 test systems. These platforms contain a Vector Signal Analyzer (VSA) and Vector Signal Generator (VSG) that offer full transmit and receive test capabilities for WiFi devices, in addition to other wireless connectivity standards.

Currently, available alternative one-box test solutions require that testing on an 802.11p device be performed by configuring the device in a legacy 802.11x mode using full-clock mode with 20 MHz bandwidth. The LitePoint solution, instead, has been developed through firmware/software changes to LitePoint IQview/IQflex and IQ2010 test systems to specifically test 802.11p devices with half-clock rate and 10 MHz bandwidth, as defined in the IEEE standard. Furthermore, "The 802.11p specification reduces carrier spacing by half, and doubles symbol length, guard time, FFT period, and preamble duration. In addition, adjacent-channel rejection (ACR) is significantly more stringent," explained John Lukez, director of product development.

IEEE 802.11p supports Intelligent Transportation Systems applications that enhance safety and traffic control, and help avoid intersection collisions. The new standard will be used for Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC), a U.S. Department of Transportation project that uses the 5.9 GHz frequency band, also denoted as the DSRC band.Those using LitePoint's IQflex, IQview, or IQ2010 test systems can opt to add 802.11p testing by upgrading their systems to the instrument's latest software release. 802.11p is currently supported by IQflex/IQview software release 1.3.5 and IQ2010 software release 1.0.16.

LitePoint Corporation designs, develops, markets and supports advanced test solutions for development and manufacturing of wireless devices. LitePoint's solutions have optimized and verified the operation of more than one billion wireless devices. These solutions play a critical role in enabling advanced wireless products by providing the quickest transition from design to high-quality production, the fastest and lowest-cost optimization and test, and the greatest savings on overall manufacturing test costs.