Test challenges in a multi-domain IoT world

Dave Mehta, Technical Marketing Manager

Agenda
The IoT market, applications, and Wireless technologies
IoT hardware design & integration interrogations
Basic Compliance Overview
Industry
Regulatory
Pre-Compliance Testing
What do we need
What can we do
Troubleshooting Wireless transceivers

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IoT : Internet of Things : Disruption & Potential for high
growth

3 Source: Raymond James research

IoT applications Health Home automation

Farming / Smart metering / Automotive

4 Source: Raymond James research

M2M connections and M2M chipset prices trend

Short range connection types (Personal Area Network) are predicted

to be dominant.
Cellular is also going to be important as cellular standard bodies are
working on LTE dedicated to M2M
Strong price pressure on the Semiconductor components

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IoT components

Explosion of sensor systems and components. Several

physical/chemical parameters can be sensed (temperature, pressure,
movements, etc.)
Wireless connectivity addition enables the embedded devices to
become part of IoT; thus driving new design requirements

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Which Connectivity Module Should I Use ?

Weigh All Your Options !

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Wireless Embedded Design Integration challenges
Clock Clock signal
I/O Ports

radiations affects
PROCESSOR/MEMORY other devices
DSP (ASIC, FPGA) ADC

System Noise
INTERFACE BUSSES
correlated with
(UART, SPI, I2C, USB, etc.)
ADC interface signal
DC Power
bursts
CONTROL LOGIC
VOLTAGE
REGULATION
Digital/Time domain Digital
modulation
analysis on
connectivity
IQ Demod
Antenna

BP Filter LNA RF Mixer LP Filter

standards
VGA

Wider signal
PLL/VCO bandwidth to
DC noise can support increased
easily couple with Digital Control Frequency data rate
RF circuits and creates time Domain applications
create EMI varying RF signal
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IoT hardware development challenges
Strong pressure on component prices & Shortened time to market
Compliances:
Regulatory compliances : FCC, ETSI, IC, KCC, etc.
Quick access to EMC certification labs
Wireless/High-Speed interfaces Standard certification: IEEE
802.11xx, Bluetooth & Bluetooth Low Energy
Technical challenges:
Wireless module evaluation / selection
RF / mixed signal design and measurement knowledge highly needed
Design or Externalize equation to be solved
Lack of human and set of test equipment required for the work; e.g. no
RF test equipment such as Spectrum Analyzer, Vector Network
Analyzer, RF Signal Generators (generally very expensive to be afforded
by many IoT hardware development projects).

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Do You Need Compliance Testing ?
Many modules available that are pre-certified
Emissions or Protocol ?
Certification ID ? (Reports ?)
Are you using a reference design or module ?
Did you make any changes to the RF path ?
Compliance has multiple levels of test

Software Hardware

Network Software Host Wi-Fi

Application Driver Processor Chipset

Typical Wi-Fi Enabled Device

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Protocol Compliance: WiFi case

WiFi Alliance
Industry agreed requirements
Protocol conformance
Inter-operability
Security
Applications & services
http://www.wi-fi.org/

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Module Test HW/SW Requirements
HW Interface
Integrated version
Shipping configuration
Access version
Direct RF connection

SW Interface
Radio control interface
Drivers
.ini, terminal
Manual radio control
Channel
Power
Timing/duty cycle
Modulation

Monitoring ?
Operational Setup

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Wireless Module Transmitter Protocol Test Setup

Spectrum Analyzers

SignalVu-PC VSA Software

- 802.11 xx protocols
- Bluetooth protocols

EUT Rx

EUT
Rx

RF Isolation Box

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 RSA306 USB Spectrum Analyzer
Price/Performance at $3490
Form factor: USB powered and controlled,
highly portable
HW features in its class: 6.2 GHz Signal
Analyzer with 40 MHz Real Time Bandwidth
SW features: Benchtop features with a low cost
analyzer
Runs with SignalVu-PC software
Optional capabilities, such as Wi-Fi, P25, and PC Requirements
USB 3.0
Audio Analysis Minimum 8 GB RAM
4th Generation Intel i7 for full real time
Long duration signal recording specification
Windows 7 or 8 64-bit
Ruggedized and meets Mil-Std 28800 Class 2 Reduced processor results in degraded min.
signal duration for 100% POI
specifications

Performance RF Signal Analysis in your Hands

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 Mixed Domain Oscilloscopes
MDO4000B = 3 Instruments Common Trigger, Common Time Base

Mixed Signal Oscilloscope

Controls

Time
Domain
Display

Spectrum
Analyzer
Controls

Frequency
Domain
Display

RF Input

Analog Inputs
Digital Inputs
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Tektronix IoT Analysis Solution:
WLAN Transmitter Testing in SignalVu-PC
SignalVu-PC provide support for
Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac)
Up to 256QAM, and 160MHz for
802.11ac
Provides complete set of
transmitter measurements as
specified by standards
EVM, SEM, frequency error,
symbol clock error
Displays for key modulation and
RF measurements
Decoded information WLAN
header information helps speed
debugging

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802.11a/b/g/n/ac Customer Presentation - Tektronix Confidential
MDO4000B for 802.11 a/b/g/j/n/p/ac & Bluetooth
protocol Testing
The MDO4000B with SignalVu-PC delivers
the right capabilities at the right price point
to enable embedded and wireless LAN
module designers to rapidly debug systems
without a steep learning curve
Fanny Mlinarsky, President/CTO, octoScope

Analyzers for Wi-Fi Testing

Control the MDO directly from
$120,000
SignalVu-PC
$100,000
SignalVu-PC turns the MDO4000B
into the industrys only $80,000
1 GHz acquisition bandwidth
$60,000
vector signal analyzer
MDO4000B for Wi-Fi 802.11ac / $40,000 Nothing
Available
Bluetooth test is approximately half $20,000
the cost of other mid-range
solutions $0
802.11a 802.11b 802.11n 802.11ac

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Tektronix IoT Analysis Solution:
Bluetooth Radio Transmitter Testing
RF-PHY Pre-compliance and Packet Analysis
Simple Transmitter RF Validation per Bluetooth SIG
Bluetooth Low Energy, Basic Rate and Enhanced Data Rate* (Automatic
detection of Standard)
Push-button measurements, Pass/Fail reporting & Customizable Limits
Packet Information: Type, Sync Word, Header, Payload, CRC
Multiple Spectrum Analyzer families supported
Off-line PC Analysis supported

Low Energy RF Transmitter Performance

Per RF PHY Bluetooth Test Specification, Direct Test Mode
Includes all Transmitter Tests (TRM-LE): Output Power, In-Band
Emissions, Modulation Characteristics, Carrier Frequency Offset and Drift
Push-button Pass/Fail results
Decoding of Test and Non-Test packets
Basic Rate RF Transmitter Performance
Per RF Bluetooth Test Specification, Direct Test Mode
Includes all Transmitter Tests (TRM): Power, ACPR, -20dB Bandwidth ,
Modulation Characteristics, Carrier Frequency Offset and Drift
Push-button Pass/Fail results
Decoding of Test and Non-Test packets
Enhanced Data Rate RF Transmitter Analysis
Eye Diagram, Constellation, Symbol information and Power
Measurements
Decoding of Test and Non-Test packets
Regulatory Compliance
Un-intentional radiated emissions
Unwanted signals
Class of service
Frequency range varies
Conducted emissions
Unwanted signals coupled to AC
Class of service
Generally < 30MHz
Intentional radiated emissions
Frequency band dependent
Class of service
Country Approval Regulatory standards
United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Canada Industry Canada (IC)
Europe European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI)
Japan Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)
China Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT)
Korea Korea Communications Commission (KCC)

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Radiated Emissions
Performed in RF isolated chamber
Far field measurements (3m or 10m)
EUT is placed on a turn-table, idle state
Fully calibrated setup
Chamber
Receiver
Antennas

EMI
EUT
Receiver

Antenna Equipment Under Test

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Conducted Emissions
For devices which connect to power grid
Characterize energy conducted to AC grid
Line Impedance Stabilization Network
Connected Rx between AC and EUT
EUT is in operational state

EMI Receiver EUT

Limiter and LISN Equipment Under Test

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Intentional Radiated Emissions
For devices which transmit RF energy
Measure EUT directly connected to spectrum analyzer
No antenna !
EUT is in operational state
Must be able to check all modes of operation

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Test House or In House ?
Compliance Measurements Test House
Complex setup
Chamber time = cost
Failure of test means scheduling another visit

Pre-Compliance Measurement In House

Test for problems throughout the design process
Test more often
General purpose instrumentation can be used for pre-compliance
You still need to go to a test house

Pre-compliance testing will save time/money by identifying problem

areas before they become expensive re-design issues

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Tektronix IoT Signal Analysis Solution
EMC pre-compliance in SignalVu-PC
Testing to FCC limits

Setting up the Spectrum Analyzer to perform measurements

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EMC Testing Example Measurement with FCC Sect. 15

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Tektronix provides High Performance Signal Analysis
Solutions at affordable cost

Single User Interface supporting all signal

acquisition hardware (Benchtop or Portable) Signal Analysis for IoT users
All setups and data remains on your PC
Starting price from $3K

Direction
Real-time Bluetooth / Cellular EMI pre-
802.11xx Finding &
spectrum Bluetooth modulations compliance
analysis Measurement
analysis Low Energy analysis analysis Mapping

SignalVu : Vector Signal Analysis software platform

RSA306 MDO3K / MDO4K RSA5K Windows scopes

Affordable, Portable for Lab Use for: Design, Validation

Field & Lab Use and Acceptance Testing
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Troubleshooting RF Transceivers
Receiver

Mixer

LNA ADC Digital

Pre Selection Filter IF
Domain
Filter
Local
Filter (serial bus)
DSP
Oscillator

PA DAC
Transmitter Mixer
IF
Filter

Transmitter functional testing: Receiver functional testing

Main channel Power level Sensitivity
Bandwidth Blocking
Harmonics & Spurs Level Requires a Signal Generator
Modulation Quality
Requires a Signal Analyzer

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Tektronix IoT Signal Analysis Solution
Wireless receiver troubleshooting

A In-channel Signal
A T
T T
T
IF signal IF signal

DUT
Interference

Modulation signal
Spur and/or phase noise

Noise floor Out-of-channel Interference

Sensitivity Test Receiver Blocking Test

Modulation Capability Spur/non-harmonics performance

Amplitude range: -110 ~ +16 dBm <-68dBc @1GHz, >10K Hz offset
Amplitude accuracy < 0.6 dB (output level Outstanding phase noise
> -100dBm @ 10M Hz < Fc < 4 GHz) -113dBc/Hz @ 1G Hz, 20K Hz offset
Amplitude resolution 0.01dBm Very low noise floor
Very low noise floor

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 Tektronix IoT Solutions:
Complete Transceiver test solution
Spectrum
Analysis MDO 4000B

Modulation
Signal
RSA306A
TSG 4100A

RF Power
Measurement

Tek PSM

A complete suite for SME at budget point

Versatile & powerful debug tools for multi-domain Signal VU

measurements of circuits, boards, modular and systems

Enables wireless protocol & Regulatory compliance readiness

Generate AM/FM/PM and most popular digital modulation signals

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 Tektronix IoT Solutions:
Portfolio summary
Signal Analyzers Signal Generators DC Power Supply
RF Signal TSG4000
MDO3000 and Generator series
Mixed Domain
Scope
MDO4000
series Arbitrary AFG3000
Function series
Real time Spectrum RSA306 Generators
Analyzer

Vector Signal SignalVu-PC

Analysis Software

Bluetooth,
Wireless modulation
analysis
WiFi, Cellular
modulations

30 TSG4100A Level 1 training - Tektronix Confidential

Online resources

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