This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will investigate the feasibility of using a small controlled environment for over-the-air (OTA) testing and validation of multiple antenna radio systems for next generation wireless networks. With the prevalence of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communications systems for next generation wireless networks, new test and measurement solutions and standards will be required. Certification of next generation devices is an expensive and time-consuming process. The challenge of testing MIMO systems is the need to emulate real-life multipath environment with signal components clustered around the receiver. This project has unique intellectual merits in the research tasks that aim to reduce the size and resources required to perform MIMO/OTA testing. The proposed research will investigate methods of reducing the physical dimensions of an anechoic chamber used for MIMO/OTA testing while still accurately emulating statistical properties of the radio channel. Another unique merit of the proposed work is investigation of techniques to increase the number of clusters in a small test chamber. The outcome of this research will have a significant impact on the cost of testing and validation.
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be reduced cost of wireless device certification, making broadband connectivity more affordable to a wider population, including rural communities that currently have limited access to the Internet. As the demand for wireless communications has increased, spectral efficiency has become a key national interest. Further, the US White House has launched a broadband initiative to increase access to high speed networking throughout the country. One of the issues with bringing broadband to rural communities is the cost of mandatory certification of wireless devices. The feasibility of using small anechoic chambers for the test and certification of new generation MIMO wireless devices can enable young companies to more effectively compete with the established vendors. Smaller and more affordable chambers also hold the promise of expanding the number of research facilities and laboratories that can contribute their findings and thus facilitate the deployment of new generation radio technology.
The goal of our Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Phase I project was to investigate the feasibility of using a small controlled environment for over-the-air (OTA) testing and validation of multiple antenna radio systems for next generation wireless networks. A large cost driver for bringing new wireless devices and technologies to market is testing. This cost also stands in the way of the White House Broadband Initiative to increase access to high-speed networking connectivity throughout the country. One of the issues with bringing broadband to rural communities is deployment cost of the infrastructure and devices. A major bottleneck and leading cost driver is the lengthy and elaborate certification process enforced by the operators on device manufacturers. The technology advanced by this project has the potential to reduce the cost of certification, making broadband networking more accessible to communities throughout the nation. Our research was aimed at reducing the cost and physical dimensions of the anechoic chamber used for multiple-input multiple-output over-the-air (MIMO OTA) testing while still accurately emulating properties of the radio channel. Our work has resulted in a foundation for the development of small chambers for MIMO OTA certification. The outcomes of our project include: Creation of a Matlab simulation that can be used to predict measurement error given the geometry and properties of a small anechoic chamber used for measurements Contribution to the industry standards development effort at the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA) MIMO Over the Air Study Group (MOSG) Opportunity for academic and small business collaboration
