How to test LTE Devices Efficiently

LitePoint / Sr. FAE Jason Yang (楊則森)

© 2013 LitePoint, A Teradyne Company. All rights reserved. LitePoint Confidential

Agenda

•  LTE Overview

•  LTE Test Challenge

•  Testing LTE – Where to Begin?

•  Building a LTE Verification Plan

•  Optimizing a LTE Verification Plan

• 2
Why LTE? – Something for Everyone
For the user..
•  Higher Performance (Data Rate)
-  Instantaneous downlink peak data rate:
100 Mbit/s in a 20MHz downlink spectrum (5 bit/s/Hz)

-  Instantaneous uplink peak data rate:

50 Mbit/s in a 20MHz uplink spectrum (2.5 bit/s/Hz)

For the service provider…

•  Cell capacity – more users per cell
-  up to 200 active users per cell (5 MHz) (i.e., 200 active data clients)

•  1st all-data network: packet-switched

-  Simplifies network architecture

• 3
LTE Key Parameters

4
OFDMA Highlights
LTE uses OFDMA for the downlink
•  Uses a large number of narrow sub-carriers for
multi-carrier transmission

•  Robustness to multipath fading and interference

•  “Resource blocks” and “elements”

-  Each resource block and element is defined in
“frequency” and “time” (1 block = 180 kHz; 0.5 ms)
-  Dynamically assigns these resource blocks to LTE
users, thus improving spectrum utilization
-  Subcarrier spacing – 15 kHz compared to
312.5 kHz for WLAN

The basic LTE physical resource can be seen

as a time-frequency grid:

• 5
LTE-FDD & LTE-TDD
FDD
•  downlink and uplink traffic is transmitted simultaneously at separate carrier frequencies
•  is the preferred mode by most cellular systems, wherever paired spectrum is available –
easy transition from existing 3G networks

TDD
•  transmission in uplink and downlink is at the same carrier frequency
•  is a good option where spectrum (carriers) availability is lower
•  is necessary when pair spectrum is not available

FDD

fDL TDD

fUL fDL/UL

time time
• 6
LTE-Advanced: Carrier Aggregation

•  Intra-band, contiguous channels (up to 100MHz):

Carrier #1 Carrier #2
…
Band B
Band A

•  Intra-band, non-contiguous channels (up to spectrum availability):

Carrier #1 Carrier #2
…
Band B
Band A

•  Inter-band, non-contiguous channels:

Carrier #1
… Carrier #2

Band B
Band A

7
LTE Carrier Aggregation Planned Deployments
•  Planned Carrier Aggregation Roll-outs:
- Primarily inter-band deployments
Carrier CA Type Bands
AT&T Inter-band 4 & 17
Verizon Inter-band 4 & 13
Sprint Intra-band 41
SK Telecom Inter-band 3&5
Korea Telecom Inter-band 3&8
LG Uplus Inter-band 1&5
Telstra Inter-band 3&8
DL1
NTT Docomo Inter-band 1 & 21
DL2

UL

8
Carrier Aggregation: What Does this Mean for Test?
•  Carrier aggregation is primarily a downlink discussion

- Spectrum availability limits intra-band deployment,

particularly for non-contiguous

- UE data traffic tends to be asymmetric

- Multiple, simultaneous uplinks (inter-band) requires DL1

multiple power amplifiers (reducing battery life) DL2

UL
•  Result is that the UE requires more
RX testing, little change to TX testing

9
LTE Test Challenges
New Challenges in LTE – More Bands
•  More bands to test: > 40 bands

Band Frequency Channel Mode

Range Bandwidths
1.4, 3, 5, 10,
1 to 17 < 2.7 GHz FDD
15, 20 MHz

1.4, 3, 5, 10,
33 to 43 <3.8 GHz TDD
15, 20 MHz

More bands means more test time

• 11
New  Challenges  in  LTE  –  More  Bandwidth  
•  Spectrum  Emission  Mask  (SEM):  6.6.2.1  
 
•  Adjacent  Channel  Leakage  RaHo  (ACLR):  6.6.2.3  

SE Mask

20 MHz
Channel

• 12
New Challenges in LTE – More Configurations
•  LTE has many configurations to test – more test time
- Per channel… Modulation RB Config PWR Levels
QPSK 50,0 4
QPSK 12,0 4
QPSK 12,38 2
QPSK 1,0 1
QPSK 1,24 1
QPSK 1,49 1
16 QAM 50,0 2
16 QAM 12,38 2
16 QAM 12,0 2
16 QAM 50,0 1
64 QAM 50,0 1

LTE threatens to reduce test throughput…

Higher cost test?
• 13
Testing LTE: Key Requirements
RF Frequency Range
•  The test equipment must support the frequency bands 698 MHz - 3800 MHz
•  The test equipment must handsets with an increasing number of antennas

VSA / VSG Bandwidth

•  The test equipment must have at least 20 MHz VSA/VSG bandwidth
-  LTE requires support for six channel bandwidths (from 1.4 to 20 MHz)
-  With LTE-Advanced, this requirement will become 100 MHz
-  >70 MHz required for single-shot LTE ACLR & Spectrum Emission Mask testing

MIMO Technology
•  Support for accurate MIMO testing is necessary in both R&D and MFG
•  In particular, it is essential to have multiple VSA / VSG ports for DL / UL MIMO signal

Transmission Schemes
•  Support two transmission schemes for downlink and uplink (OFDMA, SC-FDMA)
•  Support two transmission modes (FDD and TDD)

• 14
Testing LTE: Where to Begin?
•  The production floor is not the place to
be verifying millions of lines of firmware
nor HW functionality associated with a
million gate DSP/ASIC design.

•  LTE complexity introduces more than

10x configurations to test
- Testing every scenario is not practical

•  In production, we are looking to validate

manufacturing quality

•  Goal is to exercise the mobile as much

as possible to identify manufacturing
defects while minimizing test time.
• 15
Testing LTE: Where to Begin?
•  What to test in mobile manufacturing verification:
- Physical layer RF measurements
- TX power
- TX modulation quality
- TX frequency
- RX sensitivity (min / max)

•  What NOT to test in mobile

manufacturing verification
- Software
- Digital Design
- Redundant (overlapping) tests or configurations

• 16
LTE UE Transmitter Tests
Measurement Why is this Important?

TX Power LTE network performance is highly dependent on accurate power control

Primary TX quality measurement – detects distortions that will ultimately

Error Vector Magnitude
degrade accurate transmission of data

Frequency Error Critically important to avoid communication interference

ACLR Ensures that transmission does not interfere with neighboring channels

Occupied Bandwidth Confirms that signal is contained within channel allocation

Spectrum Emissions
Ensures that signal in adjacent channels rolls off to minimize interference
Mask

Carrier Leakage An indication of mismatch in the I/Q modulator

Verifies UE timing accuracy – particularly important for LTE TDD since

Transmit Time Mask
the UL/DL are on the same frequency
In-Band Emissions for Ensures that a UE’s assigned RBs (within a channel) do not interfere with
non-allocated RBs the unassigned RBs in the channel

3GPP Measurements • 17

LTE Signal seen by
LitePoint Tester - IQxstream
•  LTE Transmitter characteristic – 10MHz as an example.

18
LTE UE Receiver Tests

•  TX measurements give direct access to the signal via the UE antenna.

•  Unlike TX measurements, RX signal quality issues remain buried within
the DUT until the signal is fully decoded.
Measurement Notes
Fundamental test of a receiver’s ability to decode the inbound
RX Bit Error Rate (BER)
signal. Typically performed at both min & max RX input power
Receive signal strength is a parameter often measured as part
of calibration. Since the initial TX power level is calculated per
RX Sensitivity (RSSI)
the measured RSSI, accuracy of this measurement directly
impacts UE power transmission
• 3GPP Measurements

• 19
 Building a LTE
Verification Plan
LTE Test Plan Development

•  Several different approaches to develop a test plan:

- Use the 3GPP standard’s recommendations

- Use the IC manufacturer’s recommendations

- Use historical data from similar devices

- Looking for likely failure modes in the design

• 21
LTE Test Configurations Concept
•  Transmitter signal differs with WCDMA, the Resource block concept
introduced here which makes lots of configuration for LTE testing.

22
6.2.2 Max Output Power
•  Take 10MHz as an example : RB number: 1, 12 / Modulation: QPSK

Test Parameters for Channel Bandwidths

　
 Downlink Configuration Uplink Configuration
Ch BW N/A for Max UE output power testing Mod'n RB allocation
　
 　 FDD TDD
1.4MHz QPSK 1 1
1.4MHz QPSK 5 5
3MHz QPSK 1 1
3MHz QPSK 4 4
5MHz QPSK 1 1
5MHz QPSK 8 8
10MHz QPSK 1 1
10MHz QPSK 12 12
15MHz QPSK 1 1
15MHz QPSK 16 16
20MHz QPSK 1 1
20MHz QPSK 18 18

Target power 24 24 24 24 24
Modulation QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK
number RB 1 1 1 12 12
RB offset 0 24 49 0 38

Source: 23
 Test Parameters for Channel Bandwidths
　 Downlink Configuration Uplink Configuration

6.5.2.1 EVM Ch BW
　
1.4MHz
N/A for PUSCH EVM testing Mod'n
　 
QPSK
RB allocation
FDD
6
TDD
6
1.4MHz QPSK 1 1
1.4MHz 16QAM 6 6
1.4MHz 16QAM 1 1
3MHz QPSK 15 15
3MHz QPSK 4 4
3MHz 16QAM 15 15
3MHz 16QAM 4 4
5MHz QPSK 25 25
5MHz QPSK 8 8
5MHz 16QAM 25 25
5MHz 16QAM 8 8
10MHz QPSK 50 50
10MHz QPSK 12 12
50 50
10MHz 16QAM
(Note 3) (Note 3)
10MHz 16QAM 12 12
15MHz QPSK 75 75
15MHz QPSK 16 16
75 75
15MHz 16QAM
(Note 3) (Note 3)
15MHz 16QAM 16 16
20MHz QPSK 100 100
20MHz QPSK 18 18
100 100
20MHz 16QAM
(Note 3) (Note 3)
20MHz 16QAM 18 18

Target power 24 -36.8 24 -36.8 24 -36.8 24 -36.8 24 -36.8 24 36.8

Modulation QPSK QPSK 16QAM 16QAM QPSK QPSK 16QAM 16QAM QPSK QPSK 16QAM 16QAM
number RB 50 50 50 50 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
RB offset 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 38 38 38 38

24
6.6.2.3 ACLR 　
Ch BW Mod'n
Test Parameters for Channel Bandwidths
Downlink Configuration
RB allocation Mod'n
Uplink Configuration
RB allocation
　 　 FDD TDD 　  FDD TDD
1.4MHz N/A FOR ACLR testing QPSK 6 6
1.4MHz QPSK 5 5
1.4MHz 16QAM 6 6
1.4MHz 16QAM 5 5
3MHz QPSK 15 15
3MHz QPSK 4 4
3MHz 16QAM 15 15
3MHz 16QAM 4 4
5MHz QPSK 25 25
5MHz QPSK 8 8
5MHz 16QAM 25 25
5MHz 16QAM 8 8
10MHz QPSK 50 50
10MHz QPSK 12 12
50 50
10MHz 16QAM
(Note 3) (Note 3)
10MHz 16QAM 12 12
15MHz QPSK 75 75
15MHz QPSK 16 16
75 75
15MHz 16QAM
(Note 3) (Note 3)
15MHz 16QAM 16 16
20MHz QPSK 100 100
20MHz QPSK 18 18
100 100
20MHz 16QAM
(Note 3) (Note 3)
20MHz 16QAM 18 18

Target power 24 24 24 24 24 24
Modulation QPSK 16QAM QPSK QPSK 16QAM 16QAM
number RB 50 50 12 12 12 12
RB offset 0 0 0 38 0 38 25
6.6.2.3 LitePoint IQxstream – ACLR Measurement
6.5.2.3 LitePoint IQxstream – Spectrum Emission Mask Measurement
12RB with 0 RB offset:

26
Building a LTE TX Verification Test Plan
Per-Band / Per-Channel
Derived from 3GPP Test Specification
A “reasonable” LTE test plan covered in 21 configurations
Showing config 1-11
• Varies RB Offset • Varies TX Power
for RB = 1 for RB = 12

Test Configuration
Parameters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
TX Power +23 +23 +23 +23 +3.2 -26.8 -36.8 +23 +3.2 -26.8 -36.8
Modulation QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK
RB 1 1 1 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
RB Offset 0 24 49 0 0 0 0 38 38 38 38
DL Power -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57
Measurements 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Power
EVM
EVM Flatness
• RB Offset
Frequency Accuracy
Carrier Feedthrough Extremes
Occupied Bandwidth
ACLR
SEM
In-Band Emissions for
Non-Allocated RBs

• 27
Building a LTE TX Verification Test Plan
Per-Band / Per-Channel
A “reasonable” LTE test plan covered in 21 configurations
Showing config 12-21
• Min / Max Power • Min / Max Power
• Min / Max Power
• for QPSK • Tests Absolute for 16 QAM for 16 QAM
RB = 50 Power Setting • RB = 50
• RB = 12

Test Configuration
Parameters 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
TX Power +23 -50 +6.4 -5.6 +23 -36.8 +23 -36.8 +23 -36.8
Modulation QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK 16QAM 16QAM 16QAM 16QAM 16QAM 16QAM
RB 50 50 50 50 12 12 12 12 50 50
RB Offset 0 0 0 0 0 0 38 38 0 0
DL Power -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57
Measurements 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Power
EVM
EVM Flatness • RB Offset
Frequency Accuracy Extremes
Carrier Feedthrough
Occupied Bandwidth
ACLR
SEM
In-Band Emissions for
Non-Allocated RBs

• 28
 LTE TX Verification Test Plan Analysis
How well did we do?
•  Provides  good  test  coverage  
- Min  /  max  RB  allocaHons  
- Min  /  max  modulaHon  rates  
- Min  /  max  power  
- Checks  variaHon  across  the  channel  
•  What  about  from  a  test  throughput  point  of  view?  
- The  table  is  sparse…Significant  number  of  configuraHons  
- LitePoint  IQxstream  S/W  architecture  efficiently  enables  more  test  per  configuraHon  
- OpportuniHes  to  condense  the  test  list  
Test Configuration
Parameters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
TX Power +23 +23 +23 +23 +3.2 -30 -40 +23 +3.2 -30 -40 +23 -40 +6.4 -5.6 +23 -40 +23 -40 +23 -40
Modulation QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK 16QAM 16QAM 16QAM 16QAM 16QAM 16QAM
RB 1 1 1 1 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 50 50 50 50 12 12 12 12 50 50
RB Offset 0 24 49 0 0 0 0 38 38 38 38 0 0 0 0 0 0 38 38 0 0
DL Power -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57
Measurements 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Power
EVM
EVM Flatness
Frequency Accuracy
Carrier Feedthrough
TX Time Mask
Occupied Bandwidth
ACLR
SEM
In-Band Emissions for
Non-Allocated RBs
• 29
 Optimizing the LTE TX Test Plan
• Configurations 1, 3, 12, & 20 test the extremes of modulation and RB allocations / offsets
• Configuration 12 would be expected to have the most issues with signal quality measurements (QPSK)
• Configuration 4 is a “typical” use case, it provides good coverage of overall transmitter performance

Test Configuration
Parameters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
TX Power +23 +23 +23 +23 +3.2 -30 -40 +23 +3.2 -30 -40 +23 -40 +6.4 -5.6 +23 -40 +23 -40 +23 -40
Modulation QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK 16QAM 16QAM 16QAM 16QAM 16QAM 16QAM
RB 1 1 1 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 50 50 50 50 12 12 12 12 50 50
RB Offset 0 24 49 0 0 0 0 38 38 38 38 0 0 0 0 0 0 38 38 0 0
DL Power -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57 -57
Measurements 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Power
EVM
EVM Flatness
Frequency Accuracy
Carrier Feedthrough
TX Time Mask
Occupied Bandwidth
ACLR
SEM
In-Band Emissions for
Non-Allocated RBs

• No Need for • Covered • Covered • Can be covered

• Already Tested Band • Covered by Config 20 &
Mid-Channel by Config by Config by any absolute
Edges in Configs 1 & 3 21, do not need mid-RB
Offset 21 21 power setting

Configurations we definitely want to keep

• 30
Condensed Test Plan
•  Reduced to 7 TX configurations
•  Added RX tests
•  Increases number of measurements while reducing test time

• 31
7.3 Reference Sensitivity Level
•  Uplink configuration for reference sensitivity differs with LTE bands.

32
7.3 Reference Sensitivity Level
LitePoint Test Plan easy to configure different settings for BLER uplink RB configuration.

33
LTE Manufacturing Test

•  LTE increases test complexity 5 to 10X

- More measurements, more antennas, wider bandwidth, higher performance
- IQxstream’s unique architecture makes LTE test simple and fast

•  Test plan development for LTE needs to focus on exercising the mobile
device with the minimum test time

•  A test plan can be created to maximize

the coverage of the device by using the
test equipment in an efficient manner
- Number of configurations take more test time than number of tests
- Scale test plan to multi-DUT through turnkey non-signaling solutions
- No sacrifice in product quality with shorter per-DUT test times

• 34
Thank You!

35