Product category:
Stand-Alone Instruments
News Release from: Keithley Instruments | Subject: Model 2910
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 27 January 2006
RF signal generator uses software
defined radio
The Model 2910 RF vector signal generator is the first in a new line of RF test instruments.
Keithley Instruments has developed an innovative line of RF test instruments With an unrivaled combination of high-performance, speed, flexibility, ease of use, and compact size, these instruments employ new approaches to test and measurement that enable users to save time, effort, and money
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 23 Aug 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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Software tool supports wireless standards
Keithley's SignalMeister is a free, PC-based software tool that creates arbitrary waveform (ARB) files that can be downloaded to Keithley's Model 2910 RF Vector Signal Generator.
Signal generator adapts to wireless evolution
RF vector signal generator adds extra waveforms, a new power calibration feature and increased ARB memory to accommodate more and larger waveforms.
These new products will be used throughout the design, development and manufacturing processes, and they complement existing Keithley solutions sold in this market such as battery simulation sources, semiconductor characterisation systems and source-measure units.
The first product available in this line is the Model 2910 RF vector signal generator.
Using a number of industry innovations, such as its software-defined radio (SDR) architecture, patent-pending synthesiser technology and unique power leveling techniques, the Model 2910 provides a flexible platform that uses software to adapt as test requirements change and reduces test time with the fastest frequency tuning, amplitude settling and waveform switching available.
Further reading
Waveform software upgrades to wireless standards
Click-and-drag objects-based approach allows RF engineers to intuitively create basic and complex waveforms using graphical objects.
RF tools ease WiMAX signal testing
Keithley's Model 2820 RF vector signal analyser and Model 2920 RF vector signal generator enable users to test WiMAX in any frequency band between 400MHz and 4GHz
Test alliance enables shift to MIMO
Together Keithley's 4x4 MIMO RF test system and Azimuth's ACE 400WB channel emulator enable next-generation LTE and WiMAX testing.
In addition, the Model 2910 makes generation of RF signals simple for even the novice user with the most intuitive user interface on the market.
Designed with a focus on reliability, all of this comes with an industry-leading three-year standard warranty, compared with the one-year warranty typically seen with similar products.
In the summer, Keithley will announce the availability of two related products - the Model 2810 RF vector signal analyser and the Model 3500 portable RF power meter.
Designed to complement the Model 2910, the Model 2810 employs innovative approaches to provide high-speed measurement and modulation analysis with the same flexibility, ease of use, and compact size.
The Model 3500 portable RF power meter is a handheld instrument used for measuring average RF power in both R and D environments as well as in the field, where Keithley's innovation enables laboratory accuracy in a handheld package.
The Model 3500 is the first instrument of its kind in the market.
The Model 2910 and 2810 are broad application instruments that will be used by test engineers in companies designing and manufacturing mobile and wireless handsets and portable devices, mobile and wireless infrastructure, RFICs (RF integrated circuits) and RFIDs (radio frequency identification) devices.
In addition, universities and aerospace/defence organisations will find applications for both units.
Whether switching between frequencies, amplitude levels, or waveforms, the Model 2910 delivers switching speeds that are two to ten times faster than the best competitors - delivering the fastest execution of key signal generation tasks.
Faster execution times increases throughput, since more tests can be conducted on a greater volume of devices.
The Model 2910 enables dramatic test time reduction through a number of innovations.
For example, unlike competing instruments, the Model 2910 settles in 1.5ms, and the sync-out source-settled indicator is only set when the source is settled.
This eliminates the need seen with other instruments to slow down tests by adding wait states to ensure the signal generator has settled.
In another example, fast switching among waveforms is a critical attribute for reducing test time in devices operating within multiple wireless standards.
The 64Msample arbitrary waveform generator supports simultaneous loading of multiple signal waveforms and enables switching between these signals in less than 5ms.
Keithley's Model 2910 RF vector signal generator is an extremely flexible and versatile test instrument.
Employing a software-defined radio architecture, the Model 2910 can help reduce time to market, increase design flexibility, and provide adaptability as wireless standards evolve.
The Model 2910 offers optional built-in signal generation software personalities for key cellular formats targeted at mobile phone testing, including GSM, GPRS, Edge, W-CDMA, cdmaOne and cdma2000.
Users can easily upgrade to new and emerging standards as they become available.
For those signal formats not included in its initial release, the Model 2910's arbitrary waveform generator supports downloading of virtually any externally generated signal waveforms with up to 40MHz of bandwidth.
In addition, the Model 2910 can generate an RF signal with up to a 200MHz bandwidth from analogue baseband in-phase and quadrature signals provided by the users.
The bandwidth and architecture of the Model 2910 provide a significant future cost savings, because customers do not need to purchase new RF sources as new wireless applications emerge.
The Model 2910 provides unparalleled ease-of-use in RF test equipment.
A variety of features combine to make the Model 2910 easy to configure and operate.
For example, an intuitive touch-screen graphical user interface makes it simple to use for both experienced RF test engineers as well as novice users learning RF instrumentation for the first time to generate high-quality signals fast.
Competing products tend to have rows of buttons on the front panel or multiple layers of softkeys that are often confusing to operate.
In addition, users of the Model 2910 can choose between graphical or tabular methods to edit waveforms or create new ones.
There is also comprehensive and easy-to-use help documentation accessible from the front-panel, the remote interface, or CD-ROM.
The Model 2910 also is easy to control remotely.
A built-in 100Base-T Ethernet and USB interface allows direct, high-speed programming and command transfer, while a GPIB interface provides configurability with legacy instruments.
Instruments that are easy to use enable users to get results sooner and get products to market faster.
The Models 2910 and 2810 feature LXI (LAN extensions for instrumentation standard) Class C compliance.
They support the physical, programmatic, LAN and web portions of the emerging LXI standard.
For facilities testing wireless communication devices and components, that are faced with intense budget and time-to-market constraints but cannot compromise on measurement quality, valuable rack or benchtop space, or ease of use, Keithley Instruments delivers high-performance measurements for the lowest test equipment investment.
The Model 2910 RF vector signal generator will be available end of March.
Models 2810 and 3500 availability will be in the summer. Request a free brochure from Keithley Instruments ...
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