Product category:
Stand-Alone Instruments
News Release from: Tektronix | Subject: RFXpress
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 24 July 2007
Software simplifies RF waveform
generation
Advanced software package provides a user interface that makes creation and management of general purpose digital RF waveforms far more intuitive.
Available now from Tektronix, RFXpress is an advanced software package that performs RF/IF/IQ waveform creation and editing of digitally modulated signals for AWG5000 and AWG7000 arbitrary waveform generators RFXpress provides a user interface that makes creation and management of general purpose digital RF waveforms far more intuitive
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 17 Jan 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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It also provides specialised UWB-WiMedia plug-ins and a library of waveforms for thoroughly testing new designs.
With RFXpress software, the AWG5000 and AWG7000 are the easiest to use, most powerful and comprehensive IF/RF and I/Q signal generators - transforming the testing of emerging digital RF applications including UWB-WiMedia.
Signal generation for stress testing digital RF product designs is a critical step in the development process for modern wireless devices.
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Historically, this process has been very complicated often requiring many hours of tedious setup and requiring multiple instruments.
With RFXpress software, this has been greatly simplified by automating many of the repetitive and arcane functions typically found in competing signal generation solutions.
"RFXpress is ideal for design and test engineers who need to perform validation and characterisation of prototype digital RF wireless communication designs", says Mike Higashi, Vice President, Signal Source Product Line, Tektronix.
"Instead of needing to create mathematical formulas, the intuitive UI provided by the general purpose RFXpress application enables efficient use by providing pre-defined, fill-in the blank templates for frequencies, modulation schemes, etc".
"The additional capabilities provided by the compliance and custom plug-ins assist with performing a wide range of tests reliably and efficiently for the UWB WiMedia standard".
The RFXpress application supports a variety of modulation schemes like QPSK, QAM, GMSK etc, and also allows engineers to build their own modulation schemes.
Furthermore, RF, IF and IQ signals captured on a Tektronix real-time spectrum analyser or using an oscilloscope can now be modified by simply adding impairments, interference and distortions using RFXpress before they are replayed by an AWG7000 or AWG5000.
"The RFXpress application is a great addition to the AWG platform, effectively transforming a general purpose signal generator into a powerful and easy to use RF generator", says Ray Wang, System Test Manager, Texas Instruments.
"Features such as I/Q impairments, distortion, and interference addition will help validate our products against real-life parameters".
"Using RFXpress, we essentially get the functionality of both a general purpose and application-specific signal generator in a single package".
For many applications fewer instruments and less complicated setups will be required through the inherent direct synthesis capabilities of the AWG platform combined with RFXpress.
Direct synthesis is a flexible and repeatable method for creating ideal or impaired waveforms that are then directly synthesised using an arbitrary waveform generator.
For example, the RFXpress WiMedia custom mode plug-in enables engineers to individually configure every part of the WiMedia frame/packet for thorough characterisation, limit and stress test of the receiver's PHY layer.
With RFXpress and the AWG7000, customers can directly generate band hopping signals for UWB-WiMedia Bandgroup 1 and Bandgroup 2 without the need for multiple instruments.
The addition of Tektronix waveform libraries further increases usability and provides engineers with a convenient and intuitive shortcut for testing their latest designs.
Engineers are able to simply recall a setup file that encapsulates all of the relevant standard mandated tests and signal impairments, without the need for any additional external components or mixing required, reducing complexity and cost.
AWG setup file deployment can be managed through electronic circulation of files, enabling test systems worldwide to have consistent settings and capabilities and with no external hardware dependencies.
The RFXpress software is currently available for order and runs as an integral part of the AWG5000 or AWG7000 models, or as a stand-alone application on an external PC.
The MSRP for general purpose RFXpress is Eur 4590 or GBP 3100.
The UWB WiMedia compliance plugin is Eur 2020 or GBP 1360 and the UWB WiMedia custom plug-in is Eur 6610 or GBP 4460.
The custom plug-in includes the compliance plug-in capabilities. Request a free brochure from Tektronix ...
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