Acentury

The RF Test Position solution is an off-the-shelf product launched and released in late 2022 and features one of many solutions that can be derived from the LAMTA orchestration platform. Popularity of the solution increased after the COVID-19 pandemic forced lab managers to maintain business continuity without having staff on site.

Introducing Remote RF Testing

An RF test position is a common test platform to perform devices under test (DUTs) in one or many RF shielded environments. RF signals are fed into shielded boxes through a set of variable attenuators.

In regular RF testing position setups, the tester is physically on site to operate the attenuators and the DUT.

The LAMTA Remote RF test position is an all-in-one solution that enables testers to operate the test platform from a remote location. It can help testers remotely operate, monitor and capture DUT logs and uses software control to help operate variable attenuators and enable significant benefits to help test complex RF scenarios. Acentury offers two different Remote Test solutions.

• Remote Test Position. This is a self-contained single test position that includes an RF shield box, a 4-channel software-controlled attenuation array and PC-based LAMTA software. It accepts four (4) independent RF feeds and the LAMTA software controls the signal attenuation on each path. The LAMTA software can even set up, perform and repeat tests that simulate roaming and handover between the different signals. This saves the tester a lot of manual effort and ensures the test conditions are repeatable. For more details download brochure

• The Remote Test System. Supports up to eight (8) remote test positions. Instead of having software-controlled attenuators at each test position, it uses a central software-controlled RF switch matrix. For more details download brochure

Enabling Complex RF Test Scenarios such as MIMO and Carrier Aggregation

Using an RF switch matrix increases the test capabilities compared to an attenuation array. In addition to controlling attenuation for individual signal paths, it can also mix RF signals to produce new combinations, which can help users replicate roaming and handover testing under RF scenarios such as MIMO and Carrier Aggregation. These are difficult or even impossible to do using simple attenuators.

Reducing Cost and Complexity Using a Software-Controlled System

The LAMTA RF Test Position solution offers several cost and complexity benefits:

• The individual remote test positions are less expensive since variable attenuators are not required at each location and consolidated at a central RF switch matrix
• Installation is far less complex as the switch matrix significantly reduces the RF signal distribution requirements
• An RF patch panel is no longer required
• Each remote test position can be connected to the RF switch matrix with a single RF feeder cable instead of several. This also reduces cost, clutter and the need for regular re-patching.

For more information, refer to the Product brochure: HERE

For more information on the LAMTA orchestration platform, refer to the product page: HERE