IoT component testers head to MWC 2019 in Barcelona

They can be optimised with test solutions Rohde & Schwarz has designed specifically for this purpose which it will present at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona (February 25-28).

One key focal point is on test solutions for smart cities and smart industries. A read module for smart metering applications checks that the desired security mechanisms have been correctly implemented. The test solution also measures consumption values to optimise battery lifetime. The module is mounted on a water meter and sends the meter readings to a cloud based server at regular intervals.

To enable the testing of implemented security mechanisms even when developing IoT modules, Rohde & Schwarz has designed the R&S CMW-KM052 IP security option for its R&S CMW platform. This option performs deep packet inspection (DPI) during normal operation in a user-configurable network environment.

Users can see if and how the connection is encrypted, whether any ports are open, and much more. They can also verify that the module only communicates with approved servers. This security test function is unique among radio communication testers. In the test setup, the security option runs on an R&S CMW290 wireless connectivity tester.

This instrument also performs measurements to optimise the battery lifetime of the IoT module. The test setup includes an R&S RT-ZVC04A four-channel power probe and the R&S CMWrun sequencer software that controls the test sequence. The power probe measures current and voltage simultaneously at various points on the IoT module in the different operating modes.

It measures even minute currents in the nanoampere range. The R&S CMW290 enables waveform analysis and precise time correlation with events from the NB-IoT interface, which considerably simplifies analysis.

Another test setup with an R&S CMW500 wideband communication tester simulates a realistic field test environment (real field conditions) for all types of wireless modules with NB-IoT and LTE interfaces.

With a few clicks in the R&S CMWcards software, test cases can be generated from scenarios recorded in drive test logs. Users can then reproduce these scenarios with the R&S CMW500 for lab tests. The tester generates the network environment, signal strength and signal quality (RSRP/RSRQ) recorded in the drive test logs.

It records the behaviour of the IoT module under these various environmental conditions, enabling users to analyse critical processes such as handovers in detail and to repeat measurements under identical field conditions. That is not possible with pure drive tests, which by the way can be reduced to a minimum with this solution.

Rohde & Schwarz will also showcase a combined RF and functional test for NB-IoT and Bluetooth 5.0 LE signalling on an R&S CMW290 IoT radio communication tester. This enaboles parallel tests on cellular and non-cellular transmissions. The DUT in this test is an IoT device solution for rental bicycles that has interfaces for both transmission methods. Only these testers allow developers to perform RF signalling tests on Bluetooth LE devices under real-world conditions using over-the-air measurements. This method permits detailed analysis of antenna characteristics and transitions between NB-IoT and Bluetooth.

Rohde & Schwarz will present its test solutions for smart cities and smart industries at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, February 26 to 28, 2019.