Researchers from Denmark's Aalborg University are working with antenna experts from Molex (NASDAQ: MOLX) to conduct 4G LTE measurements in dense environments aimed at improving data connections for better mobile computing.
As a collaboration between Aalborg University and the Molex antenna research department located in Nørresundby, Denmark, the ongoing measurement campaign previously focused on outdoor reception on the streets of Aalborg.
Testing in the antenna radio anechoic lab is suitable for some types of applications, but 4G LTE technology has to function in a different, tougher reality, say the reasearchers. The measurements conducted in the city are an opportunity to test prototypes and measurement equipment in real-life environments.
“We are trying to see how much more we can get out of the next-generation mobile phones when we have several antennas in them. The location has a great influence on the performance and the most difficult scenario is indoors in the city with tall buildings around. So we tested those specific environments,” says Professor Gert Frølund Pedersen from Aalborg University’s Department of Electronic Systems.
The measurements being taken are some of the first in the world without traditional cables connected to the prototype phones, according to a press release. Molex notes that "the challenge in using a copper coaxial cable is that it acts as an extra-long antenna. This can yield unrealistically good reception and thus impair measurement quality." Aalborg University and Molex have developed a solution using fiber optics instead, thereby eliminating an important source of error.
“If you just take measurements in a lab you get misleading results. We know these devices have to be used in the real world, so we need to include all factors that affect this type of radio signal. With the next generation 4G and LTE systems, the influence of the radio propagation environment has an enormous impact on the performance you experience as a user of the product,” explains Morten Christensen, RF Research Manager, Molex.
Results of the research are part of the four-year CAMMP project (Converged Advanced Mobile Media Platforms) with support from the Danish National Advanced Technology Foundation. The program has a total budget of DKK 42.5 million and is focused on the convergence of the Internet, digital television, radio and mobile communications.
“We have produced several terabytes of data that have to be analyzed, but we expect to have some conclusions during the next three months,” added Christensen.
Press Release:Molex Antenna Business Unit Joins Forces with Aalborg University to Conduct 4G LTE Measurements (businesswire.com)