PathWave Signal Generation for 5G NR Technical Overview

Key features

• Generate 3GPP Rel 15, Rel 16 and Rel 17 standard-compliant 5G NR signals for testing base station and user equipment with channel coding and multi-antenna port support

• Fully support downlink channels for PBCH, PDSCH and PDCCH and uplink channels for PUSCH, PUCCH and PRACH

• Support downlink signals for PSS/SSS, CSI-RS, PBCH-DMRS, PDSCH-DMRS, PDSCH-PTRS, PDCCH-DMRS, RIM-RS and uplink signals for SRS, PUSCH-DMRS, PUCCH-DMRS, and PUCCHPTRS

• Support 3GPP Rel 17 test model presets for FR1 and FR2

• Support 3GPP Rel 17 UL FRC configurations and Rel 15 DL FRC configurations

• Support 3GPP Rel 17 PUCCH test configuration

• Support 3GPP Rel 17 PRACH configuration for conformance test

• Support multiple BWP and mixed numerology in a single carrier

• Support multi-user channel generation with PUSCH and PDSCH

• Support MU-MIMO configuration

• Support downlink and uplink configuration with flexible sub-frame allocations

• Enable flexible signal configuration with both single-carrier and multi-carrier support

• Support DL-SCH user defined precoding

• Support 5G NR coexistence with LTE through dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS)

• Support 3GPP Rel 16 Features (NR-U, eMIMO, eDSS, NR Positioning)

• Support 3GPP Rel 17 TB processing over multi-slots (TBoMS) PUSCH

• Support SCPI programming

• Real-Time HARQ/TA with M9484C for gNB receiver performance tests

Simplify Custom Signal Creation

Keysight Technologies, Inc. PathWave Signal Generation (PWSG) for 5G NR application is a flexible signal creation tool that will reduce the time you spend on signal simulation. Quickly and easily generate 5G NR signals for component, transmitter, and receiver test.

For 5G NR, two types of applications are available:

• PathWave Signal Generation Desktop is running on PC like Signal Studio, which can create and download generated waveforms into Keysight signal generators.

• PathWave Signal Generation Embedded is running as firmware inside Keysight signal generators like M9384B/M9383B, M9484C VXG and N5186A MXG with touch-optimized UI.

Two types of licenses are available:

• N7631APPC:

-        PathWave Signal Generation Desktop uses it as a PC-based license for waveform creation and download to a supported signal generator 

-        PathWave Signal Generation Embedded uses it for touch-optimized GUI application

• N7631EMBC:

-        An instrument-embedded license for waveform creation, downloading, and playback

Apply Your Signals in Real-World Testing

Once you set up your signals in PathWave Signal Generation (Desktop), you can download them to a variety of Keysight instruments. This offers flexibility in generating signals at various carrier frequencies with different bandwidths for multiple applications. PathWave Signal Generation (Desktop) software provides a cost-effective way to tailor your test equipment to your measurement needs in design and development.

PathWave Signal Generation Embedded is running inside the signal generator as embedded software which has the similar GUI and parameter settings as PathWave Signal Generation Desktop application. See feature summary page for details.