Radio probes vehicle waves

Using one of the first LitePoint IQnxn^plus units, Connectivity Lab researchers at the University of California, Berkeley are delving deeper into the channel characteristics of vehicles in motion communicating via dedicated short-range communications based on IEEE 802.11p.

Using a 4 x 4 MIMO configuration, the team is now able to 'see' multiple incoming waves, their directions and angles and their interactions.

"Before, we were looking at the composite effects of the multipath signals but had no way to examine the various wave contributions. IQnxn^plus, using separate antennas, VSAs and VSGs, lets us better understand what's going on in the physical channel," explained Ian Tan, a Berkeley graduate and team member.

In addition, Tan said, the IQnxn^plus is being developed into a software-defined-radio test bed.

"It will provide a hardware platform for rapid prototyping of any improved communications schemes or beam-forming algorithms our group proposes. Naturally, seeing performance improvements with real hardware and software is much better than just simulations."

DSRC refers to one-way or two-way, short- to medium-range wireless communications methods intended specifically for motor vehicles, cooperative adaptive cruise control, cooperative forward collision warning and intersection collision avoidance.