New Capability Enables Industry Leading Digital Pre-distortion Loop Times for Power Amplifier Test

SANTA ROSA, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — May 14, 2015 — Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS) today announced the M9451A PXIe Measurement Accelerator, a high performance FPGA processing card, which speeds envelope tracking (ET), and digital pre-distortion (DPD) characterization for power amplifier test. With the M9451A, engineers can make closed/open loop DPD and envelope tracking measurements in tens of milliseconds for up to a 100 times speed improvement.

The M9451A is now integrated with the RF PA/FEM Characterization and Test, Reference Solution, to provide even higher throughput while maintaining highly accurate S-parameter, harmonic distortion, power and demodulation measurements. The Reference Solution enables full characterization of next-generation power amplifier modules, such as a power amplifier-duplexer (PAD).

The robust DPD algorithms in the Reference Solution came from years of close cooperation with wireless manufacturing customers and insights gained from Keysight’s SystemVue simulation and N7614B Signal Studio for Power Amplifier Test software applications. This makes it the only solution capable of providing consistent measurements, from simulation to manufacturing, for next-generation power amplifier modules.

“We continue to make enhancements to our power amplifier Reference Solution to provide our customers unrivaled technology and test performance,” said Mario Narduzzi, marketing manager of Keysight’s Software and Modular Solutions Division. “The M9451A shows what is possible when you combine the measurement expertise of Keysight, with the high speed data handling of PXIe, and state of the art commercially available FPGAs.”

The Reference Solution’s open source test scripting example code facilitates rapid evaluation of power amplifier test configurations and reduces time to first measurement. With this new capability, engineers can improve device performance with DPD and ET while also reducing test time.

Keysight’s PXI and AXIe modular products and Reference Solutions benefit from the company’s trusted measurement science and calibration expertise. This allows customers to count on consistent measurement results, from R&D through production, and realize accelerated design cycle time.

PADs are an increasingly popular alternative to more traditional power amplifier architecture because along with lower power consumption and greater efficiency and value, they allow device designers to save and optimize space by replacing multiple, discrete components with a single, compact module. PADs are also rapidly gaining in popularity with device designers because of the trend toward increasing band counts due to the implementation of new LTE networks.

Additional Information

The Keysight M9451A PXIe Measurement Accelerator with DPD/ET gateware is available now and is priced at $20,000.

Pricing for the RF PA/FEM Characterization and Test, Reference Solution is based on a customer’s specific test system requirements. Contact Keysight at www.keysight.com/find/contactus for more information.

Additional information about the M9451A PXIe Measurement Accelerator and RF PA/FEM Characterization and Test, Reference Solution is available at www.keysight.com/find/solution-padvt.

Product and Reference Solution photos are available at www.keysight.com/find/solution-padvt_images.

About Keysight Technologies

Keysight Technologies (NYSE: KEYS) is a global electronic measurement technology and market leader helping to transform its customers’ measurement experience through innovations in wireless, modular, and software solutions. Keysight’s electronic measurement instruments, systems, software and services are used in the design, development, manufacture, installation, deployment and operation of electronic equipment. The business had revenues of $2.9 billion in fiscal year 2014. Information about Keysight is available at www.keysight.com.

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