Abstract: A UE transmits to a BS an indication of a number of PTRS ports. The number of PTRS ports is a suggestion to the BS for allocating the indicated number of PTRS ports to the UE for transmission of PTRS from the BS to the UE to enable the UE to perform phase tracking. The method also includes allocating, by the BS, PTRS ports to the UE based on the indication of the number of PTRS ports. The indication may be included in a UCI message, MAC CE, or RRC message transmitted by the UE to the BS. The BS may map the allocated PTRS ports to DMRS ports corresponding to spatial streams transmitted by the BS. The UE may estimate CPE of each spatial stream, measure correlations of the estimated CPE among the spatial streams, and use the correlations to determine the suggested number of PTRS.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable memory medium may store a first table comprising rows, wherein each row comprises a first data set identification (ID) field which stores a measurement data set identifier value identifying a measurement data set, and one or more fields for storing measurement data metadata associated with the identified data set. The medium may also store a second table comprising rows, wherein each row comprises a second data set identification (ID) field which stores a measurement data set identifier value present in the first data set ID field. The second table may also store a datapoints field for storing individual data set datapoints and a data set index field corresponding to an ordering of the individual data set datapoints. At least a portion of each of the fields of both the first and second tables may be stored in a columnar format in contiguous memory.

Abstract: Various embodiments are presented of a system including an alignment fixture for testing (e.g., rapidly and cheaply) phased array antennas and other devices configured for radio frequency (RF) transmission and/or reception. A device to be tested (e.g., the device under test (DUT)) may be positioned in a testing position by the alignment fixture. The alignment fixture may provide a configurable level of friction to retain the DUT in the testing position. The alignment fixture may provide isolation from electromagnetic interference for the DUT while in the testing position.

Abstract: Asynchronous event-based start of input/output operations is implemented in a distributed system. Within the distributed system, each master device—of a plurality of master devices coupled to a respective plurality of slave devices via an internal network—may implement one or more timed-functions configured to control timing of physical input operations and/or physical output operations for the respective plurality of slave devices, and streams between the master device and the respective plurality of slave devices. A subset of the slave devices may be further interconnected via a shared signal-based bus, which may be used to propagate an asynchronous event that may be used to start at least one of the one or more timed functions implemented on a master device coupled to at least one slave device of the subset of slave devices. The asynchronous event may be generated by one of the slave devices.

Abstract: A multiphase current-sharing configuration may include at least two power supplies providing respective output-currents in the current-sharing configuration. One or more of the power supplies may itself be a multiphase power supply. A first power supply of the current-sharing configuration may detect a phase difference between an external control signal provided to the first power supply to control the output voltage of the first power supply, and an internal control signal provided by a VCO of the first power supply. The phase difference may be provided to an integrator to cause the internal control signal to track the external control signal when the external control signal is available, and maintain a present operating frequency of the internal control signal in case the external control signal is lost, in which case the internal control signal may be used to uninterruptedly control the output voltage of the first power supply.

Abstract: A user equipment device (UE) reduces receive beam selection time. An antenna array forms receive beams to receive synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) transmitted by a base station (BS). Each SSB comprises OFDM symbols. Each SSB includes a BS-assigned index. The receive beams are switched in time such that, for each SSB, two or more of the receive beams are used to receive corresponding two or more mutually exclusive sets each having at least one but less than all of the OFDM symbols of the SSB. A processor is programmed to, for each receive beam/SSB index pair, measure a signal quality based on the at least one but less than all of the OFDM symbols of the indexed SSB received by the receive beam of the pair. The processor uses the measured signal qualities to select one of the receive beams to use to receive subsequent communications from the BS.

Abstract: A method for determining coarse carrier phase and frequency offsets of an initial block of received M-QAM symbols includes creating a grid of discrete candidate phase offset values and for each candidate value: applying the candidate value to each symbol, applying a respective hard decision to each applied symbol, and computing a figure of merit based thereon. The candidate value having the best figure of merit is selected as an initial phase offset estimate. An initial frequency offset estimate is computed using the symbols updated with the initial phase offset estimate, their respective hard decisions, and an approximation of the complex exponential function. To track carrier phase and frequency offsets associated with a series of symbol blocks, for each symbol of a current block, set a binary trust weight based on comparison of a computed parameter with a threshold and use the binary trust weights to compute a phase offset error and a frequency offset error for the current block.

Abstract: Improved process control systems may include shared safety control and process control components/elements, facilitating the sharing of sensors, actuators, and input/output (I/O) interface circuitry between the safety functionality of the system and the general operational (i.e. normal) functionality of the system. Components and/or circuitry corresponding to safety operations of the system may be designed to permit inputs to be monitored during normal operations at all times as there is typically no safety risk associated with monitoring. The components and/or circuitry corresponding (or dedicated) to the safety operations of the system may operate to prevent normal operational control of various designated outputs/actuators when there is a need to activate safety functions. When there is no need to activate safety functions, these same components and/or circuitry may allow normal operational control of the designated outputs/actuators.

Abstract: Circuits and methods for electronically adjusting an effective inductance of one or more primary inductors in a circuit. The circuit may include a plurality of sub-circuits connected in parallel between an input and an output of the circuit. Each sub-circuit may include a primary inductor and an auxiliary inductor inductively coupled to the primary inductor. The circuit may further include first circuitry coupled to the primary inductor, wherein the first circuitry configured to introduce an oscillating first voltage across the primary inductor; and second circuitry coupled to the auxiliary inductor, wherein the second circuitry is configured to introduce an oscillating second voltage across the auxiliary inductor. The amplitudes of the second voltages may be selected to reduce a difference between effective inductances of the primary inductors.

Abstract: Testing devices such as integrated circuits (IC) with integrated antennas configured for millimeter wave (mmW) transmission and/or reception. A DUT may be mounted to an interface in a measurement fixture (e.g., a socket, anechoic chamber, etc.). Power and data connections of the DUT may be tested over the interface, which may also provide connections (e.g., wired) for input/output signals, power, and control and may also provide positioning. Radio frequency (RF) characteristics of the DUT may be tested over-the-air using an array of antennas or probes in the radiating Fresnel zone of the DUT's antennas. Each of the antennas or probes of the array may incorporate a power detector (e.g., a diode) so that the RF radiating pattern may be measured using DC voltage measurements. Measured voltage measurements may be compared to an ideal signature, e.g., voltage measurements expected from an ideal or model DUT.

Abstract: Circuits and methods for operating a programmable load circuit that includes a plurality of sub-circuits connected in parallel between an input and an output. Each sub-circuit may include an inductor, a load, and a switch coupled to the inductor. Each switch may be configurable in a first state and a second state, wherein the inductor is either connected to the output through the load or connected to the output through a connection that bypasses the load. The switches of the plurality of first sub-circuits may be programmable to periodically switch between the first state and the second state according to a duty cycle, and the switches may be out of phase with each other by a predetermined amount. The duty cycle may be programmable to tune the load of the programmable load circuit.

Abstract: Bus enumeration of a switch fabric bus may be performed without assigning bus numbers to unused switch ports and/or corresponding slots to which the unused switch ports are routed. Accordingly, switches coupled to a switch fabric bus in a chassis may link-train with corresponding slots in the chassis in an attempt to establish active connections with devices coupled to the slots. Unused switch fabric bus lanes running from the switches to unused slots may be identified, and the unused switch ports corresponding to the unused switch fabric bus lanes may be disabled. During a subsequent bus enumeration procedure for the switch fabric bus, bus numbers may be allocated to the identified used switch ports (or corresponding used slots) but not to the identified unused switch ports (or corresponding unused slots). The link training, used/unused switch port identification, and bus enumeration may all be performed each time the chassis is reset.

Abstract: Methods and measurements systems are disclosed relating to dynamic measurement prioritization by multiple software interfaces. A first software interface with a low priority may be conducting a first measurement on a device under test (DUT) through a driver connected to a measurement device. A second software interface with a higher priority may initiate a request to conduct a second measurement on the DUT. In response, the driver may automatically determine that the second software interface has a higher priority than the first software interface and may halt the first measurement and conduct the second measurement. The driver may notify the first software interface that its access to the measurement hardware has been revoked, and the first software interface may enter a monitoring mode to monitor the results of the second measurement.

Abstract: Methods and measurements systems are disclosed relating to use of a soft front panel (SFP) to display results of measurement functions. A measurement device may concurrently perform two or more measurement functions to produce two or more respective signal measurements, wherein each measurement function comprises an acquisition function and a processing function. A computer may be configured to display information on a soft front panel on the display device corresponding to two or more of the signal measurements. The computer may receive, from a user, a selection of an update option, wherein the update option indicates a trigger that causes the displayed information to update. Responsive to receiving an indication that the trigger has occurred, the computer may update the displayed information on the soft front panel.

Abstract: A wireless cellular base station (BS) transmitter transmits a downlink calibration pilot symbol. A receiver receives from a user equipment (UE) an uplink calibration pilot symbol and an effective downlink channel estimate transmitted by the UE. The effective downlink channel estimate is computed by the UE using the downlink calibration pilot symbol received from the BS. Processing devices compute an effective uplink channel estimate using the uplink calibration pilot symbol received from the UE and compute channel reciprocity calibration coefficients using the effective downlink channel estimate received from the UE and the effective uplink channel estimate computed by the BS. The BS includes multiple antennas, and the BS computes the channel reciprocity calibration coefficients for each antenna. Alternatively, the uplink channel estimate received by the BS is an inverted version of the effective downlink channel estimate, which the processing devices use for channel reciprocity compensation.

Abstract: A base station (BS)/user equipment (UE) for performing radio frequency beam management and recovery in communication with a UE/BS. The BS/UE includes a processor and a memory that stores first and second thresholds. The processor evaluates a beam quality metric against the first and second thresholds, performs beam switching and/or beam broadening in response to determining the beam quality metric falls below the first threshold, and performs a beam failure recovery procedure in response to determining the beam quality metric falls below the second threshold.

Abstract: Antenna characterization systems and methods are described for hardware-timed testing of integrated circuits (IC) with integrated antennas configured for over-the-air transmission and/or reception. An IC to be tested (e.g., the device under test (DUT)) may be mounted to an adjustable positioner in an anechoic chamber. Radio frequency (RF) characteristics (e.g., including transmission characteristics, reception characteristics, and/or beamforming characteristics) of the IC may be tested over-the-air using an array of antennas or probes within the anechoic chamber while continually transitioning the adjustable positioner through a plurality of orientations. Counters and reference trigger intelligence may be employed to correlate measurement results with orientations of the DUT.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for using a single wideband pilot signal to reduce a timing misalignment between receivers in a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radio system. The multiple generators of the MIMO radio system may be aligned using a second wideband pilot signal subsequent to performing the receiver alignment. The calibration kit of the MIMO radio system may be aligned using a third wideband pilot signal prior to performing the receiver alignment. Alignment may be achieved to subsample precision by determining time delays from the rate of change of the phase shift of the wideband pilot signals.

Abstract: A novel coupling system may include a head-end circuit for coupling a probe via a cable to an instrument, delivering power to the probe over the cable while the cable carries signal(s) from the probe to the instrument. The head-end circuit may include a first terminal for coupling to the probe via a cable, and may further include a second terminal for coupling to the instrument. The head-end circuit may apply direct-current (DC) power to the cable, and may remove a DC voltage offset resulting from the applied DC power before a signal from the probe reaches the instrument. The head-end circuit may include a common node coupled to the first terminal, a current source coupling the common node to a supply voltage, and a voltage source coupling the common node to a second terminal that couples to the instrument.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to a massive MIMO base station architecture. In some embodiments, a base station is configured to combine signals received by multiple antennas and, for at least a subset of processing elements included in the base station, each processing element is configured to operate on a different portion of the combined signals. In these embodiments, each portion includes signals from multiple antennas. In some embodiments, the portions are different time and/or frequency portions of the combined signals. In some embodiments, this distributed processing may allow the number of antennas of the base station to scale dramatically, provide dynamic re-configurability, facilitate real-time reciprocity-based precoding, etc.