RF & Microwave News Stories this Week(7-11 Jan, 2019)

Qualcomm Expects to Power More than 30 Commercial 5G Mobile Devices in 2019

Qualcomm Technologies has announced strong 5G device momentum with more than 30 5G design-wins. The majority of these design wins are smartphones, from global OEMs featuring the Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform and the Snapdragon X50 5Gmodem family. In addition to the mobile platform, all customer OEMs and nearly all the devices related to these 5G design-wins use Qualcomm RF Front End (RFFE) solutions. Click here to read more.

R&S Evaluates Signal Propagation of mm-Wave 5G Terminals in Different Environments

Rohde & Schwarz along with China Mobile and MediaTek has successfully carried out a technical trial of a 5G prototype terminal. The main purpose of the trial was to verify the signal characteristics and propagation of the mmWave terminal in different environments, both indoors and outdoors, and to investigate the effect that beam tracking and array antenna switching have on maintaining the stability of the mmWave signal. Click here to read more.

Akash Systems Gets FCC Approval for Experimental GaN-on-Diamond Satellite Launch

Akash Systems has been granted an Experimental Special Temporary Authority (STA) license from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a satellite launch featuring its proprietary GaN-on-Diamond transmitter technology. The GaN-on-Diamond technology will be integrated into a Ka-band (17.2 to 20.2 GHz) 3U radio transmitter and launched in a 12U CubeSat allowing for new levels of data transmission for customers to increase capacity and reduce end-user costs. Click here to read more.

RF Energy Alliance Ceases Operation

The RF Energy Alliance, a nonprofit technical association comprised of companies dedicated to realizing solid-state RF energy’s true potential as a clean, highly efficient and controllable heat and power source, decided to cease operation. In a letter from RFEA’s Executive Director, Dr. Klaus Werner, to RFEA Members on December 31st, Werner wrote that although the Alliance made significant progress on technical aspects, the Board of Directors of the RF Energy Alliance decided that it is in the best interests of the organization to have closed its doors on December 31, 2018. Click here to read more.

Antenova Introduces Thin REFLECTOR Antenna for Metal Surfaces

Antenova has unveiled a new version of its award-winning REFLECTOR antenna that can operate on and close to metal surfaces. The new antenna which is only 1.6mm thick is named Magna, part number SR4I051, and operates in the ISM 868/915 bands and has been designed for industrial IoT markets - in particular for lighting applications. Click here to read more.

SoftBank Adopts Anritsu 5G NR Protocol Test Solution

Anritsu has announced that Japanese mobile operator SoftBank is using Anritsu’s 5G NR Protocol Test Solution for 5G NR device acceptance inspection tests.

As a long-term partner with SoftBank, helping support their 4G device acceptance inspection tests, Anritsu is now delivering its new Radio Communication Test Station MT8000A and Carrier Acceptance Test Core Software (eSIDE) MX783480A suite for 5G NR device acceptance inspection tests, assuring smooth and seamless deployment of SoftBank 5G services. Click here to read more.

T-Mobile, Ericsson and Intel Complete World’s First 5G Call Using 600 MHz Spectrum

T-Mobile along with Intel and Ericsson has pulled off the first 5G data call and video call using the 600 MHz band for both uplink and downlink communication on a live commercial network. During the tests, the teams generated a 5G signal capable of covering more than a thousand square miles from a single tower. T-Mobile also accomplished a tri-band 5G video call with three users on different spectrum bands – 600 MHz, 28 GHz, and 39 GHz. The tests represent a step forward for the multi-band spectrum strategy the New T-Mobile will use to blanket the country with transformative next-generation 5G technology. Click here to read more.

Cloud Based Chip Design Software Reduces Development Time from Years to Weeks

zGlue Inc, a custom-chips-on-demand company, has released a cloud-based, chip design software called ChipBuilder. They also announced the launch of the industry's first multi-project 3D-IC prototyping service in partnership with TSMC and ASE, enabling product developers to go from a paper drawing to a manufacturable system in the same business day. zGlue's end-to-end methodology for accelerated chip building can reduce the total development time from years to weeks, as compared to building traditional System-on-Chips (SoCs). Click here to read more.

Engineers Develop Innovative Wireless Charging Sheet that Can be Cut to Any Shape

Researchers have now come up with a new innovative system to wirelessly charge electronic devices such as smartphones and smart-watches. Developed at the University of Tokyo, the method involves a cuttable, flexible power transfer sheet which charges devices wirelessly and can be molded or even cut with scissors to fit different-shaped surfaces and objects. Click here to read more.

Northrop to Provide Large Aircrafts Infrared Countermeasures Systems to US Air Force

The U.S. Air Force has awarded Northrop Grumman with a $3.6 billion indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract for Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasure (LAIRCM) systems and support. Under the contract, the Air Force may issue task or delivery order awards up to the ceiling amount specified in the contract. Work under the contract is set to conclude in 2025. The initial task order is $2.4 million for logistics support services. Click here to read more.

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 - Next-Gen Wi-Fi Certification Program Coming in 2019

Wi-Fi Alliance has introduced the next generation Wi-Fi certification program - Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6™ - to ensure devices based on IEEE 802.11ax technology meet industry standards for interoperability and security. The Wi-Fi Alliance certification program, coming in the third quarter of 2019, will provide capacity, coverage, and performance required by users to experience next-generation Wi-Fi use cases, from streaming ultra high-definition (Ultra HD) movies to mission-critical business applications. Click here to read more.

Taoglas Acquires Commercial Vehicle Antenna Innovator 'ThinkWireless'

Taoglas has completed the acquisition of ThinkWireless, an antenna provider that specializes in the design, development, and production of combination antenna systems for the commercial vehicle market.

The ThinkWireless brand will become ThinkWireless, a Taoglas company. ThinkWireless Founder and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Argy Petros and Director of RF Technology Pierre Wassom will remain. Click here to read more.