Trending RF & Microwave News Stories of the Week (15 -19 April, 2019)

Intel to Exit 5G Smartphone Modem Business

Intel Corporation has announced its intention to exit the 5G smartphone modem business and complete an assessment of the opportunities for 4G and 5G modems in PCs, internet of things devices and other data-centric devices. Intel will also continue to invest in its 5G network infrastructure business.

The company will continue to meet current customer commitments for its existing 4G smartphone modem product line but does not expect to launch 5G modem products in the smartphone space, including those originally planned for launches in 2020. Click here to read more.

NXP to Develop 77 GHz Automotive Radar Designs for the Chinese Market

NXP Semiconductors, a key player in the 77 GHz radar solutions market has announced a new strategic collaboration and investment agreement with Hawkeye Technology, a company at the forefront of the Chinese automotive radar sector. Hawkeye will offer its deep 77 GHz expertise, a team of highly qualified engineers and a state-of-the-art lab complex within Southeast University in Nanjing, China. Together, the two companies will create NXP-based reference designs for the Chinese automotive market.

China’s automotive radar sensor market is growing at nearly 2 times the global growth rate. Current automotive market analysis projects that by 2020, radar technology will be in 50% of all newly produced cars. These robust appraisals are driven in part by the China New Car Assessment Program (C-NCAP), which mandates the further implementation and innovation of radar in safety-related applications such as blind spot detection, automatic emergency braking, front and rear cross traffic detection and precise environmental mapping. Click here to read more.

Compact Software Defined Radio Platform from 100 kHz to 18 GHz

Per Vices, a North American wireless platforms leader, has released a new software defined radio (SDR) that operates from 100 kHz to 18 GHz. Per Vices has been developing Software Defined Radio solutions since 2006 offering customers high performance solutions to meet their needs. Click here to read more.

Global NFC Chips Market Expected to Grow at Over 7% Annually up to 2023

According to a report available from ReportBuyer, the global near field communication (NFC) chips market is expected to register a growth rate of over 7% by 2023. The increased penetration of smartphones is one of the key factors expected to foster this growth in the forthcoming years.

NFC-enabled smartphones are often being used for peer-to-peer communication and card emulator applications. Furthermore, the increasing application of NFC chips is encouraging OEMs for integrating NFC chips in their products. This will further drive the NFC chips market growth in the coming years. Click here to read more.

Customized Phase Controllers Provide Better Beam-Steering for 77 GHz Automotive Radars

Advanced radar and wireless communications expert, Metawave, has demonstrated a first-of-a-kind phase controller to power its 77 GHz automotive radar platform (WARLORD) for automotive and broad transportation applications. The phase controllers will also be deployed with Metawave’s novel antenna arrays to power its SABER platform for 5G and fixed wireless unlicensed deployments. All of Metawave’s platforms are integrated with AWARE, Metawave’s proprietary AI software for object detection and classification as well as potential network planning and data load management for wireless deployments.

In order to deliver a platform that could steer pencil-thin beams with high resolution, Metawave’s had to build its own high-precision phase controllers. Phase controllers at such high frequencies, did not exist in the market. The performance of the 77 GHz phase controllers have exceeded expectations in that they have lower insertion loss than existing off-the-shelf phase controllers used for lower frequency applications. Metawave is now looking forward to deliver an entire system that can offer analog beam-steering to revolutionize autonomous driving, based on their SOA phase controller. Click here to read more.

Keysight Leads Global Certification of 5G Devices with the Most Conformance Test Cases

Keysight has announced that the company's 5G Conformance Toolset now supports the greatest number of validated Global Certification Forum (GCF) and PTCRB protocol, as well as radio frequency (RF) conformance test cases, for both 5G new radio (NR) non-standalone (NSA) and standalone (SA) mode, as reaffirmed at the recent GCF meeting.

Protocol and RF conformance tests are a key enabler for chipset, device manufacturers, mobile operators, and test labs to validate the performance of new 5G designs. By addressing global test requirements on a single solution platform, Keysight enables the mobile industry to accelerate certification of 5G multi-mode devices. Keysight's comprehensive test case coverage also means device manufacturers can validate a wider range of devices, each addressing regionally different requirements, easily and cost-effectively. Click here to read more.

R&S Introduces a Complete End-to-End 5G NR Network Measurement Solution

Understanding 5G NR coverage in the real-world environment is important. In particular, new frequencies in the mm-Wave range, such as 28 GHz, can create uncertainties for 5G NR technology providers. In addition to 5G NR coverage, there is also a need to test the network – device connection and KPIs using pre-commercial or commercial 5G NR devices. In order to address the challenges involving the new 5G NR technology, Rohde & Schwarz has created a new solution for mm-Wave frequencies and end-to-end measurements.

Until now, the R&S TSMx6 network scanner could analyze 5G NR signals only up to 6 GHz. With the new R&S TSME30DC down converter, the network scanners can analyze signals up to 30 GHz. The solution uses an updated version of the R&S ROMES4 drive test software, which already supports measurements on 5G NR user equipment, e.g., evaluation boards, USB dongles, pre-commercial, and commercial smartphones as they become available. This allows manufacturers of 5G NR technology to gain early insights into a device’s performance and its interaction with real 5G NR networks. Click here to read more.

RFID Based Real-Time Location System Uses Steerable Array Antenna

RF Controls has developed a new Smart RTLS (Real-Time Location System) Antenna System capable of providing highly granular inventory and asset location data across the global supply chain. The CS-445B is the only true, passive RTLS that provides precise, hands-free, and continuous location data on RAIN RFID passive UHF tags at distances of more than 25 feet (which was previously not possible using legacy RTLS technologies). By providing fixed overhead scanning in a warehouse or distribution center environment, the CS-445B can monitor as much as 2,000 square feet of space in three dimensions, tracking the location of tagged items to within 18 inches, as well as the movement of items from zone to zone. 

The CS-445B's performance is driven by complex, proprietary mathematical algorithms that allow the antenna to identify, locate and track items in milliseconds, providing meaningful x,y,z coordinates in a three-dimensional space, regardless of the number of antennas reading any particular tag. The higher the antennas are mounted, the greater the read range they provide. Click here to read more.

Next-Gen Friend-or-Foe Identification System Uses Active Electronically Scanning Array

Leading defense and security electronics company, HENSOLDT, has developed a new military identification (IFF, identification-friend-or-foe) system for modern warships.

The NESIS 4000 IFF system capitalizes on the latest AESA (Active Electronically Scanning Array) radar technology giving it superior performance compared to conventional systems. With the integration of this technology, the radar beam can be steered electronically so that the system does not require a mechanically rotating antenna on top of the ship’s mast. HENSOLDT expects to deliver the first system to a customer by end of this year. Click here to read more.

Innovative Compact Antenna Enables Communication Where Conventional Radios Fail

Scientists at the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, have developed a new type of pocket-sized antenna that could enable mobile communication in situations where conventional radios don’t work, such as underwater, through the ground and over very long distances through the air.

The device emits very low frequency (VLF) radiation with wavelengths of tens to hundreds of miles. These waves travel long distances beyond the horizon and can penetrate environments that would block radio waves with shorter wavelengths. While today’s most powerful VLF technology requires gigantic emitters, this antenna is only four inches tall, so it could potentially be used for tasks that demand high mobility, including rescue and defense missions. Click here to read more.

Infineon to Expand 77 GHz Automotive Radar Chip R&D Facility

In a bid to strengthen its R&D efforts for high-frequency components, Infineon has expanded its manufacturing division in Linz, Austria. The Infineon Austria holding company DICE (Danube Integrated Circuit Engineering) expects to have a new building up and running by the summer of 2020. The building will provide room for about 400 employees – creating the possibility of 220 new jobs as they currently employ 180 employees in their existing facility. The main focus of this center will be the development of 77 GHz radar chips for driver assistance systems.

The Linz site develops solutions for important future markets. According to Peter Schiefer, President of the Automotive Division of the Infineon Group, Infineon is shaping the future of mobility and communication. Microelectronics accounts for the majority of all innovations in the car and in the smartphone. The further development of advanced driver assistance systems, smartphones, tablets and navigation devices is a powerful driver of growth for Infineon. And the semiconductor solutions for all of this are developed in Linz among other locations. Click here to read more.

Gore Unveils Reliable, Cost-Effective Cables and Assemblies for Space Applications

W. L. Gore & Associates (Gore) has launched a collection of high-speed data cables and high-frequency microwave/RF assemblies for the emerging Space market. A number of space companies such as SpaceX use smaller, sleeker, lower-cost satellites and vehicles with fast-paced designs and frequent, inexpensive launch capabilities. Such customers require qualified, reliable cables and assemblies at a reduced price delivered quickly for NewSpace applications to help bring connectivity to the world in a way that has never been done in the past.

Gore combines decades of traditional spaceflight program experience, materials expertise, and a deep understanding of products and appropriately scoped test processes to meet demanding Space program schedules varying from 1 to 5 years. GORE Space Cables and Assemblies offer extremely robust options in small, low-mass, flexible designs for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) applications. All of the solutions are qualified according to NASA EEE-INST-002 Level 2, ESA ECSS-Q-ST-60-13C Class 3, and Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6+. Click here to read more.