In a wide range of vehicles, the use of modules and devices with various RF interfaces is on the rise. These components must meet strict reliability standards, which means that reproducible measurements are essential for both adjustment and final testing. Rohde & Schwarz’s new RF test chamber equipment offers excellent shielding and a robust design, ensuring immunity to interference when testing automotive modules with RF capabilities. It supports a broad array of standards, such as ISM, GSM, CDMA, WLAN, and Bluetooth, making it ideal for modern vehicle systems.
Today's automotive consumers expect advanced, reliable, and most importantly, secure communication and infotainment systems. For automakers, the challenge lies in developing reliable testing methods to guarantee the quality of these systems. As product life cycles shorten and in-vehicle electronics become more complex, designers need faster and more flexible solutions to keep up with rapid product launches. Rohde & Schwarz provides high-accuracy and high-speed measurement tools that help meet these evolving demands.
Figure 1: Rohde & Schwarz RF test system for tire pressure sensors.
Wireless modules have become increasingly common in cars. Examples include remote keyless entry (RKE) systems with anti-theft features, transmitters for trunk opening or auxiliary heating control, and GPS navigation systems. Many of these operate in the ISM band, which doesn’t require licensing. The demand for GSM modules is also growing, especially in front-loading applications. One goal is to enhance mobile radio performance, while another is to improve wireless audio communications using Bluetooth for calls and audio playback.
Newer applications include tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) for both cars and trucks, as well as DVB-T receivers for reliable TV reception. Some diagnostic systems with RF interfaces are now used in repair and emergency centers. Additionally, sensors for monitoring engine temperature, pressure, and speed are becoming more common.
Looking ahead, we can expect RF interfaces based on WiMAX and other standards to support high-speed mobile data. Vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems for collision avoidance are also under development. In all these cases, an RF interface is necessary. Depending on the requirements, these interfaces operate across different frequency bands and must be optimized for various data rates and security protocols.
Figure 2: Block diagram of the RF test system from Figure 1.
These technologies depend heavily on the reliable performance of the RF interface. In safety-critical systems, flawless operation can mean the difference between life and death.
At the start of production, these modules must be tested and adjusted to ensure they meet wireless standards. After installation, they must also be thoroughly tested under extreme environmental conditions, including large temperature variations and vibration resistance.
To achieve consistent results in RF interface testing, it's crucial to prevent external interference from affecting the process. At the same time, other nearby devices and test systems should not be impacted. The only way to meet these requirements is by using an RF chamber with proper shielding (see Figure 2). These chambers can also be filled with absorbing materials to reduce electromagnetic wave reflections, ensuring stable and repeatable measurements. These materials are also effective in audio applications by minimizing internal echoes and background noise.
Rohde & Schwarz has a strong presence in RF technology and is expanding its line of manual RF test fixtures into a new series of RF test chambers.
RF Test Chamber Product Line: R&S TS712x
The R&S TS712x series of RF test chambers is designed for automated production lines, featuring a long service life, a rugged build, and automatic opening and closing of the RF compartment. They offer high shielding effectiveness from 300 MHz to 6 GHz. These chambers are suitable for testing RF-enabled modules compliant with various standards, including ISM, GSM, CDMA, UMTS, WLAN, Bluetooth, and WiMAX.
The product family includes two basic models, differing mainly in width. Each model comes in both automatic and manual versions. The narrow model, R&S TS7121, is only 155 mm wide and is ideal for testing smaller devices like RFID modules, wireless sensors, RKE, and small Bluetooth modules.
The R&S TS7123 model has a 330 mm wide compartment, making it perfect for dual DIN slot automotive electronics testing. It is well-suited for testing car radios, navigation systems, and infotainment systems. The larger compartment allows for integration of subsystems that simulate special environmental conditions, such as the pressure chamber used for TPMS sensor testing. By combining the two compartments, the RF interface can be tested while the tire pressure sensor is evaluated under a wide range of typical pressure conditions.
Table 1: Application of various wireless standards in the automotive industry.
Automation industries require suppliers to perform a wide range of tests, including archiving test results. Only an automated system like the R&S TS7180, equipped with an RF test chamber, can meet these needs.
The pressure chamber simulates tire pressure inside the RF test chamber. A waveform generator triggers the tire pressure sensor to transmit data (ID number, pressure, and temperature) via a 125 kHz LF data telegram. The RF signal is captured by the ISM antenna within the chamber and demodulated by the spectrum analyzer. The system software evaluates this information and provides a GO/NoGo result.
Automotive RF test chambers are primarily used for production testing. The manual version is ideal for maintenance, quality assurance, and R&D. Because both the automatic and manual RF test chambers share the same design, the same measurement conditions are maintained across development, production, and service operations. When paired with the right antenna, these chambers can quickly adapt to a variety of applications. They provide an optimized solution in situations where rapid reorganization of the production process is essential. Ensuring superior product quality is a key competitive advantage in the future.
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