Agilent 8960 Specifications Sheet

HP 8960 Series 10 E5515A Wireless Communications Test Set

Test at the Speed

of the Revolution

Breakthrough speed and throughput for GSM mobile phone testing

in high-volume manufacturing

A next-generation test set that delivers

dramatic breakthroughs in speed and throughput

oday’s GSM mobile phone manufacturing market is mature and highly
competitive. To be successful, manufacturers have to produce high

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volumes of quality phones at the lowest possible cost.

The HP 8960 Series 10 wireless communications test set (model E5515A)
will help manufacturers meet these manufacturing goals. This new test set
has been designed from the start to deliver breakthrough speed and
flexibility for high-volume, automated production-test environments.

Featuring the HP E1960A GSM mobile test application, the HP 8960
Series 10 test set has all the features and functionality needed for fast,
accurate, automated testing of today’s GSM 900, DCS 1800, and PCS 1900
mobile phones. It will help GSM mobile manufacturers move manufactur­ing volumes up and the cost of
testing down.

The flexible design of the test
set ensures an easy upgrade
path to other wireless formats
and enhancements. This makes
the HP 8960 Series 10 the one
manufacturing test set that can
deliver a competitive advan­tage today and in the future.

2

Gain instant competitive advantage with a

test platform designed for measurement speed

he phenomenal speed and

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concurrent measurement
capability of the HP 8960 Series 10
test set provide immediate benefits
that translate into a competitive
advantage for GSM mobile manu­facturers.

Designed for speed, the HP 8960
Series 10 dramatically cuts test
times to help reduce the manufac­turing cost-per-phone. The test set
runs individual tests from ten to
thirty times faster than first- or
second-generation GSM test sets.

With dramatic speed improvement,
your production lines will require
fewer test sets, lower test costs
and save floor space. The HP 8960
Series 10 also gives you the option
to further enhance reliability and
quality of your GSM mobile phones
by running tests that were once
considered too time consuming to
execute in a high-volume manufac­turing environment.

By taking advantage of the
breakthroughs in measurement
speed, you will likely be able to
boost the overall throughput of
your production-test system by as
much as 200 to 300 percent!

Concurrent measurements

The HP 8960 Series 10 GSM mobile
phone test set is HP’s first product
to use HP’s new Reduced Instruc­tion Parallel Processing (RIPP)
architecture. The RIPP architec­ture allows the test set to run
concurrent measurements using
independent hardware and firm­ware. In addition to enabling faster
measurements, the RIPP architec­ture significantly simplifies remote
programming of complex, parallel
measurements.

You can launch a suite of
transmitter and receiver
measurements to be executed
simultaneously. Because of
parallel hardware, and an
operating system that allows
concurrent processes, the total test
time is significantly shorter than

running the same tests
sequentially. Simultaneous
measurement doesn’t stop
you from retrieving the results
of each measurement as it
is completed.

For example, a phase error
measurement (typical 5-burst
average), which takes 5 seconds to
run on a previous-generation test
set, takes only 150 milliseconds on
the HP 8960 Series 10 GSM test set.
An output RF spectrum measure­ment, also requiring 5 seconds on
an older test set, takes only 200
milliseconds. Transmitter and
receiver measurements can be
made concurrently, reducing test
time even further.

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Many elements of the test
set’s architecture have been
designed for speed:

• Fast-settling hardware elimi­nates waiting for the measure­ment path to stabilize.

• Hopping source reduces
handoff time in tests on
multiple channels.

• Fast or slow power measure­ments let you choose the level of
accuracy/speed that best meets
your test needs.

• Separate analog-to-digital
converters for measurements
eliminate the wait for shared
resources, allowing protocol,
receiver, and transmitter
measurements to run simulta­neously.

• Separate processors and receiv­ers handle the link maintenance
and make RF measurements.

Hardware speed is optimized using
fast processing algorithms and the
latest processor technology. By
incorporating industry-standard
processors—the test set can be

upgraded cost-effectively to take
advantage of future processor­technology improvements.

Easy to program
and control

The test set’s remote user interface
(RUI) has been designed to allow
the use of high level tests to launch
measurements and retrieve
results. With high level tests,
complex measurement processing
algorithms are built into the test

set and executed internally, which
significantly reduces the bus
traffic and increases overall
measurement throughput.

Because it takes dramatically
fewer lines of code to use the RUI,
integrating the test set into your
GSM manufacturing environment
is greatly simplified. With fewer
lines of code to write and maintain,
your programmers will find it
much easier to control the test set
and to modify the code when
necessary in order to implement
test system upgrades.

Only 5 lines of code are required for a program that can measure and print
Transmit Power (TXP), and Phase and Frequency Error (PFER). The first line
in this program example sets up the measurement conditions and the last line
prints the results. Measurement initiation and retrieval takes only three lines
(20 through 40) of code and will execute in 50 milli-seconds.

10 OUTPUT 714; “SET:CONTINUOUS OFF”
20 OUTPUT 714; “INIT:TXP;PFER”
30 OUTPUT 714; “FETCH:TXP?;PFER?”
40 ENTER 714; I1,Power,I2,Rms_ph_max, Peak_ph_max, Freq_worst
50 PRINT “RESULTS= ”;I1, Power,I2,Rms_ph_max, Peak_ph_max, Freq_worst

The results captured in this simple program include an integrity value for each of
the two measurements, Transmit Power, RMS Phase Error, Peak Phase Error, and
worst case frequency error. This same program on an HP 8922 would take at
least 15 lines of code for measurement initiation and retrieval; and would not
include measurement integrity.

4

An additional benefit of the
HP 8960 Series 10’s efficient
RUI is the programmable mea­surement time out. No longer
do test engineers need to worry
about a faulty phone in final test
hanging up the test instruments.
Programmable measurement
timeouts allow them to main­tain overall control of each
measurement procedure and al­low them to insure that a faulty
phone will not halt the test pro­gram or hang up the production­test process.

Flexible architecture

accommodates your changing needs

he number of wireless

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technologies deployed around
the world is growing, and the
demand for any particular wireless
format can change quickly. If you
manufacture for a global market,
you need flexible test instruments
that can accommodate multiple
frequency bands and formats.

A platform for today
and tomorrow

Today the HP 8960 Series 10 test
set with the HP E1960A test
application covers all GSM based
frequency bands, and it is designed
for multiple-format testing in the
future. The test set has been
designed to handle the wireless
communication systems in exist­ence today—and to anticipate the
needs of tomorrow.

The test set can store multiple Test
Applications internally on a large
hard drive. New Test Applications
can be downloaded into the test
set, saved, and recalled easily so
that you can make quick format and
configuration changes with minimal
disruption to production lines.

Components of the platform

The HP 8960 Series 10 hardware
platform consists of modules for
RF and base band measurements,
digital signal processing, and
computing. The hardware is based
on industry standard components,
so that the platform can

incorporate the latest technologies
and can be upgraded easily as new
technologies evolve.

With open hardware slots and an
internal VME bus, the test set is
ready to accept future technology
enhancements with only modest
hardware or firmware additions.
The design of the firmware is also
modular to facilitate updating the
instrument.

The test set is available with one
or two built-in RF sources. The
two-source configuration supplies
capability for making measure­ments in the cellular (900 MHz)
and DCS/PCS (1800/1900 MHz)
bands, without having to start up a
new call.

Benefits of standardization

By standardizing on the HP 8960
Series 10, you will have a single
test platform that combined with
the HP E1960A test application, is
easy to program and easy to
support for all your GSM mobile­phone test needs. If you change
wireless formats or frequency
bands, you’ll have the advantage of
a familiar user interface with
common operating and testing
procedures.

5

Be confident in your

measurement results

he HP 8960 Series 10 wireless

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communications test set offers
the excellent accuracy and
reliability that you have come to
expect from Hewlett-Packard
products. These qualities are the
result of our many years of experi­ence working closely with manu­facturers to design test instruments
and systems for the stringent
requirements of the production
environment.

To ensure the maximum uptime
and reliability of the test set, all
components, circuits, and
modules undergo rigorous
physical, mechanical, and
environmental testing.

Accurate, repeatable
measurements

Measurement accuracy and
repeatability help ensure the
quality of your GSM mobile phones
during final testing. Measurement
results can also be used reliably to
predict trends and help improve
manufacturing processes.

The HP E1960A GSM mobile test
application takes advantage of the
test set’s independent hardware to
allow simultaneous measurement
of mobile phone transmitters and
receivers, and to maintain the link
for high throughput testing.

The test application provides
complete GSM functionality based
on the ETSI (European Telecom­munication Standards Institute)
Phase 2 GSM recommendations:

• Bit/frame error rate
measurements

• Mobile station power output
level control

• Traffic channels

• Broadcast channel capability

• Control channel capability

• Audio speech echo

• Measurement coordination

• Full and limited signaling call
setup modes

Call-processing functionality and
high-level tests for mobile phone
testing include the following:

Call processing functionality,
including mobile station origina­tion and release, base station
initiated call and release, channel
assignments, handovers and
reporting of transmitter and
receiver quality and levels
(SACCH information).

Transmitter measurements,
including frequency error, carrier
power, phase error, power versus
time, burst timing, and output RF
spectrum (ORFS) due to switching
and modulation.

Receiver measurements, includ­ing frame error count and ratio
(FER), and burst-by-burst BER
(fast BER).

Audio functionality, including
speech echo back to the mobile
station, encoded audio source on
downlink, TCH, decoded audio
from uplink, audio level measure­ment, and audio source.

6

Make the best use of your

test engineering resources

hether you have a large test

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engineering staff or more
limited resources, HP can help you
make the best use of their time—
and help you further reduce the
cost of test per phone.

The HP TS-5500 Functional Test
Platform, speeds the development
and implementation of a produc­tion line. This unique set of inte­grated hardware and software has
been optimized for cost-effective
testing of GSM mobile phones, and
it can be tailored easily to meet
your individual test requirements.

Significantly reduce test
development time

With a hierarchical approach to
test development, the HP TS-5500
maximizes the reuse of code in a
structured process. The platform’s
pre-defined architecture consider­ably reduces your system design
and planning times. Connection to
your phone has been simplified
with HP ExpressConnect.

Optimize hardware
and software for
faster execution

The TS-5500 platform integrates up
to four RF test sets in a single test
station, so you can test up to four
phones simultaneously. HP sup­plies the GSM software, audio
measurements, digital multimeter
measurements, and counter and
power supply routines—freeing
your software developers from the
details of I/O languages, instru­ment languages, and driver-level
nuances.

Reduce the total cost of
test equipment

With standardized cables, rack,
and mass interconnects, the
HP TS-5500 helps you further
reduce test equipment costs. The
platform’s integration and econo­mies of scale provide an alterna­tive to more expensive, “one of a
kind” systems.

Use less floor space

By testing up to four phones per
station, the HP TS-5500 saves floor
space and equipment and integra­tion costs. The PCs, VXI main­frames, racks, printers, and other
equipment commonly duplicated
in individual test stands can be
shared for even greater savings.

Lower your support and
training costs

In a global business environment,
the HP TS-5500 lets you achieve
reliable test results anywhere your
facilities are located. Because the
hardware, software, and integra­tion are standardized, HP can
support the platform worldwide,
providing you customization
services using local resources.

Preserve your investment

Today’s time-to-market pressures
may leave you with little time to
worry about whether your test
system is designed for the future.
The HP TS-5500 takes care of this
need, with built-in flexibility and
upgrade ability that reduces
startup risks and preserves your
test-system investment.

The resources of a team
of test engineers

With the HP TS-5500, you get the
benefits of a team of expert design
and test engineers. They will
optimize your system to take full
advantage of the breakthrough
speed of the HP 8960 Series 10 test
set. In addition, through flexible
support options, they can take care
of upgrading and modifying the
system hardware and software as
needed, so that you always stay on
top of technology changes and
improvements.

7

Increase the value

of your investment

Testing GSM mobile phones requires more than just the right equipment. With
Hewlett-Packard, you get a partner committed to your success. Our “whole
product” approach focuses on providing you with a total solution.

HP offers hardware, soft­ware, computers, consult­ants, training, and technical
support built upon our many
decades of experience and
leadership in communica­tions technology and testing.
Our sales, support, and ser­vice organizations are avail­able worldwide.

For the HP 8960 Series 10
test set, we provide a range
of products and services that
increase the value of your investment throughout the product life cycle:

HP Professional Consulting Services can help you choose the right product

solution—whether that solution is a standalone instrument, an integrated
HP TS-5500 test platform, or a fully custom system—to help you achieve the
fastest time-to-volume mobile phone manufacturing and the highest product
throughput.

HP Delivery Assistance Services can help you with incoming inspection,

operational verification, and quick and efficient integration of your solutions
onto your manufacturing floor.

United States:

Hewlett-Packard Company
Test and Measurement Call Center
P.O. Box 4026
Englewood, CO 80155-4026
1 800 452 4844

Canada:

Hewlett-Packard Canada Ltd.
5150 Spectrum Way
Mississauga, Ontario
L4W 5G1
[phone]

Europe:

Hewlett-Packard
European Marketing Centre
P.O. Box 999
1180 AZ Amstelveen
The Netherlands
(31 20) 547 9900

Japan:

Hewlett-Packard Japan Ltd.
Measurement Assistance Center
9-1, Takakura-Cho, Hachioji-Shi,
Tokyo 192-8510, Japan
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

HP Education Products are available for your entire staff, from new hires to

experienced employees. Classes range from RF communication basics to ap­plication and product-specific training. They can be delivered on your site or
taken at regional training locations. If our standard training curriculum does
not meet your needs, we can develop customized training to satisfy your spe­cific requirements.

If you maintain and calibrate your own instruments, HP offers repair and
calibration classes to help your staff become proficient in HP 8960 Series 10
calibration, preventive maintenance, and repair procedures.

HP 8960 Series 10
Related Literature:

U.S. Price List ................. 5968-1948EUS

Configuration Guide ........... 5968-2438E

E1960A

Technical Specifications ..... 5968-1755E

Whole Product Offering ......5968-2323E

Warranty

The HP 8960 Series 10 Wireless Communications Test Set is backed by Hewlett-Packard with a one-year
warranty and worldwide support services. With HP sales and service centers worldwide, you can be assured
of getting the global support that you need.

For more information:

Visit our web site at:

http://www.hp.com/go/tmdir

to get more information, leave us
a message, or locate the phone
number and e-mail address of the
Hewlett-Packard sales and
support office nearest you.

Latin America:

Hewlett-Packard
Latin American Region Headquarters
5200 Blue Lagoon Drive, 9th Floor
Miami, Florida 33126 U.S.A.
Tel: [phone] [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Australia/New Zealand:

Hewlett-Packard Australia Ltd.
31-41 Joseph Street
Blackburn, Victoria 3130
Australia
1 800 629 485

Asia Pacific:

Hewlett-Packard Asia Pacific Ltd.
17-21/F Shell Tower, Times Square,
1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay,
Hong Kong
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

 1998 Hewlett-Packard Co.
Data subject to change
Printed in U.S.A. 10/98
5968-1753E