Spirent Vertex Datasheet

 DATASHEET

Spirent Vertex®
Channel Emulator

The Vertex® channel emulator is an advanced platform that replicates
the comprehensive noise and spatial conditions of even the most complex
wireless channels. Its cutting edge capabilities enable users to emulate
a real-world RF environment in the lab, making it possible to isolate and
identify performance issues early in the development cycle.

Vertex is backed by a long history of channel emulation leadership and
industry-recognized expertise. Incorporating a modular RF front end with
a powerful signal processing core, the Vertex channel emulator achieves
an unprecedented level of scalability and flexibility, enabling it to eciently
address a broad range of applications from low channel density like SISO or
2x2 MIMO to high channel density required for 5G scenarios, such as MIMO
beamforming, MIMO OTA, carrier aggregation, and massive MIMO.

Easy to set up and operate, Vertex includes Spirent’s industry-recognized
user-friendly graphical user interface that allows measurements to be set up
and performed quickly and accurately.

The world’s most scalable
channel emulation platform,
Spirent’s Vertex channel
emulator is an advanced test
and measurement system that
accurately simulates the complex
eects of signal fading on
wireless transmissions.

The system enables the test and
evaluation of a broad range of
applications with a variety of
channel densities, from basic
applications like 2-channel SISO
to complex, high channel density
applications like MIMO OTA,
MIMO beamforming and carrier
aggregation needed for 5G test
scenarios.

The Vertex platform combines
modularity, scalability and
ease-of-use into a powerful
test and measurement solution
that addresses the needs of
a constantly evolving wireless
market.

Applications

• Scalable from basic SISO to high
channel density applications

– MIMO beamforming
– MI MO OTA
– Carrier aggregation
– Massive MIMO

• Device conformance and
performance verification

• Virtual drive testing

• Mesh networks

• Satellite and
aeronautical
applications

DATASHEET

Features & Benefits

Scalability

The Vertex Channel Emulator is scalable to a broad range of applications. The hardware is capable of supporting
as few as two bidirectional RF channels for basic RF testing, and up to as many as 32 unidirectional RF channels to
support high channel density such as MIMO OTA, all in one single, small form instrument.

SISO Testing Carrier Aggregation MIMO OTA Anechoic Chamber Antenna Array System

Network
emulator

Low Channel Density

Modularity

Separate RF modules are optimized for unidirectional or
bi-directional applications and support a variety of dierent
frequency bands. This allows the Vertex Channel Emulator to
be configured for specific test needs using minimal hardware.
Field-replaceable RF and DSP modules facilitate upgrades
and enhance serviceability.

High Channel Density in a Compact Space

The Vertex Channel Emulator system supports up to 36 RF
ports and 256 digital links in one 6U rack height. It enables
more ecient use of hardware for tests that require higher RF
channel counts.

Comprehensive Channel Modeling Support

The built-in Vertex propagation library oers a vast selection
of standard channel models, while making it easy to edit and
save changes to both the standard as well as user-defined
models. Classical and 2D/3D geometrical channel models are
supported and the independent channel modeling feature
allows one Vertex to support up to 16 nodes for mesh network
applications.

Ease of Use

Complicated test setups are made simpler with an easy­to-use Graphical User Interface (GUI). Intuitively-designed
libraries of connection setups make it easy to navigate through
complicated configurations by presenting information in a
clear way. For debugging purposes, important Information is
displayed in real time, including power level tracking of each
RF port.

High Channel Density

Remote Programming Interface (RPI)

Remote programming is supported through TCP/IP with both
telnet or SSH protocol. The RPI commands provide seamless
backward compatibly to the Spirent VR5 HD channel emulator.

Live Streaming Dynamic Environment Emulation

(LSDEE)

Live Streaming Dynamic Environment Emulation is an
advanced feature addition to the Vertex Channel Emulator
RPI. It provides a very high-speed control mechanism for an
extensive set of emulation parameters.

Unlike traditional DEE, which allows a user to create
predefined scenarios for modifying channel parameters
during a test run, there is no requirement to predefine or
pre-compile channel emulation states or inter-state durations.
LSDEE reduces processing time and monitors device behavior
to make real-time scenario adjustments. This is extremely
beneficial for high-speed scenarios where manual intervention
can interfere with time-sensitive environmental changes. The
same set of emulation parameters can be supported as with
traditional DEE.

Spirent Vertex® Channel Emulator

2

DATASHEET

Key Test Applications

MIMO OTA

MIMO OTA applications require high channel density, based on
the number of probes used in the test setup. The Vertex channel
emulator can be used in both anechoic and reverberation
chamber test setups and can switch between chamber types in
minimal time. For anechoic chambers, Vertex supports up to 32 RF
probes and two carriers with 16 dual polarized probes or 8 dual
polarized probes on one instrument. For reverberation chambers,
up to four carriers can be aggregated on one instrument.

Handover in

poor conditions

Ec/10 (dB)

Poor signal

Handover in

good conditions

Time (s)

Virtual Drive Testing

Supporting up to sixteen SISO cells or eight 2x2 MIMO cells
on one instrument, Vertex accurately reproduces real network
propogation conditions in the lab.

The ability to emulate a high number of cells, combined with
Spirent’s Live2Lab® Virtual Drive Test-Conversion Tool (Live2Lab
VDT-CT) software, makes the laborious process of drive testing
easy and repeatable. Live2Lab VDT-CT can convert a large
variety of log file types (QXDM, JDSU, Accuver, Transcom, Anite
Nemo, etc.) into reproducible drive route simulations in a lab
environment. Additionally, Vertex allows easy debugging of power
level issues by allowing users to dynamically monitor the power
level on each port.

AAS, Massive MIMO and MIMO Beamforming

Up to 8 Vertex instruments can be integrated into one system with
the Vertex Baseband Synchronizer (VBS). With the VBS, the Vertex
units in a system can work standalone or all together as a complete
solution for massive MIMO applications with real-time or IQ
playback fading.

Carrier Aggregation

Supporting up to four 2x2 bi-directional carriers on one instrument,
Vertex can be used for carrier aggregation scenarios. Each radio
link can be independently modelled, simulating channel conditions
to represent multiple carriers on the same eNodeB or from
dierent eNodeB’s. The same setup can also be used for simulating
channel conditions that trigger handovers and on Coordinated
Multipoint (CoMP) applications as well.

Vertex Channel Emulator

Antenna array system

Channel emulation for
beamforming through

antenna array system

MIMO beamforming

emulated with impairments

Mesh Networks

Mesh network applications require each node to independently
communicate with each other. From a channel emulation
perspective, this implies that each radio link needs to be emulated
with a dierent fading profile simultaneously, placing heavy
demand on the number of RF antenna ports required in addition
to the processor load. Vertex supports up to 16x16 independent
channel models on a single instrument, providing the capability to
test up to a sixteen node mesh network.

Spirent Vertex® Channel Emulator

3

DATASHEET

Graphical User Interface

For users familiar with Spirent’s VR5 HD Channel Emulator, the Vertex Channel Emulator
presents a seamless transition, as it has been developed with the same GUI features. The Vertex
GUI is very easy to use and presents clear and concise information even for the first-time user.
The GUI can be accessed using a cable hooked up to the Vertex display port or through the
controller laptop. Connection setup and RF parameters for channel modeling can be easily
configured to run in real-time mode. A comprehensive set of ready-to-run standard models is
provided, making it easy to select and play. Setup of most test cases is a matter of using a few
mouse clicks and drop down menus.

The GUI provides an easy-to-read display for high channel density features that can be
complicated to set up. For example, the connection setup for an 8x8 MIMO application, or
64 radio links, can be easily viewed using the pre-loaded option from the Connection Setup
library.

Configuring the MIMO correlation matrix is easy and convenient to do on the Vertex GUI.
Complicated matrices such as a 2x8 configurations can be created using spreadsheet-type
entries, rather than spending the time writing elaborate test scripts for creating the correlation
matrices.

The Vertex GUI displays real-time information regarding channel power with respect to fading.
This instantaneous display enables quick detection of deviations from expected behavior and
the ability to eciently debug problems.

The cable connection diagram built-in to the Vertex GUI presents the actual cabling
connections that need to be made. This feature makes it easy to cable complicated connection
setups and minimizes cabling error. The image shown is the cabling setup for an 8x8
unidirectional configuration.

Additionally, the built-in temporal player feature facilitates real-time tracking of power levels
at each port. This is especially useful for handover scenarios, which are based on power levels
between the serving cells.

Spirent Vertex® Channel Emulator

4

DATASHEET

Technical Specifications

RF configuration • With bidirectional module: from SISO up to 8x8 MIMO with bidirectional fading

• With unidirectional module: up to 2x32 and dual 2x16

• Multiple instruments: Two instruments can be fully integrated into a system; additional instruments
can be synchronized for more complex connection setups.

RF inputs Up to 18

RF outputs Up to 32

Digital channels Up to 256 (40MHz or 100MHz bandwidth); up to 64 (200MHz bandwidth)

with a single Vertex instrument

Bandwidth 40MHz, 100MHz, 200MHz, 400MHz, 600MHz

Frequency range 30MHz to 5925MHz

RF input Input level range: -50 to +15dBm

Level resolution: 0.1dB
Damage level: +33dBm (Peak)

RF output level Min/max range: -110 to -10dBm (RMS)

Resolution: 0.1dB

Input and output power
meters

Modes:

• Continuous

• RF burst-triggering for gated input signals

Residual EVM -40dB typical

Residual noise Better than -165dBm/Hz at a set output level of -45dBm

RF port VSWR 1.5:1

Independent paths Up to 24 paths per digital channel

Delay 0 to 1s at bandwiths >=100MHz; 0 to 2s at bandwiths =40MHz; 0.1ns resolution

Relative path loss 0 to 40dB

Dynamic channel
parameters

• Sliding delay (moving propagation)

• Birth-death delay

• 3GPP High-Speed Train (HST) profiles log normal (shadow fading)

Spirent Vertex® Channel Emulator

5

SPIRENT VERTEX® CHANNEL EMULATOR

Technical Specifications (cont’d)

Dynamic Environment
Emulation (DEE) and Live
Streaming DEE (LSDEE)

Controllable parameters:
State duration, channel output level, AWGN on/o, C/N, path on/o, relative power and delay,
LOS AoA, K factor, frequency shift, Doppler velocity, MIMO branch phase, power imbalance, and
correlation, link phase and loss, bulk delay, path phase, geometrical characters
Channel model update rate: 100 times per second
Start method: Triggered, free play
Play method: Run for N loops, wrap around

Standards-based models LTE, Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g, 802.11n, 802.11 ac, 802.11 ax), IMT-A, WiMAX, UMTS, CDMA2000®, HSPA,

GSM, SCM/SCME (ITU-R M.2135), WINNER, Butler, 5G TDL and CDL, D2D

Custom models Easy-to-use interface allows the user to create custom channel models or edit any of the standard

channel models in the library

Fading mode Classical, GCM, 3D GCM, MIMO OTA

Real-time fading Types: Rayleigh, Rician, pure Doppler, frequency shift, phase shift

Fading Doppler: Up to 12kHz
Doppler frequency shift: -2MHz to 2MHz
Repetition interval: >7 days
Relative phase: 0-360°, 0.1° resolution
Rician K factor: -30 to +30dB
Level crossing rate (LCR) accuracy: < ±2.5% deviation from theoretical LCR curve of the simulated
vehicle velocity
Fading power spectrum: classical 6dB, flat, classical 3dB, rounded, rounded 12dB, bell
Correlation: programmable complex correlation between paths

IQ-playback fading Supports IQ playback fading

AWGN C/N Ratio: -40 to +40dB

Accuracy: ±0.1dB
Bandwidth: up to 400MHz
Settable modes: C/N, Eb/No, N

Control interface PC-based graphical user interface

Remote programming through ethernet

10MHz internal reference
accuracy

1ppm

About Spirent Communications

Spirent Communications (LSE: SPT) is a global leader with deep expertise and decades of experience in testing, assurance, analytics
and security, serving developers, service providers, and enterprise networks. We help bring clarity to increasingly complex technological and
business challenges. Spirent’s customers have made a promise to their customers to deliver superior performance. Spirent assures that those
promises are fulfilled. For more information visit: www.spirent.com

Americas 1-800-SPIRENT

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© 2020 Spirent Communications, Inc. All of the company names and/or brand names and/or product names and/or logos referred to in this document,
in particular the name “Spirent” and its logo device, are either registered trademarks or trademarks pending registration in accordance with relevant
national laws. All rights reserved. Specifications subject to change without notice. Rev L | 11/20 | www.spirent.com

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