3.5 GHz ESC Sensor Test Apparatus Using Field-Measured Waveforms

Abstract

This paper presents a framework and apparatus for laboratory testing of environmental sensing capability (ESC) sensors for the 3.5 GHz band. These sensors are designed to detect federal incumbent signals in the band so that the federal incumbent can be dynamically protected from harmful interference. The proposed testing framework is unique in that it utilizes waveforms measured in the field to reproduce in a controlled laboratory environment what the sensor would experience in the field, and with repeatability unattainable in live field testing. Test signals comprise the incumbent signal to be detected, co-channel commercial signals, and the out-of-band emissions of adjacent-band incumbents, including channel propagation effects that can affect sensor performance. We describe the implementation of this framework in software-controlled instrumentation for automated testing of large numbers of test waveforms capable of producing statistically significant performance metrics such as rates of detection and false alarm in a time efficient manner.