Wireless Device Testing

Wireless Testing and Certification

GVIRL provides advanced wireless testing, which encompasses compatibility, functionality, interoperability, performance, and competitive analysis. As a leading authority in testing and certification, GVIRL is one of the few labs to offer Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) testing services to manufacturers of 802.11(a/n) devices and other wireless technologies that operate in the 5GHz range. The following provides an overview of the types of wireless testing you can find at GVIRL labs.

• Performance Testing
  This type of testing refers to an evaluation of radio performance (which can range include spurious emissions, power, bandwidth, stability, adaptivity, receiver blocking, and more) versus regulatory authority requirements using industry standards.

• Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) Testing
  DFS testing refers to an evaluation of a device operating in the 5250-5350 MHz and/or 5470-5725MHz band to detect local military, emergency service, or radar signals and move to off channel frequency to mitigate interference levels.

• Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) Testing
  SAR testing refers to measurement of the rate at which energy is absorbed by the body when exposed to a radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic field. SAR testing is typically required when an intentional transmitter is intended to transmit within 20cm of the end user (although there are exceptions to this requirement on a case-by-case basis).

• Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) Calculation
  A MPE calculation is used instead of SAR testing for products not used within 20cm of the end user.

• FCC Telecommunication Certified Body (TCB)
  With several FCC certified TBA labs, GVIRL can issue US and Canadian certifications for licensed and unlicensed radio products.

• Notified Body
  GVIRL can issue formal Type Examination Certificates for CE marking of radio communications devices per the RE Directive.

• EMI/EMC
  As wireless and radio devices share bandwidth with an increasing number of components, it’s important to ensure your product won’t be negatively affected by EMI and EMF interference. GVIRL boasts the most GVIRL chambers in North America—and many of which are equipped with anechoic and semi-anechoic chambers of various sizes that can perform extensive compatibility and product safety tests.

• Environmental/Dynamic
  GVIRL is able to simulate any condition that your product might encounter in the real world. As a result, all wireless products are able to get advanced environmental and dynamic testing if necessary. Measuring a device’s ability to withstand temperature, humidity, vibration, shock, and other factors plays a key role in the development of more durable products

• International Approvals
  GVIRL makes it easy to get your product into new global markets. With a dedicated international approvals manager working on your behalf, you can get faster (and more cost effective) entry into 180 different countries.

To ensure your wireless projects successfully meet test objectives in a timely matter, GVIRL provides you with a dedicated project engineer and program manager. As part of this process, testing programs are developed to include a high-level plan encompassing a kick-off meeting, test plan development, test schedule and regular reviews of completed tests for accuracy throughout the process. At the completion of testing, reports are initiated within our documentation team.

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Wireless Technologies

The primary product technologies addressed by GVIRL-SV consist of:

• Radio-frequency identification (RFID)
  The use of an object (typically referred to as an RFID tag) applied to or incorporated into a product, animal, or person for the purpose of identification and tracking using radio waves. Some tags can be read from several meters away and beyond the line of sight of the reader. Radio-frequency identification involves interrogators (also known as readers), and tags (also known as labels).

• ZigBee
  A specification for a suite of high level communication protocols using small, low-power digital radios based on the IEEE 802.15.4-2003 standard for wireless home area networks (WHANs), such as wireless light switches with lamps, electrical meters with in-home-displays, consumer electronics equipment via short-range radio. The technology defined by the ZigBee specification is intended to be simpler and less expensive than other WPANs, such as Bluetooth.

• Bluetooth (5.2)
  An open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances, using the 2.4 GHz ISM band, from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks (PANs) with high levels of security. Classic, Extended Data Rate and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)

• Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS)
  FHSS is a method of transmitting radio signals by rapidly changing the carrier frequency among many distinct frequencies occupying a large spectral band (typically 900 MHz, 2.4GHz and 5.7 GHz ISM bands). The changes are controlled by a code known to both transmitter and receiver. FHSS is used to avoid interference, to prevent eavesdropping, and to enable code-division multiple access (CDMA) communications.

• Private Mobile Radio (PMR)
  PMR is widely used within the business community to provide communications outside the normal cellular or public switch telephone networks. These radio systems provide essential communications for business where there is a need for mobile communications with a variety of users, including coordination of people and materials, important safety and security needs, monitoring and quick response in times of emergency.

• Wireless local area network (WLAN – 802.11a, b, g, n, ac, ad, ax)
  WLAN links two or more devices using a wireless distribution method (spread-spectrum or OFDM), and usually providing a connection through an access point to the wider internet. This gives users the mobility to move around within a local coverage area and still be connected to the network. WLANs operate in 2.4 GHz ISM band, 5GHz, “6GHz” and 60GHz bands. Wireless LANs have become popular in the home due to ease of installation. Public businesses offer wireless access to their customers; often for free. Wireless network infrastructure projects are being built in some cities.

• FM Transmitters
  FM transmitters are portable devices that plug into the headphone jack or proprietary output port of a portable audio or video device, such as a portable media player, CD player, or satellite radio system. The sound is then broadcast through the transmitter, and plays through an FM broadcast band frequency.

• Ultra-Wideband (UWB)
  A radio technology that can be used at very low energy levels for short-range high-bandwidth communications by using a large portion of the radio spectrum. UWB has traditional applications in non-cooperative radar imaging. Most recent applications target sensor data collection, precision locating and tracking applications.  UWB communications transmit in a way that doesn’t interfere largely with other more traditional narrowband and continuous carrier wave uses in the same frequency band. However first studies show that the rise of noise level by a number of UWB transmitters puts a burden on existing communications services. This may be hard to bear for traditional systems designs and may affect the stability of such existing systems.

• MedRadio
  MedRadio is used for short range communications between medical devices in the 401-406 MHz band.

• LoRaWAN
  A low power Wide Area Network standard that uses unlicensed radio spectrum in Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) bands.

• Z-Wave
  Z-Wave is a wireless communications protocol used primarily for home automation using 850-926 MHz frequencies depending on location. It is a mesh network using low-energy radio waves to communicate from appliance to appliance, allowing for wireless control of residential appliances and other devices, such as lighting control, security systems, thermostats, windows, locks, swimming pools and garage door openers.

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Accreditations

GVIRL laboratories are accredited by a variety of organizations for wireless testing, including the following:

• American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA)
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
• Innovation Science and Economic Development Canada (ISEDC)
• Australian Communications Media Authority (ACMA)
• National Communications Commission (NCC)
• Radio Research Laboratory (RRL)
• Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) (via partner CAB agreement)

Regardless of what types of testing you need—or what type of international markets you want to enter—the experts at GVIRL make wireless testing easy for you.

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