Feature: Test and measurement
Over 20 billion wireless Internet- capable devices are in use worldwide, and growing – all subject to the EMC standards specified for their product group
standards apply to medical devices, consumer goods, military equipment, automotive, aerospace and defence, and other industries. Te CE mark in Europe indicates that a product complies with relevant standards. A corresponding FCC label is optional in the US, but every product must be accompanied by a supplier’s declaration of conformity (SDoC). In Europe, products with integrated radio components
Ensuring interference- free coexistence in the IoT era
By Mahmud Naseef, Solution Manager for Wireless Coexistence Testing, and Christian Reimer, Regional Manager Testing Inspection Certification, Rohde & Schwarz
electromagnetic interference. International electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) standards
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make it possible to comply with these requirements. Te test specifications for any particular product depend on its product group, frequency of operation and industry. Different test
28 May 2021
www.electronicsworld.co.uk
s the number of radio products continues to grow, their interference-free coexistence is becoming a problem. Connected products must not emit electromagnetic interference into their surroundings and should operate smoothly when subjected to external
must also comply with the Radio Equipment Directive (RED), which expands the EMC rules to cover transmitting and receiving equipment. It is specifically intended to prevent radio communications products from interfering with each other and to enable coexistence. Incorporation of the RED regulations into specific test rules
is the responsibility of standardisation bodies such as ETSI, which integrates these requirements into harmonised standards, valid among the EU member states and EFTA countries.
A question of coexistence EMC tests have been around for decades, based on gradually- evolving standards and norms. The measurement parameters use basic electrical quantities such as, say, for interference, field strength, current and voltage, the signal forms for which quantities are not important. Susceptibility measurements can therefore be performed using very simple signal forms such as CW, AM and pulse. However, the product landscape has changed dramatically
over the years, with a growing number of products having wireless modules. Over 20 billion wireless Internet-capable devices are in use worldwide, and growing – all subject to the EMC standards specified for their product group. Conventional EMC measures and tests are not enough to ensure interference- free operation in harsh electromagnetic environments. The additional coexistence tests initiated by RED and similar regulations have increasingly grown in importance. These tests require proof of compatibility of a radio product with other wireless services in that application. This can be a significant specification with a large impact on test design. Formal compliance with a standard may not be enough if
the standard fails to consider the specific product’s operating conditions. Manufacturers must work with authorities to avoid
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