6.7 Transmitter intermodulation

36.1413GPPBase Station (BS) conformance testingEvolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA)Release 17TS

Tools: ARFCN - Frequency Conversion for 5G NR/LTE/UMTS/GSM

6.7.1 Definition and applicability

The transmitter intermodulation requirement is a measure of the capability of the transmitter to inhibit the generation of signals in its non-linear elements caused by presence of the wanted signal and an interfering signal reaching the transmitter via the antenna. The requirement applies during the transmitter ON period and the transmitter transient period.

For BS capable of multi-band operation where multiple bands are mapped on separate antenna connectors, the single-band requirements apply regardless of the interfering signals position relative to the Inter RF Bandwidth gap.

The transmit intermodulation level is the power of the intermodulation products when an E-UTRA signal of channel bandwidth 5 MHz as an interfering signal is injected into an antenna connector at a power level of 30 dB lower than that of the rated total output power in the operating band.

The wanted signal is E-UTRA single carrier or multi-carrier, or multiple contiguously aggregated carriers, for both contiguous and non-contiguous spectrum operation.

The interfering signal centre frequency offset shall be as in Table 6.7.1-1.

Table 6.7.1-1: Interfering signal centre frequency offset

Parameter

Value

Interfering signal centre frequency offset from the lower/upper edge of the wanted signal or edge of sub-block inside a sub-block gap

± 2.5 MHz

± 7.5 MHz

± 12.5 MHz

NOTE 1: Interfering signal positions that are partially or completely outside of the downlink operating band of the base station are excluded from the requirement, unless the interfering signal positions fall within the frequency range of adjacent downlink operating bands in the same geographical area.

NOTE 2: In certain regions, NOTE 1 is not applied in Band 1, 3, 8, 9, 11, 18, 19, 21, 28, 32 operating within 1475.9-1495.9MHz, 34, 74.

The wanted signal channel bandwidth BW_Channel shall be the maximum channel bandwidth supported by the base station.

The requirements shall apply whatever the type of transmitter considered (single carrier, multi-carrier and/or CA) and for all transmission modes foreseen by the manufacturer’s specification.

In case that none of the interfering signal positions according to the conditions of Table 6.7.1-1 is applicable, a wanted signal channel bandwidth BW_Channel less than the maximum channel bandwidth supported by the base station shall be selected so that at least one applicable interfering signal position according to Table 6.7.1-1 is obtained.

6.7.2 Minimum Requirement

The minimum requirement is in TS 36.104 [2] subclause 6.7.1.

6.7.2A Additional requirement for Band 41

The additional requirement for Band 41 in certain regions is in TS 36.104 [2] subclause 6.7.2.

6.7.3 Test purpose

The test purpose is to verify the ability of the BS transmitter to restrict the generation of intermodulation products in its non-linear elements caused by presence of the wanted signal and an interfering signal reaching the transmitter via the antenna to below specified levels.

6.7.4 Method of test

6.7.4.1 Initial conditions

Test environment: normal; see Annex D.2.

RF channels to be tested for single carrier: B, M and T; see subclause 4.7.

Base Station RF Bandwidth positions to be tested for multi-carrier and/or CA: B_RFBW, M_RFBW and T_RFBW; see subclause 4.7.1.

Connect the signal analyzer to the base station antenna connector as shown in Annex I.1.2.

6.7.4.2 Procedures

1) For a n E-UTRABS declared to be capable of single carrier operation only, generate the wanted signal according to E-TM1.1 at manufacturer’s declared rated output power.

For a n E-UTRABS declared to be capable of multi-carrier and/or CA operation, set the base station to transmit according to E-TM1.1 on all carriers configured using the applicable test configuration and corresponding power setting specified in clause 4.10 and 4.11.

For an E-UTRA BS declared to be capable of NB-IoT in-band operation, start transmission according to E-TM1.1 with the NB-IoT PRB constructed according to N-TM at manufacturer’s declared rated output power using the applicable test configuration and corresponding power setting specified in clause 4.10 and 4.11.

For an E-UTRA BS declared to be capable of NB-IoT guard-band operation, start transmission according to E-TM1.1 with the NB-IoT PRB constructed according to N-TM at manufacturer’s declared rated output power using the applicable test configuration and corresponding power setting specified in clause 4.10 and 4.11.

For a NB-IoT BS declared to be capable of single carrier operation, start transmission according to N-TM at manufacturer’s declared rated output power.

For a NB-IoT BS declared to be capable of multi-carrier operation, set the base station to transmit according to N-TM on all carriers configured using in the applicable test configuration and corresponding power setting specified in clause 4.10 and 4.11.

For an E-UTRA and NB-IoT standalone BS declared to be capable of multi-carrier operation, start transmission according to E-TM1.1 on all E-UTRA carriers and N-TM on all NB-IoT carriers configured using in the applicable test configuration and corresponding power setting specified in clause 4.10 and 4.11.

2) Generate the interfering signal according to E-TM1.1, with 5 MHz channel bandwidth and a centre frequency offset according to the conditions of Table 6.7.1-1 but exclude interfering frequencies that are outside of the allocated downlink operating band or interfering frequencies that are not completely within the sub-block gap or within the Inter RF Bandwidth gap.

3) Adjust ATT1 so that level of the E-UTRA interfering signal is as defined in subclause 6.7.5.

4) Perform the Out-of-band emission tests as specified in subclauses 6.6.2 and 6.6.3, for all third and fifth order intermodulation products which appear in the frequency ranges defined in subclauses 6.6.2 and 6.6.3. The width of the intermodulation products shall be taken into account.

5) Perform the Transmitter spurious emissions test as specified in subclause 6.6.4, for all third and fifth order intermodulation products which appear in the frequency ranges defined in subclause 6.6.4. The width of the intermodulation products shall be taken into account.

6) Verify that the emission level does not exceed the required level with the exception of interfering signal frequencies.

7) Repeat the test for the remaining interfering signal centre frequency offsets according to the conditions of Table 6.7.1-1.

In addition, for a multi-band capable BS, the following step shall apply:

8) For multi-band capable BS and single band tests, repeat the steps above per involved band where single band test configurations and test models shall apply with no carrier activated in the other band. For multi-band capable BS with separate antenna connector, the antenna connector not being under test shall be terminated.

NOTE: The third order intermodulation products are centred at 2F1±F2 and 2F2±F1. The fifth order intermodulation products are centred at 3F1±2F2, 3F2±2F1, 4F1±F2, and 4F2±F1 where F1 represents the wanted signal centre frequency or centre frequency of each sub-block and F2 represents the interfering signal centre frequency.
The width of intermodulation products are:

– (n*BW_F1+ m*5MHz) for the nF1±mF2 products

– (n*5MHz + m*BW_F1) for the nF2±mF1 products

where BW_F1represents the wanted signal RF bandwidth, or channel bandwidth in case of single carrier, or sub-block bandwidth.

6.7.5 Test Requirements

In the frequency range relevant for this test, the transmit intermodulation level shall not exceed the out-of-band emission requirements of subclauses 6.6.2 and 6.6.3 and transmitter spurious emissions requirements of subclause 6.6.4 in the presence of a E-UTRA interfering signal with a power level 30 dB below the rated total output power in the operating band.

The requirement is applicable outside the Base Station RF Bandwidth or Maximum Radio Bandwidth. The interfering signal offset is defined relative to the Base Station RF Bandwidth edges or Maximum Radio Bandwidth edges.

For a BS operating in non-contiguous spectrum, the requirement is also applicable inside a sub-block gap for interfering signal offsets where the interfering signal falls completely within the sub-block gap. The interfering signal offset is defined relative to the sub-block edges.

For a BS capable of multi-band operation, the requirement applies relative to the Base Station RF Bandwidth edge of each supported operating band. In case the Inter RF Bandwidth gap is less than 15 MHz, the requirement in the gap applies only for interfering signal offsets where the interfering signal falls completely within the Inter RF Bandwidth gap.

The measurements for out-of-band emissions and spurious emission requirements due to intermodulation can be limited to the frequency ranges of all third and fifth order intermodulation products, considering the width of these products and excluding the bandwidths of the wanted and interfering signals.

NOTE: If the above Test Requirement differs from the Minimum Requirement then the Test Tolerance applied for this test is non-zero. The Test Tolerance for this test is defined in Annex G. The explanation of how the Minimum Requirement has been relaxed by the Test Tolerance is given in Annex G.

6.7.6 Additional test requirements for Band 41

In the frequency range relevant for this test, the transmitter intermodulation level shall not exceed the maximum levels according to Table 6.6.2-2 with a square filter in the first adjacent channel, and Table 6.6.4.5.4-6 in the presence of a wanted signal and an interfering signal according to Table 6.7.2‑1 in TS 36.104 [2] for a BS operating in Band 41. The measurement may be limited to frequencies on which third and fifth order intermodulation products appear, considering the width of these products and excluding the bandwidths of the wanted and interfering signals.