Summary of Data Channel Operations in the Test Set

Last updated: May 24, 2006

This section is only applicable to the lab application.

The data channel function allows you to use the test set as an IP router, exchanging packet data between a 1XEV-DO wireless device and a packet switched network (such as an IP network) via a packet data connection. It is useful when the performance of data applications such as music download, interactive and multimedia applications needs to be tested in a controlled environment. There are several applications of the Data Channel (see Data Channel Applications ).

The Session Application Type must be set to the Default Packet Application before an AT will initiate a packet data connection with the test set.

When operating in the Default Packet Application,

• the test set supports packet data connections using Simple IP protocol via its internal PDSN simulation (see How Does Test Set Support Simple IP Packet Data Connection? ). This allows you to test the Simple IP based data applications running on a 1xEV-DO wireless device. See Packet Data Service Example Procedure (via Simple IP) .

• the test set supports packet data connections using either Simple IP or Mobile IP by working with an external Mobile IP Simulator (MOB-IP-SIM) provided by the Software Concepts, Inc. (see How Does Test Set Support Mobile IP Packet Data Connection? ). This allows you to test the Mobile IP based data applications running on a 1xEV-DO wireless device. See Packet Data Service Example Procedure (via Mobile IP) .

• the test set provides several tools such as Data Counters , Data Throughput Monitor and Wireless Protocol Advisor (WPA) software (see Protocol Logging ) to monitor and evaluate the performance of your wireless device on data transfer.

• you should always set the AT Directed Packets to 100% for maximum throughout. The test set transmits the forward traffic data at a rate requested by the AT via the DRC channel with a DRC length of 8 slots. The test set determines the reverse traffic data rate from the Reverse Rate Indicator (RRI) channel that is used by the AT to indicate the data rate at which the reverse traffic channel is transmitted. The settings of Limited TAP , FTAP Rate and RTAP Rate that are used in a TAP (test application protocols) connection have no effect on the data transfer rate while in a DPA (default packet application) connection

  To evaluate the effects of the RF degradation on the data rate, you can change the Cell power or add an AWGN (Additive White Gaussian Noise) noise source (see Cell Power, AWGN (Additive White Gaussian Noise) Power and Total RF Power ) during data transfer. The Traffic Channel Packet Information screen will provide you with the information on how much packets are transferred at what data rate on the forward and reverse traffic channels. Also, you can use Data Throughput Monitor to analyze data transfer rates under various RF conditions.

• the test set supports consolidated packets transmission. That is, the connection layer can consolidate as many as four session layer packets as opposed to the one used in Forced Single Encapsulation (see Forced Single Encapsulation . This efficiently increases the throughout.
• the test set provides a Ping tool to help check system interconnects.