Tech Modules

Microwave Module (TECH Module)

Point-to-MultiPoint (TECH Module)

Coverage BWA (TECH Module)

Overview

Coverage BWA (Broadband Wireless Access) is the TECH module in the WinRPT suite allowing to simulate radio covers for radio access systems on the territory in any scenario (urban, rural or mixed). Such radio access systems can be based on technologies ranging from the most recent ones such as LTE, WiFi, Hiperlan,WiMAX, to the most consolidated ones such as LDMS and WLL operating at frequencies between 26GHz and 28 GHz. Moreover, Coverage BWA allows to manage PMR (Private Mobile Radio), Tetra, DMR, DMR synchronous, digital trunking and conventional technologies.

Coverage BWA helps the designer to calculate the best and second servers, carrier-to-interference ratio (C/I), fading margin, received power and any uplink and downlink interference, outage and location probability.

Coverage BWA can be used by the designer to simulate any technology using the standard form tools of this module, allowing to characterize both the transmitter stations and the terminal stations (CPE) and choosing the most appropriate propagation model. For a more careful planning which corresponds to the chosen technology, the use of specific DLLs containing a detailed description of the selected technological profile can be integrated. Some of the available DLLs are: IEEE 802.16e (WiMAX), 3GPP LTE Rev.9 (Lte), WiFi, Hiperlan, Tetra/Teds, 169 MHz, OFDM (PHY layer).

Coverage BWA allows the designer to operate in two different modes:

• Integrated analysis: a simulator processes all the selected transmitters, generating and storing a single coverage that integrates the contributions of all of them;
• Array analysis; a simulator processes and stores the coverage of each transmitter; such coverages can be combined among them only at a later time. This allows maximum flexibility in analyzing and optimizing the access network.

In addition to the basic reporting, through the additional ARM (Advanced Report Maker) module, users can generate highly advanced output such as the "matrix of values" reporting in alphanumeric format every single value associated with a graphical representation of the coverage. Among the reports there is also a calculation of the area and population covered by the signal.

Coverage BWA takes full advantage of the potentials offered by the WinRPT Suite: from the use of territorial data, even high resolution territorial data for urban environments, to the access to multi-user centralized data, as well as to the management of user profiles and generation of advanced reports.

Key Features

• Use of DLLs to characterize technology profiles;
• LOS/NLOS/nLOS analysis;
• Use of high-resolution urban scenarios, including height of buildings;
• Use of variable resolution rural scenarios, including classification of land use (clutter);
• Calculation of the percentage of covered territory and population, including details and aggregation according to the different administrative levels under exam;
• CPE radio-electric characterization;
• Wide range of propagation models (free-space, single knife-edge, ITU-R P.1546-3, ITU-R P.526, ITU-R P.1812, Walfish-Ikegami, Cost 231, SUI, Okumura-Hata, ECC 33) and management of DLLs (dynamic link libraries);
• Export to Google Maps;
• Detailed reports in Word and Excel formats.

Main Functionalities

Geodata Solutions

• Digital Elevation Model (DEM): high resolution data for urban area, medium/low resolution for rural area;
• 3D Building Height Data (DHM): layer defining the built-up structures (buildings, houses) with height values above the ground or sea level;
• Land use clutter: layer consisting in several classes (vegetation, building ranges, field, water, ...) which characterize natural and cultural object types;
• Population density;
• Raster data: topographic map, orthoimage with several scale and resolution;
• Linear data: a vector database of the transport services, water features, ...

Design features

• Characterizing a transmitter means defining: radio network, location, technology, sectorial antennas 8 diagrams), equipments with adaptive modulations, feeder, splitter, bands and channels, propagation model for each MS;
• Radio electrical characterization of CPEs;
• CPEs positioning: on the ground, at a chosen height on ground and at a chosen height on roofs;
• Characterization of each class of land use clutter with suitable parameters: crossing attenuation, indoor/outdoor standard deviation, location probability

Technology profile

• IEEE 802.16e, 3GPP LTE Rev.9, ...;
• OFDM (PHY layer): channel, cyclic prefix rate, UL/DL ratio, DL and UL permutation, TDD, FDD;
• Radio Base Station (eNodeB): transmission power, additional losses, code gain, noise figure, implementation losses, antenna gain (TX and RX), number of antennas (TX and RX);
• Mobile RX receiver (UE): transmission power, head-body loss, noise figure, implementation losses, antenna gain (TX and RX), number of antennas (TX and RX);
• Modulations: coding rate, sensitivity;
• Theorical throughput calculation;

Coverage analyses

• Percentage of visibility between MSs and CPEs;
• Best-Server just fixing a single modulation or taking into account adaptive modulations (with ability to consider long-term fading);
• Uplink, downlink and combination of them for coverage analysis (received power and modes map);
• Second Server, Interference, Long-term fading and unavailability;
• Location Probability evaluation;
• Coverage map file associated to each transmitter;

Optimization

• Concept of Array: single coverage map can be saved for each Sector and combined together with other coverage map for a comprehensive view;
• Different levels of accuracy for outdoor analyses;
• Free choice of propagation models for useful signals and interfrence ones;
• Elaboration of coverage map resulting from previous analyses to help user during optimization phase (comparison and logical operations among internal/external maps: received power, interference values, ...);

Report

• Evaluation Matrix: for each couple of coordinates (long-lat) gives the value of result;
• Fix Points: for each point of a saved list, gives the value of result;
• Burst Profile: inside a circle editable by user, this report gives information about total and covered population, total and covered area, band occupation;
• Shapefile: for a given shapefile, it gives the percentage of covered and served population inside it;
• Export in Google Earth.

Benefits

• Time saving when recalculating complex coverages thanks to the separate store of each TX coverage as well as to the array mode;
• Flexible use thanks to the characterization of technology profiles through external DLLs;
• Careful planning in urban environments;
• Integrable to other modules of the WinRPT Suite (only one vision of transport and backhauling networks);
• Supporting a distributed design environment with Local Data Servers, too;
• High safety system (access control, activities log);
• Operation in standalone mode; 1-level client-server; 2-level client-server;
• Possible connection to several Radio Data Bases;
• Generation of advanced reports thanks to the additional ARM module;
• Distribution of results on the Internet / Intranet (through the WebRPT application).

Broadcasting (TECH Module)

Overview

Broadcasting is a TECH module in the WinRPT, dedicated to design Radio/TV broadcasting systems. Starting from the creation of an antenna system and its technological characterization, Broadcasting allows the analysis of coverage and interference of individual systems and complex networks, analog and digital MFN and SFN networks.

Broadcasting enables the creation of a complete antenna system directly from its graphical representation thanks to the new Editor 3D. Alternatively, Broadcasting offers all those tools which are suitable to import antenna systems stored in the most commonly used formats, very rapidly. The tool is designed so that any operator can easily interface with government agencies: in effect, an antenna system can be imported and exported in the following formats: TA0, TA1, TVA, TVD, TD0, TD1,TD2, TD3. Similarly, thanks to a number of tools provided by the tool, it is possible to analyze the environmental impact of an electric field generated by a Radio/TV transmitter, checking their compliance with applicable laws and sending the resulting documentation directly to the ARPAs (Agenzie Regionali per la Protezione Ambientale - Regional Agencies for Environmental Protection).

There are many technologies currently managed in the tool including: DVB-T, DVB-H, DVB-T2, DVB-T2 Lite, ISDB-T, ISDB-Tb, Onda Media, DRM, DAB, DAB+, PAL, SECAM, NTSC, Radio FM.

Broadcasting has been developed to perform an effective analysis of both simple scenarios and complex ones, with a high number of transmitters. Basic territorial data are provided together with the tool, however Sedicom can provide data of a different kind in order to to allow to simulate the network behavior in various scenarios (using higher resolutions, land use clutters, population clutters, raster cartography, orthophotos).

Broadcasting can be acquired in different configurations according to the user's specific needs:

Different calculation methods allow to simulate the coverage in a specific area or in a customized list of points (or an automatically generated grid of points).

A dedicated interface allows to analyze "PDVs" in accordance with a coordination procedure on domestic and foreign checkpoints reflecting the technical constraints used to create the AGCOM Digital Plan.

When the processing has been completed, an output file is generated; for every line it features the same information of the original PDV, adding two fields to it: total value of interfering CEM and outcome of the comparison with the threshold.

Broadcasting allows to optimize an SFN network, both in terms of coverage and interference, thanks to the precise analysis of contributions relevant to signals received from different transmitters of the SFN network.

Designers are led along the main steps that allow to synchronize the network excellently, as well as to optimize the delay times, so they can minimize the interference or "move" it towards less critical areas. There is also an automatic calculation option which calculates the most convenient delay times assigning them to the different transmitters, allowing to maximize the covered population; moreover, it is aimed at reducing auto-interference.

Adding the population clutter, users can generate very detailed reports to know the percentage of population served by the transmitters involved in the simulation.

Coverage/interference studies and analyses are performed according to the ITU/ETSI Regulations.

Coverage/interference maps can be exported on Google Earth in .kml format.

Through the external WebRPT application, it is also possible to: (i) access the Broadcasting's radio database in query mode, (ii) check the active plants on the map in planning mode, (iii) verify the network status, (iv) query individual antenna systems and display relevant details.

Integrating the additional Measurements module, users can import campaigns of measurements performed using the most common tools, cataloging and sorting the measured points according to date, channel, geographic filter, etc.

Key Features

• Analog/digital technologies that are managed: DVB-T, DVB-H, DVB-T2, DVB-T2 Lite, ISDB-T, ISDB-Tb, Medium Wave, DRM, DAB, DAB+, PAL, SECAM, NTSC, Radio FM.
• Propagation models used for coverage/interference analyses: ITU-R P.1812, ITU-R P.1546-5, ITU-R P.526, Deygout, Okumura-Hata, Cost-231, Longley Rice, ...
• Ability to choose the best software configuration, according to the user's needs (Basic, Professional, Premium, Radio).
• Management and creation of advanced antenna systems using Editor 3D.
• Full compatibility with AGCOM and ITU formats: TA0, TA1, TD1, TD2, TD3, TVA, TVD.
• Coverage and interference calculation (auto-interference and interferences external to the SFN network), considering the ITU-R BT-419 discrimination of antennas.
• Possibility to choose the type of service: fixed, indoor/outdoor portable, indoor/outdoor mobile, and relevant parameters.
• Covered/served population analysis for MFN and SFN networks, with the ability to take into account the results of interference.
• Optimization of the delay times of an SFN network (automatic and manual modes).

Main Functionalities

• Detailed descriptions of an antenna system;
• Management of H-V antenna systems;
• ROS calculation;
• Null Filling calculation;
• Unlimited number of plants to be considered in coverage simulations;
• 2D/3D representation of coverage/interference calculations;
• Storage of coverage maps for each transmitter;
• Storage of coverage maps for a whole SFN network. The antenna systems already calculated may be deselected from the complete list of loaded systems getting the new map of total coverage simply recombining individual coverages of transmitters;
• Reading / storing design parameters for each calculation file, as well as for the overall project;
• Selection of criteria to open the receiver's window: First Server, First Server with thresholds, Best Server;
• Selection of criteria to combine useful/interfering signals: Power Sum, K-LNM;
• Updates of coverage thresholds and protection ratios in accordance with the following regulations: ETSI and ITU: ITU-R BT.417, ITU-R BS.412, Final draft ETSI EN 300 744, Chester 97, Rec. ITU-R BT.1368, ETSI TR 102 377, Rec. ITU-R BT.655;
• Selection of pointing for the receiving antenna: stronger signal or reference signal;
• Coverage/interference analysis by area or by list of points (grid);
• Possibility to generate numerous reports including:
• Antenna system: date, author, summery information relevant to the plant, antenna data, H/V diagrams, side view or plan view, view of the radiation pattern with overlapping geographical points of interest
• Coverage and interference maps
• Detail of covered population up to the level of location
• Covered and served area/population for each radiating system and /or SFN network
• Management of segments and layers in the ISDB technology.

Benefits

• High reliability thanks to approximately 25 years' experience in Broadcasting;
• Multi-user and multi-technology;
• Selection of the software configuration that best suits users' needs;
• Wide range of managed technologies;
• Integrable to other modules of the WinRPT Suite;
• Option to be connected to several Radio Data Bases;
• Immediate interfacing with ministerial bodies and environmental control agencies;
• Optimized calculation speed thanks to multi-threads;
• Prediction reliability (certification of simulated results);
• Precise calculation of covered population;
• Distribution of results in an intranet/Internet environment (using the WebRPT application);
• Interfacing to measurement tools (using the Measurements module).

Satellite (TECH Module)

Overview

Satellite is a TECH module in the WinRPT suite allowing to represent the satellite network, starting from the creation of all the individual components grouped in a hierarchical set of suitably connected elements.

Such components are listed in a series of tabs and links are represented by a tree structure made of nodes where each component type has a different icon, allowing its immediate recognition.

A satellite network is a set of locations (stations) intended as a connection of one or more plants that may have an antenna configuration in addition to one or more blocks of equipments. Services and smartcards are associated to each equipment.

Satellite allows to split the creation of the network in two steps, separating the creation of a structure featuring templates of all the components from the data entry of unique and specific data relevant to each of them (connection data).

In order to allow the counting statistics to operate on consolidated data via the web interface, it is sufficient to complete the first step.

Satellite allows to analyze the interference among satellite Earth stations and the radio network as well as to calculate the spatial link budget.

Satellite takes full advantage of the potentials offered by the WinRPT Suite: from the use of territorial data, even high resolution territorial data for urban environments, to the access to multi-user centralized data, as well as to the management of user profiles and generation of advanced reports.

Key Features

• Advanced graphic interface;
• Tree representation of links;
• Interference analysis to/from microwave network;
• Site management (ground stations), plants, antenna configurations, equipments, services, smartcard;
• Export to Google Maps;
• Detailed reports in Word and Excel formats;
• Consultation and analysis via web browser (through WebRPT).

Main Functionalities

• Management of elementary components: Location, Plant, Block, Equipment, Function, Service, Smartcard, Antenna configuration, antenna, LNC, splitter, satellite;
• Creation of block configurations;
• Creation of a plant starting from Location, Antenna and Block configurations;
• Display on a map;
• Link budget calculation;
• Interference calculation to/from microwave network;
• Digital Elevation Model (DEM): high resolution data for urban area, medium/low resolution for rural area.

Benefits

• Extremely simple and efficient user interface;
• Mixed interference calculation among satellite ground stations and earth Point-to-Point networks;
• Easy access to the data via a web browser (WebRPT application).

Additional Modules

Advanced Report Maker Module

(ADDITIONAL Module for: Microwave)
(ADDITIONAL Module for: Coverage BWA)
(ADDITIONAL Module for: Broadcasting)

Overview

ARM (Advanced Report Maker) allows automatic generation of highly advanced reports to supplement standard reports available in Excel and Word formats in the WinRPT Suite.

ARM allows to create advanced reports particularly for Microwave, Coverage BWA and Broadcasting TECH modules.

ARM inter alia allows automatic creation of Excel files showing the full geo-coded matrix of simulated values or coverages generated by the Coverage BWA module, in alphanumeric format. These simulated values are: received power, modulation and C/I, which are chromatically represented on a map. Among its features, there is the batch generation of reports relevant to complex calculations performed on large data volumes.

Key Features

• Advanced report generation in Word and Excel formats;
• Alphanumeric report generation from graphical representations;
• Batch processing of outputs relevant to complex operations and/or operations on large amounts of information.

Main Functions

• Generation of geo-coded alphanumeric reports associated with coverage areas or grids of points;
• Burst Profile report generation;
• Generation of reports relating to analyses carried out in areas enclosed by polylines (shapefiles);
• Batch processing of complex analyses and associated report generation.

Benefits

• It allows to save time automatically performing complex output operations;
• It streamlines data exchange with other applications.

Access Network Dimensioning Module

(ADDITIONAL Module for: Coverage BWA)

Overview

AND (Access Network Dimensioning) is an ADDITIONAL module to the WinRPT Suite which allows to perform an initial sizing analysis in terms of sites and equipments for a radio access network (WiMAX, Lte, Hiperlan, WiFi, Tetra/Teds, etc.).

AND supports network operators and industry professionals in designing networks, minimizing time and costs of relevant implementation.

AND allows to define the number of sites, areas and layers, as well as the optimal location of BTSs able to meet coverage and capacity parameters, as required for an area of interest.

AND has a "wizard" interface (a sequence of "dialog boxes") through which users are led along the various steps required to complete the operation:

• set up
• automatic positioning of sites
• coverage analysis
• combined analysis of coverage and capacity
• results generation

For a given area of interest, designers can:

• define number of sites
• decide optimal location of BTSs
• analyze coverage parameters
• analyze transmission capacity

AND allows to perform sizing analyses thanks to the WinRPT's GIS engine, using the following territorial data: land elevation and/or elevation of buildings (DTM, DSM), land use clutter, population clutter. AND operates both in rural and urban environments, as well as in mixed ones.

Key Features

• Wizard interface to lead users in designing;
• Definition of operating environment: selection of medium-resolution or high-resolution land data using land use clutter and population clutter;
• Number of sites and optimal location of BTSs;
• Coverage analysis;
• Combined coverage and capacity analysis;
• Network sizing;
• Modes meeting coverage requirements for each BTS;
• Capacity distribution;
• Covered areas and population;
• Export in Excel o Shapefile format.

Main Functions

• Environment: rural, urban, mixed;
• Technologies: WLL, 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11-2004, 802.16e, 802.20, WCDMA-FDD/TDD, TD-SCDMA, HiperLAN, WiMAX, Lte, EV-DO, etc.;
• Selection of the best antenna and equipment (base station, subscriber unit indoor-outdoor);
• Positioning of sites: geometrical, geographical (maximum elevation), based on existing sites, mixed (new and existing sites);
• Assessment of coverage area, meeting the margin objective set by designers;
• Automatic optimization of number of locations, sectors and layers;
• Automatic orientation of sectors (azimuth and mechanical tilt);
• Evaluation of percent coverage for area and population;
• Evaluation of modulation meeting coverage objectives;
• Evaluation of required capacity and offered capacity;
• Analysis relevant to the achievement of capacity objectives;
• Results: sizing, number of locations, coverage area, capacity distribution and analysis, modulation analysis covered, percent coverage by area and population;
• Output format: MS Excel, Shapefile.

Benefits

• Rapid and efficient decision-making process based on technical analysis;
• Ability to quickly and cheaply obtain information on advantages and disadvantages to create an access network;
• Ability to perform analysis at different levels of detail;
• Ease of use thanks to its "wizard" interface;
• Efficient results.

Measurement Module

(ADDITIONAL Module for: Broadcasting)

Overview

MEA is an essential tool to create, manage and display a "historical" database of measures relating to the various broadcasting technologies within the WinRPT - Broadcasting product.

To ensure compatibility with all the measuring instruments, users should perform a one-off establishment of correspondences between fields in the measuring instrument file and fields provided in the import interface.

In line with reality, measurement sites can be both fixed and mobile stations.

Once measures have been imported within the "historical" database, they can be collected and stored by region, province, municipality, channel, date, measurement campaign, etc.

Significant fields describing measured data include: pointing location, region, province, municipality, coordinates for measurements, date, polarization, BER, MER, echo power and delay. Measured points can be retrieved from the database and filtered according to various search criteria.

Search results can be displayed on a map. For each point of measurement the most significant data can be graphically represented, including BER, MER, QSA and field levels, with different color scales and information.

Main advantages of the "historical" database of measures include the ability to compare simulated values and measured values, in the same operating environment, in order to ensure tuning of model and optimization of predictions.

Key Features

• Import of measurement campaigns performed using any measuring instrument;
• "Historical" database of measured points;
• Graphical and numerical representation of 3 dimensions, chosen by users and associated with each point of measurement;
• Use of the same operating environment used by the WinRTP Suite and in particular of the Broadcasting module.

Main Functions

• Ability to filter measurements performed on the field according to geographical, technological and/or time criteria;
• Ability to display measurements and coverage maps in the same environment;
• Automatic report containing all of the core values derived from measurement campaigns and values resulting from simulations.

Benefits

• Management of an organized database for measurement campaigns;
• Ability to compare measured values with predicted values in a single working environment;
• Facilitating the tuning of models starting from comparison with measured values.