11/17/99 1

Agilent Technologies 8924E CDMAMobile Station Test Set

Official Release Firmware Revision A.03.02Changes from Official Firmware version A.02.11 (released May ’99)

November 15th, 1999

This firmware release note describes the new features added to the 8924E with firmware revision A.03.02.The key new features added are:

• TIA/EIA-95-B Features• CDMA to NTACS (Wide and Narrow) Handoff• CDMA to NAMPS Handoff (Low, Mid, Upper, Wide)• Indeterminate Results• *OPC Functionality• Shift-JIS Short Message Service Encoding• Spectrum Analyzer Trigger Change

These new features are documented on the following pages along with new GP-IB commands that have beenimplemented. Full documentation of these new features is available on the CD ROM or in the printedmanuals listed below:

AGILENTTECHNOLOGIES

Part Number

Description

08924-90058 Rev B Application Guide08924-90057 Rev C User's Guide08924-90048 Rev G Condensed Prog Ref.Guide (same as 8924C)08924-90053 Rev F Reference Guide (same as 8924C)08924-90061 Rev A Assembly Level Repair (same as 8924C)08924-90049 Rev G CD-ROM (same as 8924C)

NEW FEATURES

• TIA/EIA-95-B Features

A.03.02 includes support for TIA/EIA-95-B protocol. Protocol support is equivalent to that of all current versions ofsupported protocol (IS-95A, J-STD-008, etc), to allow the same level of mobile phone testing. In addition, thefollowing new TIA/EIA-95-B features are supported:

• Latest 8924E A.02.11 Features

All of the features— measurements, call processing functions, etc.— supported by the A.02.11 release ofthe 8924E for IS-95A, TSB-74 and J-STD-008 protocols will be supported in the TIA/EIA-95-B protocol. In

11/17/99 2

other words, anything that the A.02.11 release can be done with these phones will be possible with aTIA/EIA-95-B phone. This means all of the over-the-air messages sent and received by the A.02.11release of the 8924E will be extended as needed to comply with TIA/EIA-95-B. This also means that anylimitations of the 8924E’s implementation of these protocols will be preserved with TIA/EIA-95-B. Forexample, only Service Negotiation and not Service Option Negotiation will be supported.

Unless otherwise noted below, the behavior of the Test Set when Protocol is "TIA/EIA-95-B" shall be thesame as "TSB-74" when BAND_CLASS is 0 and the same as "J-STD-008" when BAND_CLASS is 1.

• Estimated Open Loop Output Power

The equation that the mobile uses to calculate its mean output power for Access Probes on the AccessChannel has changed to include an interference correction term. The Test Set uses this equation (fromTIA/EIA-95-B 6.1.2.3.1) to calculate the contents of the Ideal Mobile Power field and estimate themobile’s expected output power.

• Closed Loop Power Control Step Size

The closed loop power control step size was previously 1 dB. It can now be 0.5 dB and 0.25 dB as well,depending on the capability of the mobile (as described in TIA/EIA-95-B 6.1.2.3.2). The choice of stepsize to use is made by the base station. (as described in TIA/EIA-95-B 7.6.6.2.2.10)

• Power Class Reporting

In IS-95-A, the mobile reported its Power Class in the Station Class Mark (SCM) field of registrationmessages. In J-STD-008, the SCM did not contain Power Class information, so the 8924E had to requestthis explicitly from the mobile via a Status Request. As described in TIA/EIA-95-B 6.3.3, the Test Set willquery the Power Class Information record from the phone for all band classes supported by the phone.This information will be displayed in the MS Database and used to set the Test Set’s receiver gain.

• Pilot Strength Reporting on the Access Channel

TIA/EIA-95-B has added common pilot measurement fields to nearly all access channel messages (asdescribed in TIA/EIA-95-B 6.3.1.7.5 and 6.7.1.3). The contents of these fields will be displayed on theCDMA Mobile Reporting screen.

• Enhanced Status Request/Response.

TIA/EIA-95-B has added the Extended Status Request Message to replace the Status Response Message.A number of Information Records have been added as well. The Extended Status Response Messagewill be supported and additional information Records will be supported as needed.

• Interband CDMA-to-CDMA Hard Handoff.

The standard for TIA/EIA-95-B specifies methods for passing control and connection of a phone from abase station providing CDMA service in one band class to another base station providing CDMA servicein a different band class. The procedure is known as an interband CDMA to CDMA hard handoff. Theinstrument supports CDMA to CDMA interband hard handoffs when emulating a TIA/EIA-95-Bcompliant base station.

Further details are available in a white paper written by Agilent Technologies, titled, “TIA/EIA-95-B Featuressupported by the E8285A, 8924C and 8924E”.

• CDMA to NTACS (Wide and Narrow) Handoff:

11/17/99 3

Previously, in A.02.11, on the CDMA Call Control Screen, when ARIB T53 was selected as the Protocol, thefollowing choices would be available under the “System Type” field: JTACS, and AMPS. These were the systemstypes for which it was possible to perform a CDMA to analog handoff to, using ARIB T53 protocol. A.03.02 allowsfor digital CDMA to analog NTACS handoffs as well. The following choices are available under the System Typefield: NTACS Narrow, NTACS Wide, JTACS, and AMPS.

Field GP-IB Commands DescriptionSystem Type CDMA:CALL:AHANdoff:

STYPe: ‘NTACS Narrow’This command sets theSystem Type field toNTACS Narrow on theCDMA Call Control Screen,when ARIB T53 Protocol isbeing used.

System Type CDMA:CALL:AHANdoff:STYPe: ‘NTACS Wide’

This command sets theSystem Type field toNTACS Wide on the CDMACall Control Screen, whenARIB T53 Protocol is beingused.

• CDMA to NAMPS Handoff (Low, Mid, Upper, Wide)

Previously, in A.02.11, on the CDMA Call Control Screen, when IS-95, IS-95A, J-STD-008, TSB-74 or KOR PCS(anything other than ARIB T53) were selected as the Protocol, the following choices would be available under theSystem Type field: TACS, and AMPS. These were the systems types for which it was possible to perform a CDMAto analog handoff to, using the protocols mentioned above. A.03.02 allows for digital CDMA to analog NAMPShandoffs as well. The following choices are available under the System Type field: NAMPS Low, NAMPS Mid,NAMPS Upper, NAMPS Wide, TACS, and AMPS.

Field GP-IB Commands DescriptionSystem Type CDMA:CALL:AHANdoff:

STYPe: ‘NAMPS Low’This command sets theSystem Type field toNAMPS Low on the CDMACall Control Screen, whenprotocols other than ARIBT53 are being used.

System Type CDMA:CALL:AHANdoff:STYPe: ‘NAMPS Mid’

This command sets theSystem Type field toNAMPS Mid on the CDMACall Control Screen, whenprotocols other than ARIBT53 are being used.

System Type CDMA:CALL:AHANdoff:STYPe: ‘NAMPS Upper’

This command sets theSystem Type field toNAMPS Upper on theCDMA Call Control Screen,when protocols other thanARIB T53 are being used.

System Type CDMA:CALL:AHANdoff:STYPe: ‘NAMPS Wide’

This command sets theSystem Type field toNAMPS Wide on the CDMACall Control Screen, whenprotocols other than ARIBT53 are being used.

11/17/99 4

• Indeterminate Results:

In A.02.11, when no measurement was available, the 8924E displayed “- - - -“. When the measurement /fieldwas queried by GP-IB code, the GP-IB bus would be held until a measurement result was available. In somecases a measurement was not possible so the GP-IB bus was held indefinitely. To detect this situation andcontinue with remote operation the remote control software had to use a timeout routine. Typically atimeout of 5 seconds was used.

Now, in A.03.02, the user can set the 8924E to return a value of 1.79769313e+308 (maximum real number) or2147483647 (maximum integer) when a measurement produces an indeterminateresult. Thus, the 8924E will require different error handling in the case where no measurement is available(a timeout routine is no longer necessary).

Field GP-IB Commands DescriptionN/A CONF:MEAS:IND ‘Off’ This command sets the

8924E to hang the buswhen a measurementproduces an indeterminateresult.

N/A CONF:MEAS:IND ‘On’ This command sets the8924E to return amaximum real number orinteger when ameasurement products anindeterminate result.

The 8924E defaults to ‘Off”, i.e. to hold the bus when a measurement produces an indeterminate result.

• *OPC Functionality

*OPC (Operation Complete) is one of the many common commands that provide for uniform communication betweendevices on the GP-IB. Specifically, the *OPC command allows for synchronization between the 8924E and anexternal controller. The *OPC command causes the 8924E to set bit 0, Operation Complete, in the Standard EventRegister, to TRUE, logic 1, when the 8924E completes all pending operations.

Changes with respect to *OPC Operation in A.03.02 are as follows:1) If any measurement is set to repetitive trigger mode (i.e. continuous measurements) then the instrument controlprocessor does not command all active measurements to tell in when the measurement(s) are done, before OperationComplete can be set. 2) In the Analog Call processing environment, it is not required that any signal analyzermeasurements be done, before Operation Complete can be set.

Note: The following command must be sent to the 8294E in order for the functionality described above to work inA.03.02: CONF:MEAS:IND ‘On’. This command sets the 8924E to return a maximum real number or integer whena measurement products an indeterminate result.

Field GP-IB Commands DescriptionN/A *OPC The *OPC command

causes the 8924E to set bit0, Operation Complete, inthe Standard EventRegister, to TRUE, logic 1,when the 8924E completes

11/17/99 5

all pending operations.

• Shift-JIS Short Message Service Encoding

In A.02.11, Short Message Service (SMS) character data could be encoded in either Octet or 7-bit ASCII formats (thefollowing choices were available under the Encoding field: Octet, 7-bit ASCII). In A.03.02, it is possible to encodecharacter data in the Japanese Shift-JIS format. When ARIB T53 is selected as the Protocol, the following choices arenow available under the Encoding field: Octet, 7-bit ASCII, and Shift-JIS. As with the other formats, it is possible tosend Shift-JIS messages on the Paging Channel or while a call is in progress. Kanji and Kana characters,, as well asEnglish characters, can be sent.

Field GP-IB Commands DescriptionEncoding CDMA:SMService:ENCoding ‘Shift-JIS’ This command sets the

Encoding field toShift-JIS on the SMSScreen, when ARIB isselected as the Protocol.

Data NetwkAddress

CDMA:SMService:TERMination:NADdress:<string>

This command sets the“Data Netwk Address” fieldwhen ARIB T53 is selectedas the protocol. This fieldappears instead of “OrigAddr” field when ARIB T53is selected.

• Spectrum Analyzer Trigger Change

The Spectrum Analyzer Trigger Out BNC connector on the rear panel of the 8924E provides a trigger signal formeasuring a mobile station’s time response to open loop power control. The trigger goes high before the RF outputpower from the test set changes. The trigger occurs approximately 180 ms before RF output level changes occur inA.02.11. In A.03.02, the trigger occurs approximately 18 us before RF output electronic attenuation changes.

Defects Fixed

• Firmware Anomalies

Firmware anomalies were found in previous firmware versions of the 8924E that could occasionally cause theinstrument to lock-up, given a unique chain of events. Though they did not always affect the functionality of the testset, firmware anomalies found in A.02.11 have been fixed in A.03.02.

• OCNS Level Miscalculated with Service Option 6

Previously, the OCNS level was miscalculated if Service Option 6 was selected. This defect has been fixed.

• Channel Power Calibration was not Performed from 898 MHz to 901 MHz withMS JTACS

11/17/99 6

Previously, the “Uncal” annunciator would appear when a frequency between 898 MHz and 901 MHz was selected,using the MS JTACS channel standard, even if channel power calibration was performed at these frequencies. Thisdefect has been fixed.

• Analog Call Would Drop after Going from Anlg Meas to Call Control Screen

In A.02.11, if the user made an analog phone call with the test set, and went to the ANALOG MEAS screen, then thecall would drop if the user returned to the CALL CONTROL Screen (or any of the other screen where the "connected"annunciator is shown). This defect has been fixed in A.03.02.