App-Notes » 5G MIMO Simulator Overview and Basics

5G MIMO Simulator Overview and Basics

This application note provides a fundamental understanding of 5G MIMO Simulators, with a focus on the offering from Remcom. These simulators play a crucial role in testing the MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output) functionalities of 5G devices.

What is a 5G MIMO Simulator?

A 5G MIMO simulator comprises the hardware and software needed to generate 5G-compliant MIMO signal vectors, adhering to both User Equipment (UE) and base station specifications. Figure 1 illustrates the baseband and RF chain involved in 5G MIMO simulation. Typical modules within the simulator include:

Coding
Modulation
Beamforming
MIMO Processing
IFFT (Inverse Fast Fourier Transform)
DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter)
RF Up Conversion
Antenna Array

Figure 1: Example 5G Massive MIMO Simulation Setup

Common MIMO Modes

The following MIMO modes are commonly supported by 4G and 5G wireless technologies:

SU-MIMO (Single User MIMO): Supports up to 128 base station antennas and up to 12 antennas per mobile station. This mode involves a single mobile station.
MU-MIMO (Multi User MIMO): Supports up to 128 base station antennas, with configurations such as 8 antennas for Mobile Station #1 (MS#1) and 4 antennas for MS#2. This mode involves two mobile stations.
Massive MIMO: Supports up to 128 base station antennas, with a configuration of 5 mobile stations (MSs) with varying antenna setups (e.g., 4/4/2/1/1 for MS1, MS2, MS3, MS4, and MS5 respectively).

Remcom’s 5G MIMO Simulator: Wireless InSite® Propagation Software

Remcom’s Wireless InSite® Propagation Software offers robust 5G MIMO simulation capabilities. Here’s a breakdown of its specifications and features:

Specifications/features	5G MIMO Simulator Support
Frequency range	Supports up to 100 GHz
Propagation model	• X3D: A 3D model with no restrictions on shape or transmitter/receiver height. • 2D site-specific Fast-Ray based model for urban/rough terrain.
Import formats	• Building & object import formats: KMZ, SHP, DXF, COLLADA • Terrain formats: DTED, TIFF, and DEM
Simulated Antennas	Supports SISO (Single-Input Single-Output), MIMO, and Massive MIMO transmit and receive antenna configurations. Antenna parameters can be imported in text format from XFdtd 3D EM Simulation Software.
Outputs	Power, path loss, and propagation paths are generated for plotting. ASCII files are used for plotting.

Other 5G MIMO Simulator Manufacturers/Vendors

Several other companies offer 5G MIMO simulation solutions. Here’s a list of some of them:

5G MIMO Simulator Vendors/Manufacturers	Description with part number
Keysight Technologies Inc.	Provides tools for 5G MIMO simulations, generations, and analysis.
Mathworks	Provides a library for 5G MIMO simulations.
National Instruments	Offers a 5G Massive MIMO testbed.