Q: It could reasonably be argued that WiMAX will be the “next big thing” for many sectors of the microwave industry. With that in mind, will WiMAX be a factor for your company from a product development and sales perspective in 2008? If not then, then perhaps in the future?

A: WiMax is a significant factor for Ansoft. More generally, OFDM-MIMO-the signaling technology upon which WiMax is based-is a significant factor for Ansoft and the wireless industry. The combination of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) and multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) processing offers such significant improvements in reliability and robustness for wireless systems that we have witnessed fast adoption in many new wireless standards including WiMax. Ansoft’s simulation software has been used to validate OFDM-MIMO diversity schemes by combining electromagnetic simulation and nonlinear circuit simulation.

A particular design group may endeavor to deliver WiMax products that meet the standard. In today’s market, however, meeting the standard is just the start. Designers of WiMax basestation equipment and subscriber terminals need to make design decisions that directly impact system performance such as the number and placement of antennas, interaction of the terminal and the environment, and signal processing implementation.

Ansoft has already performed comprehensive analysis of WiMax radio systems. Each year Ansoft hosts a worldwide seminar series highlighting applications developed jointly with leading customers. One of the presentations at this year’s event illustrated how engineers can simulate and design a WiMax radio system using a combination of system analysis, circuit analysis, and rigorous electromagnetic modeling. That work includes system behavioral models for accurate WiMax digital baseband signal generation and detection. Those models are used as a testbench to drive transistor-level circuits combined with 3D finite element models for antennas and the multipath wireless environment. Results show that the multiple antennas at either end of a WiMax link can improve performance by exploiting spatial multiplexing. It also shows that parasitic effects of mutual coupling between antennas can reduce performance below theoretical limits. Comprehensive simulation that includes all of these effects allows engineers to make design decisions with fore knowledge of how those decisions will impact full system performance.

Q: If your company manufactures products for aerospace and defense applications, what is your assessment of the state of defense-related high-frequency electronics procurement in 2008? What defense programs will be of the greatest benefit to the microwave industry in 2008?

A: Defense-related business has been strong for Ansoft in both traditional and emerging areas. The traditional applications of electronic warfare, radar, and communications continue to be a major driver in the industry. Perhaps more interesting are emerging areas driven by modern needs of defense. We all know that the nature of warfare has changed, and one of the most pervasive challenges is defense against the improvised explosive device (IED). These devices are often detonated wirelessly using cellular telephones, automobile keyless entry, or garage door openers. (You may have read that the TSA has begun inspecting remote controlled toys during security screening at airports specifically in response to this threat.) Some companies in our industry are working on specialized jamming devices that block radiation in the 820 - 960 MHz and 1700 - 2000 MHz bands providing a 100 meter protected radius surrounding an IED-a distance sufficient for defusing the device.

We have also seen greater demand for multiple antennas mounted on military vehicles. As defense relies more on wireless systems, the need for multiple antennas becomes significant. Ansoft software has been used extensively to evaluate antenna placement and communication system performance. Additionally, military vehicles must be hardened against lightning strikes and electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapons. Ansoft has been working with customers to quantify the field strength due to EMP. Another presentation at the aforementioned seminar details the work.

Q: How would you rate the health of the microwave industry as it enters 2008?

A: The microwave industry is very strong, driven especially by wireless applications. Companies that build those applications are at the forefront of the emerging opportunity in mobile broadband. Just as the wired Internet created applications and opportunities, mobile broadband enables a new era of opportunities that at present are hard to predict. Wired technologies will persist, especially for high reliability, speed/capacity, and security. Un-tethering the Internet, however, will be the main driver in electronics and in business. Anand Chandrasekher of Intel has stated that we should expect to see an “application spiral” in the handheld smart-phone market. In the 1990s we witnessed an application spiral in desktop computing driven by accelerating processor performance. Similarly we should see the same occur in ultra mobile devices where novel and exciting applications emerge that will redefine how we live and work.

A remarkable example of how wireless communications, computing, and entertainment are converging on the cell phone was presented at the recent IEEE International Microwave Symposium in Hawaii. Intel discussed a reference design for the future Ultra Mobile Personal Computer (UMPC) during one of the workshops. That design exhibits the “multi-com” trend of integrating radios for GSM, WiMax, MIMO WiFi, Bluetooth, and wireless USB. Remarkably that system integrated 11 antennas on a tiny PC that is only five inches across. Solving the challenges of antenna integration and system EMI on such a dense, multifunction, and mixed-signal platform while simultaneously creating a form factor and price point acceptable to the consumer market is foremost in the electronics industry. Ansoft is working with the leaders in the wireless industry to solve these challenges.

Q: What emerging technologies are you watching that you feel may be beneficial to your company in the coming years?

A: We have observed an accelerating trend toward distributed computing for engineering design. Ansoft’s most advanced customers have implemented networks of computers used exclusively for simulation tasks. Those customers understand the power potential created by applying distributed computing, parametric simulation, and advanced optimization in the design of microwave and electronic systems. Ansoft has built special features to drive distributed computing and we expect that to be beneficial for our customers.

In the 1970’s, many engineers accessed a mainframe computer for engineering design. There was a high ratio between the number of engineers to machine. In the 80’s and 90’s that ratio fell to 1:1, that is, one engineer one machine. Today it is possible for a single engineer to access literally hundreds of computers for engineering design. That trend will continue in the engineering design community and the most adept engineers will embrace distributed computing to optimize their designs.

Q: Are there any other new applications on the horizon, excluding WiMAX, that you feel will be major opportunities for the microwave industry in the next few years?

A: We have seen interesting new opportunities in millimeter-wave, 60GHz unlicensed applications and medical electronic devices.

Millimeter-wave and 60 GHz Unlicensed Applications
Ansoft has been working with several customers on very high frequency circuits for millimeter-wave applications. Most recently we have worked with CEA-Leti and ST Microelectronics on the design and modeling of a millimeter-wave receiver on CMOS SOI 65nm for WPAN applications. Low manufacturing cost combined with the SOC integration possibilities of CMOS have made silicon technology a key focus for microwave applications. Of course designing reliable circuits at 60GHz is challenging. We have shown that rigorous passive and active device modeling makes it possible to achieve silicon-accurate results across a wide bandwidth extending all the way up to 105 GHz.

Medical Electronics
Ansoft has observed advances in medical electronic devices and applications that can be opportunities for the microwave industry. Advances in simulation software and computer processing power have put simulation at the core of biomedical application and design. We have been involved with case studies including Motorola’s analysis of effects of cellular telephone RF radiation with the human body, Duke University’s design of microwave heating elements for hyperthermia treatment, and the design of a directional microwave heating element used in photodynamic cancer therapy. All of these applications feature microwave components and antennas interacting with the human body. We have also worked closely with Philips Medical to develop a system model for an open MRI-system interacting with a 3D human body. Results of this simulation include a visualization of the magnetic field component of the MRI, specific absorption rate (SAR) cross sections within the body model, and location-dependent temperature rise as a function of time. These studies help Philips to design open MRI systems that produce extremely high-resolution images for medical diagnostics.

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