Creating a Connected Solutions Design

This chapter demonstrates the steps used to create a CS design. It uses one of the design templates provided with ADS. The design used in this demonstration is the STW_E4438C_896XX_TX.dsn from the WLAN 802 11a/g Transmission Test Design template.

Start with CS Design Templates

This information summarizes the steps to set up your top-level schematic design for use as a Connected Solutions design.

Design Area	Usage Description
STW_Top_Info	The top level design has several areas that you can customize for your specific CS application.
VAR_Generic block	This block lists many variables. Do not add or delete any variables, nor change any of the variable names.
VAR_SourceParameters block	In this block, list variables that define your CS specific application signal source and multipath properties.
Source block	This is your source design instance. This source design instance defines the source and multipath parameters that are specific for your CS application.
SignalVARs block	Use this block to define variables and expressions as needed to define the variables in the VAR_SourceParameters block. In your expressions, any Boolean expression may use only the equal sign (=). For this top-level design, Boolean expressions must not include non-equal comparisons such as less than (<), greater than (>), etc. If such non-equal Boolean expressions are required, place them within your Source and Measurement designs.
ReqdCommonSignalVARs block	This block lists several variables that must be defined for your CS application.
VAR_MeasurementParameters block	In this block, list variables that define your CS specific application measurement properties.
Measurement block	This is your measurement design instance. This measurement design instance defines the measurement parameters that are specific for your CS application.
RangeCheck block	This is your test design instance in which you perform range check operations on the parameters listed in the VAR_SourceParameters and VAR_MeasurementParameters. The range check operation is to use the VarEqnCheck item to test that the variable values are within their acceptable range limits, and display a suitable error message if not.

These steps demonstrate how to begin customizing the top-level design using the STW_E4438C_896XX_TX.dsn from the WLAN 802 11a/g Transmission Test Design template:

Note Edit only the content that is inside the green boxes.

1. Start ADS, and start a new project.
   In the DSP schematic window's menu, choose File > New Design . In the New Design dialog box, enter the design project Name , select Digital Signal Processing Network as the Type of Network , and disable the option Schematic Wizard .
2. Load a CS design template.
   In the schematic window, choose Tools > Connected Solutions Workbench Tool . In the resulting dialog, expand Create Test Workbench , then select the design template WLAN 802 11a/g Transmission Test Workbench . Click OK .
   The files associated with the selected template will be copied to your ADS project's networks directory, and the design STW_E4438C_896XX_TX.dsn (shown in the following figure) appears in the schematic window.
   

Create the Source Design

This information summarizes the steps to set up your Source design for Baseband signal generation within a Connected Solutions design.

Design Area	Usage Description
STW_BasebandSignal_Info	The source Baseband Signal area is where you create your custom complex Baseband signals for your specific CS application.
SignalVARs block	Use this block to define variables and expressions as needed to define the complex Baseband signals and to define any variables to be used in the OutVarString located in the Measurements area in this Source schematic design.

This information summarizes the steps to set up your Source design for Multipath signal generation within a Connected Solutions design.

Design Area	Usage Description
STW_Multipath_Info	The source Multipath area is where you create your custom Multipath signals for your specific

This information summarizes the steps to set up your Source design for measurements within a Connected Solutions design.

Design Area	Usage Description
STW_SourceMeas_Info	The Source design has a Measurements area where you create your custom measurements for your specific CS application.
ReqdMeasVARs block	This block lists several variables that must be defined for your Source design.
OutVarString	This block is where the user can list variables that the user would like to send to the data display. All variables must have a name of the form Source.<variable_name>.<variable_name> must be defined in a VAR block in this Source design. Only the OutVar variable is required and can be set to the concatenation of other defined variables.

These steps demonstrate how to customize the Source design:

Note Edit only the content that is inside the green boxes.

1. In STW_E4438C_896XX_TX.dsn , Push into the Source design.
   
2. In the Source design, modify the WLAN 802.11a/g Sources section to make the required changes to replace the template's I/Q signal source with user-defined I/Q sources. The required changes are listed in the following figure. For guidance on source creation, push into STW_BasebandSignal_Info .
   
3. In the Source design, modify the WLAN 802.11a/g Sources section to make the optional changes. The optional changes are listed in the following figure. For guidance, push into STW_BasebandSignal_Info .
   
4. In the Source design, modify the WLAN 802.11a/g Multipath model, which is optional . The optional changes are listed in the following figure. For guidance, push into STW_Multipath_Info .
   
5. In the Source design, modify the WLAN 802.11a/g Measurements section to make the required changes to replace the template's source measurements.
   Generic measurements available in the Source design's blue box ( non-editable ) area include source signal I/Q envelope and RF spectrum.
   You may add specific user-defined measurements in the green box area. This includes measurements such as the RF CCDF measurement. CCDF measurements typically are made only on the active part of the RF signal segment. CCDF measurement can be achieved using the RF_CCDF model which must be preceded by the user-defined RF signal deframer that strips out unwanted RF signal subsegments.
   The required changes and the single optional change are listed in the following figure. For guidance, push into STW_SourceMeas_Info .
   
6. Define the Source design parameters.
   To define the parameters, select File > Design Parameters in the schematic window, then choose the Parameters tab. The following figures show how to set various types of parameters that appear on the tab.
   
   
   
   
7. Save the new Source design.
   In the Source design's schematic window, select File > Save Design . To save the design under a different name, select File > Save Design As .
8. Place an instance of the new Source design in the design template.
   Pop Out of the Source design to return to the top-level design, STW_E4438C_896XX_TX.dsn .
   
9. Redefine the Source VARS in the design template.
   From the top level design template, STW_E4438C_896XX_TX.dsn , replace the VARs as described in the following figure.
   
10. Set the values of the Source instance parameters.
    From the top-level design template, STW_E4438C_896XX_TX.dsn , double-click the Source instance to open its dialog box. Set the Source parameter values to the variables found in VAR_SourceParameters shown in the following figure.
    

Create Measurement Design

This information summarizes the steps to set up your TX Measurement design for signal measurements within a Connected Solutions design.

Design Area	Usage Description
STW_TX_SpecificMeas_Info	The Measurement design has a Measurements area where you create your custom measurements for your specific CS application.
ReqdMeasVARs block	This block lists several variables that must be defined for your Measurement design.
OutVarString	This block is where the user can list variables that the user would like to send to the data display. All variables must have a name of the form Measurement.<variable_name>.<variable_name> must be defined in a VAR block in this Measurement design. Only the OutVar variable is required and can be set to the concatenation of other defined variables.

This information summarizes the steps to set up your RX Measurement design for signal measurements within a Connected Solutions design.

Design Area	Usage Description
STW_RX_BER_Meas_Info	The Measurement design has a Measurements area where you create your custom measurements for your specific CS application.
OutVarString	This block is where the user can list variables that the user would like to send to the data display. All variables must have a name of the form 'Measurement.<variable_name>'. <variable_name> must be defined in a VAR block in this Measurement design. Only the OutVar variable is required and can be set to the concatenation of other defined variables.

These steps demonstrate how to customize the Measurement design:

Note Edit only the content that is inside the green boxes.

1. From the top-level design template, STW_E4438C_896XX_TX.dsn , Push into the Measurement design.
   
2. In the Measurement design, modify the WLAN 11a/g Measurements section to make required changes to replace the template measurements with your specific user-defined measurements. The required changes are listed in the following figure. For guidance on source creation, push into STW_TX_SpecificMeas_Info .
   This is where you add measurements such as the RF CCDF measurement. CCDF measurements typically are made only on the active part of the RF signal segment. CCDF measurements can be achieved using the RF_CCDF model which must be preceded by the user-defined RF signal deframer that strips out unwanted RF signal subsegments.
   Generic measurements available in the non-editable (blue boxed) area include source signal I/Q envelope and RF spectrum.
   
3. In the Measurement design, modify the WLAN 11a/g Measurements section to make optional changes. The optional changes are listed in the following figure. For guidance on measurement creation, push into STW_TX_SpecificMeas_Info .
   
4. Define the Measurement design parameters. The Measurement design parameters are defined using a similar process used for defining the Source design parameters.
   To define the parameters, select File > Design Parameters in the schematic window, then choose the Parameters tab. The following figures show how to set various types of parameters that appear on the tab.
   
5. Save the new Measurement design.
   In the Measurement design's schematic window, select File > Save Design . To save the design under a different name, select File > Save Design As .
6. Place an instance of the new Measurement design in the template.
   Pop Out of the Measurement design to return to the top-level design, STW_E4438C_896XX_TX.dsn . Replace the Measurement design instance with the user-defined measurement design. Be sure to use the measurement instance name Measurement .
   
7. Redefine the Measurement VARs in the design template.
   From the top level design template, STW_E4438C_896XX_TX.dsn , replace the VARs as described in the following figure.
   From the top level design template, STW_E4438C_896XX_TX in this discussion, replace the VARs defined in the VAR_MeasurementParameters block with VARs defined for the new user defined Measurement design.
   
8. Set the values of the Measurement instance parameters.
   From the top-level design template, STW_E4438C_896XX_TX.dsn , double-click the Measurement instance to open its dialog box. Set the Measurement parameter values to the variables found in VAR_MeasurementParameters shown in the following figure.
   

Create Range Check Design

This information summarizes the steps to set up your RangeCheck design within a Connected Solutions design.

Design Area	Usage Description
STW_RangeCheck_Info	For each variable defined in VAR_SourceParameters and VAR_MeasurementParameters in the top level design, identify if that variable will need its value checked to be within specific range limits for that value to be valid.

These steps demonstrate how to customize the RangeCheck design:

Note Edit only the content that is inside the green boxes.

1. The RangeCheck design is optional. If RangeCheck is not required, then delete it from the design template. If a user-defined RangeCheck is required, Push into the RangeCheck design from the top-level design template, STW_E4438C_896XX_TX.dsn .
   
2. In the RangeCheck design, edit, add, and delete VarEqnCheck blocks as needed to perform range value checks on the Source and Measurement parameters listed in the VAR_SourceParameters and VAR_MeasurementParameters that have restricted value ranges. The following figure shows an example using the Source parameter DataRate .
   
3. Save the new RangeCheck design.
   In the RangeCheck design's schematic window, select File > Save Design . To save the design under a different name, select File > Save Design As .
   No parameters are required for a RangeCheck design.
4. Place an instance of the new RangeCheck design in the template.
   Pop Out of the RangeCheck design to return to the top-level design, STW_E4438C_896XX_TX.dsn . Replace the original RangeCheck design instance with the new user-defined RangeCheck design. Be sure to use the instance name RangeCheck .
   

Save the New Top-Level Design

After modifying all of the designs, save the top-level design STW_E4438C_896XX_TX.dsn.

1. In the schematic window, choose Simulate > Simulation Setup . On the Setup tab, select Open Data Display when simulation completes . Click Apply , then Cancel .
   This option is required so that the default data display templates open at the end of the simulation.
2. Choose File > Save Design to save the top-level design.