Metrology challenges in a shared spectrum environment

In an increasingly congested electromagnetic spectrum, modern RF systems are being designed to operate in diverse environments filled with other devices that broadcast a wide variety of electromagnetic signals. These other devices may not be of the same type, and may use RF signals with significantly different characteristics (i.e. modulation, data rate, bandwidth), and could contain one or more adaptive antennas. As the number and types of devices, applications (e.g. communications, radar, sensors, etc.), and demand for bandwidth increases, so does the potential for harmful interference. As advancements in communications technologies are deployed, existing measurement methods for characterizing a device's RF behavior may no longer be adequate. Even at this early stage, the use of spectrum sharing and cognitive devices has prompted new research in the RF metrology used to characterize these devices.