MIMO testbed middleware for transmission automation

Testbeds are a key tool in the development of modern wireless communication systems. They allow evaluation of standards, algorithms and new schemes in real scenarios. Testbeds consist of two parts: the hardware, either built from tailor-made or off-the-shelf products; and the software, that includes both the control software and the algorithms to be tested. We propose a novel architecture for the control software layer (middleware) of a MIMO testbed, illustrating its advantages by means of several use cases. These use cases correspond to relevant experimental setups, such as transmission of data bursts, performance measurement, implementation of a feedback channel and deployment of a multiterminal environment.