March 23, 2007
NTT Advanced Technology Corporation
NTT Advanced Technology Corporation
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November 21, 2002 NTT-AT to sell "QualityMeister3D Ver.4", a radio wave simulation program supporting 5-GHz wireless LAN (IEEE802.11a)
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 QualityMeister3D Ver.4 is an upgrade from the QualityMeister3D series, which was developed based on R&D results from NTT's Energy and Environmental Systems Laboratories. Version 4 can carry out simulation for a 5-GHz wireless LAN (IEEE802.11a). Major concerns in introducing a wireless system in an office are radio interference and other disturbances arising from the use of radio waves. The program analyzes radio reception levels, transmission rates and other aspects with high accuracy, and performs a 3-D simulation that takes account of the ceiling and the floor. It allows optimization of the layout of wireless devices in an office. If the layout plan of the office and other necessary data are available, QualityMeister3D Ver.4 can perform simulation on a PC without the need to visit the office concerned for actual measurements, which can reduce the cost of installing a wireless LAN.As the introduction of wireless LANs in corporations is gaining momentum, NTT-AT will target telecommunications service-related companies, including device manufacturers and installation companies, and aims to sell 100 sets of the software during the first year. |
[Background to development and history]
Recently, wireless information devices have increasingly been finding their ways into offices. In addition to PHS, which uses 1.9 GHz, 2.4-GHz wireless LANs are widely used. More recently, the introduction of 5-GHz wireless LANs (IEEE802.11a) has begun.
However, the introduction of these systems has not been without problems. Since wireless devices that use the same frequency band are installed close to one another, there are cases where radio interference occurs and results in a reduction in data transmission rate, or worse still, an interruption in communication. In particular, wireless LANs have been considered to be easy to introduce due to their low price and the fact that there is no need for a radio license (although this is only true for indoor use in the case of 5-GHz wireless LANs), but they tend to suffer from interference when the radio channels of adjacent access areas overlap, resulting in a reduction in data transfer efficiency.
To avoid such interference, it is necessary to optimize the layout of the access points. Traditionally, this optimization work has been carried out through a combination of empirical methods and actual measurements in the office concerned. However, this approach has some drawbacks. There are restrictions on the flexibility possible in designing communication areas. When a problem occurs, it is difficult to analyze the cause of the problem promptly. It is also costly to dispatch measurement specialists to the office concerned.
The older version, QualityMeister3D Ver.3, is a radio simulation program that solves these problems for 2.4-GHz wireless LANs. Recently, it has become necessary also to support 5-GHz wireless LANs (IEEE802.11a), which have begun to be introduced.
The new version, QualityMeister3D Ver.4, has been developed to simulate radio reception levels and transmission rates for the 5-GHz band. It can be used to optimize the layout of access points for PHS, 2.4-GHz/5-GHz wireless LANs and other wireless systems, and to design an office environment that is the least likely to suffer from a reduction in transmission rate. In carrying out the simulation, data on the building structure and building materials are first entered using architectural CAD data, etc. Next, access points and interference sources are set, and radio reception points are specified. Radio wave propagation and transmission properties are then analyzed. Finally, twelve types of evaluation results are generated and displayed, such as radio reception levels and transmission rates.
| 1. | Since 3-D simulation is possible, highly accurate results can be obtained, and it is possible to simulate an office with multiple floors. |
| 2. | Since there is no need to dispatch engineers to the site for inspection or measurements, the costs of designing the layout of wireless systems are reduced. In addition, the simulator can run on an ordinary PC used in the office, and so no specialized technology or person is needed to run the simulation. |
| 3. | The simulation program analyzes and evaluates not only radio reception levels but also transmission rates (Mbit/s). |
| 4. | If access points are set up for a wireless LAN, interference between channels can also be simulated. |
| 5. | The data for typical building materials that affect radio propagation are pre-registered. New building material data can also be entered. |
| 6. | The measured data for wireless devices from major manufacturers for 2.4-GHz wireless LANs and 5-GHz wireless LANs are also pre-registered. To commence simulation, the user needs only to specify the devices he or she is using from the list provided in the simulator. |
[System requirements]
| OS: | Microsoft Windows 98/Me/2000/XP Professional* |
| CPU: | PentiumII 500MHz or higher recommended |
| Hard Disk Space: | 500MB or more recommended |
| RAM: | 128MB or more recommended |
| Colors: | 65,536 or more recommended |
| Resolution: | 1024×768 or larger recommended |
| Others: | CD-ROM drive is required |
| * | System requirements may be changed without prior notice. |
[Price]
| QualityMeister3D Ver.4: 3,080,000 yen (consumption tax not included) |
For inquiries, please contact
| Mr. Mitsuhiro Nakazato or Mr. Yukio Murooka Sales Department Access Networks Business Headquarters NTT Advanced Technology Corporation TEL: +81-45-826-6060; FAX: +81-45-826-6025 |
| * | Microsoft Windows 98/Me/2000/XP Professional are registered trademarks of Microsoft, U.S.A, in the U.S. and other countries. |
