PRISMA Engineering has just shipped to Galileo-Avionica (formerly FIAR) the first in a set of systems for the hardware and software validation of DSP boards for avionics . This test system completely reproduces the system where the boards will be inserted, by means of proprietary bus emulation.

Highlights of this new generation of test systems are:
- network connectivity, which allows to control the test execution not only from the local console but also from remote workstations;
- mechanical arrangement that gives access to all parts of the boards under test, bus duplication that allows to check all the bus signals during the tests;
- separate power supplies for test system and board under test, which allows to replace the boards while the test system is switched on and which protects prototypes from current surges;
- possibility to test the on-board software in a simulated environment.

In an important step of their collaboration, RTX Telecom A/S and Prisma Engineering S.r.l. have tested their TD-SCDMA 3G terminal against a live network. The phone is a handheld and battery operated device with voice and data capabilities and a multi-media capable user interface. Thus it is ideal to demonstrate the 3G services that the TD-SCDMA networks will offer its future users.
In October 2002, the Chinese Ministry of Information Industry announced China's mobile telecom frequency plan, where a wide frequency range has 
been allocated to TD-SCDMA systems. All the leading telecom manufacturers are now looking for solutions that can enable them to quickly market commercial TD-SCDMA products. PRISMA Engineering and RTX Telecom have developed a unique mix of know-how and technical achievements in this specific field and can thus help manufacturers make a timely start in this huge market thanks to their ready-made HW and SW designs and advanced test solutions.

CEO Jorgen Elbaek, RTX Telecom, comments: “This is a very important milestone towards our goal to enable our customers to mass produce the first TD-SCDMA phone by mid 2004. We have now demonstrated that the TD-SCDMA technology is mature for the mass market and that the timeframe is realistic.”

About TD-SCDMA
TD-SCDMA stands for Time Division - Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access. TD-SCDMA is a third generation mobile telephony standard developed by CATT (China Academy of Telecommunications Technology) in collaboration with Datang and Siemens. China is expected to make a final decision on the standard during 2003. TD-SCDMA enables surfing the Internet at a speed of up to 2 Mbit/s, or 35 times faster than an ordinary 56k modem and telephone line link. It also allows supremely efficient use of the infrastructure.

Like Siemens, PRISMA Engineering is confident in the success of the TD-SCDMA standard, which will soon be deployed in China. This is why PRISMA Engineering has developed for the TD-SCDMA network a specific test suite based on the Line Server Unit v3 (LSUv3 ), the newest evolution of PRISMA Engineering's test systems, suitable for both functional and performance (load & stress) test. Thanks to this solution, currently used in its laboratories in Milan, Munich and Beijing, Siemens can guarantee that its TD-SCDMA network offers the same high quality levels as with more widespread technologies like GSM and UMTS.

Siemens is one of the most active vendors in the development and marketing of the EDGE technology, which enables a GSM network to provide most of the 3G services thanks to a more efficient use of the available radio bandwidth. Due to the higher data transfer rate offered by EDGE, the mobile network is more stressed than with the previous technologies. This is why Siemens wants to verify the performances of its network under these increased demands and, to do so, has chosen a test system based on the Line Server Unit by PRISMA Engineering.

PRISMA Engineering's EDGE test suite is based on its newest test equipment, the Line Server Unit v3 (LSUv3 ). SW modules specifically developed by PRISMA Engineering allow to verify the performances of the BSC-SGSN-GGSN chain, by simulating thousands of mobile users with active IP connections and heterogeneous profiles.

PRISMA Engineering succeeded in the UNI EN ISO9001:2000 ( VISION
2000 ) certification.

For PRISMA Engineering, making the Quality System conform to the new standard UNI EN ISO 9001: 2000 is an important goal and constitutes the foundation for a day by day improvement of the company performances in order to get both Customer and company satisfaction.

This Quality System Management affects all the PRISMA Engineering activities and is devised as a the planning and control method capable to adjust itself to the changes of both the organisation and company processes.

One of the main strong points emphasised by the certification body is “the continuous interaction with the Customer to develop customised products “ adopted by PRISMA Engineering adopts, which is one of the basic concepts the ISO 9000: 2000 standard is built on: “PRISMA Engineering is a Customer oriented company”.

In May 2003 PRISMA Engineering has become member of the TD-SCDMA Forum ( www.tdscdma-forum.org ).

The TD-SCDMA Forum was established by eight companies (China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, Datang Group, Huawei Corporation, Motorola, Nortel and Siemens) with the aim of promoting the advancement and perfection of TD-SCDMA technology.
In fact, it is an opportunity for worldwide operators, vendors, research institutes, educational services, standardisation bodies and other companies to exchange and communicate ideas or developments concerning the TD-SCDMA technology.

The 3rd Generation of Mobile Communications (3G) will be the next major business boom: customers will be “on the move” and, virtually, they will be supplied with all today’s essential services.
On the other side, 3G network operators will have to face the problem of managing both symmetric circuit switched services (i.e. speech and video) and asymmetric packet switched services (i.e. mobile Internet data flows), and the TD-SCDMA is the right answer. In fact, this technology combines two leading technologies: an advanced TDMA system and the adaptive CDMA component.

PRISMA Engineering has appointed the Korean company Imega as sales
representative for the Asian market. Due to its high growth rate and huge internal demand, Asia is considered as the most promising market for wireless technology.

Thanks to its test products and to its expertise in the TD-SCDMA standard, adopted in China for 3G wireless communications, PRISMA Engineering can play an important role in this market.

Imega is a start up company focuses on communication products and technologies. The business vision is to  support and develop the telecommunication infrastructure and communication market in Asia with world class and well proven test solutions and active solutions for 3G wireless market from PRISMA Engineering. 

PRISMA Engineering and RTX Telecom are jointly developing a reference platform for TD-SCDMA mobile handsets. A first version for a test mobile will be ready in the first half of this year. A second dual-mode (GSM and TD-SCDMA) version, for commercial handsets, will be ready for the end of 2003. Availability of commercial chipsets will be announced soon.

In October 2002, the Chinese Ministry of Information Industry announced
China's mobile telecom frequency plan, where a wide frequency range has
been allocated to TD-SCDMA systems. All the main handsets
manufacturers are now looking for solutions that can enable them to quickly market commercial TD-SCDMA handsets. PRISMA Engineering and RTX Telecom have developed a unique mix of know-how and technical achievements in this specific field and can thus help manufacturers make a timely start in this huge market

On Saturday 23/11 the BIAS has closed its 2002 edition. PRISMA, which was present for the first time, values the experience as positive. A lot of people visited our stand where, among other things, the newly-born members of the family where on display.

PRISMA Engineering has just developed the SW components needed for EDGE testing, which will be released to customers within the end of the year. So, the LSUv3 will be available to developers of GSM networks, with EDGE technology, to test their systems, also under traffic load. For further information: lsu@prisma-eng.it.

EDGE (Enhanced Data GSM Environment), making a better use of radio channels, allows to significantly speed up data transfer over a GSM link. EDGE, together with GPRS, will enable GSM operators to provide their users with multimedia services and high-speed wireless internet, without waiting for 3G systems (UMTS).

PRISMA Engineering will partecipate as an exhibitor to the "3GSM World Congress 2003" that will be held in Cannes (France) 18-21 February 2003. The 3GSM World Congress is the main meeting place for the entire industry. PRISMA Engineering will present its latest test systems and its new solutions for the development of infrastructures and terminals compliant with TD-SCDMA, the emerging 3G standard.

Starting from 12 September 2002, PRISMA Engineering is no longer part of the SpazioZeroUno group. During the last years, both companies realized that their missions were diverging. In particular, PRISMA Engineering had decided to focus resources and investments in developing new products, especially test systems for the telecom market. Therefore, the management of PRISMA Engineering decided to take over the shares belonging to SpazioZeroUno.

PRISMA Engineering is now delivering the latest version of the LSU family of systems, the LSUv3. Right now, the first units are being shipped to the customers. The LSUv3 allows to simulate, via the PCM (up to 128) and STM-1 (up to 16) interfaces, most of the functions of GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS Network elements in order to test real pieces of equipment.
More details   LINE SERVER UNIT Version 3

TD-SCDMA had been initially regarded as secondary in the landscape of 3G standards. On the contrary, many are now discovering its advantages. In fact, being the best compromise between GSM and W-CDMA, TD-SCDMA allows 
operators to deliver high voice and data performances, while keeping the investments for infrastructures and terminals on a reasonable level.
These advantages led the Chinese government to officially adopt TD-SCDMA as the standard for 3G mobile operators in the world's potentially largest market for mobile services.

During the last years PRISMA Engineering has been providing test systems for TD-SCDMA. This allowed the company to develop a strong expertise in the standards involved.

PRISMA Engineering is now making another step into the TD-SCDMA technology since it has received an order to develop the software for a TD-SCDMA terminal. Though intended to run initially on a prototype hardware, the system is designed to satisfy the constraints of commercial appliances, namely a small footprint and high performances.

PRISMA Engineering will partecipate as an exhibitor to the "30th International Automation, Instrumentation and Microelectronics Conference and Exhibition" (BIAS) that will be held in Milan (Italy) 19-23 November 2002. BIAS is the reference international event for the involved sectors. PRISMA Engineering will offer its expertise and experience in the development of electronic systems and in particular of test systems for the electronics industry.

PRISMA Engineering S.r.l.
Via Petrocchi 4
20127 Milano



phone: +39 02 26113507 
fax: +39 02 26113597