Power Monitoring for Energy Efficient 5G/6G with OAI and USRP

Application Note Number and Authors

AN-844

Authors

Bharat Agarwal and Neel Pandeya

Executive Summary

Energy efficiency is becoming a critical KPI for 5G-Advanced and 6G systems, especially in Open RAN, AI-driven PHY, and Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) testbeds.

Real-time power monitoring enables:

• Evaluation of baseband processing efficiency
• Measurement of RF front-end power consumption
• AI accelerator energy profiling
• Optimization of system-level energy-per-bit metrics

This application note demonstrates how to implement accurate power monitoring in a 5G/6G testbed using NI measurement hardware and software tools.

Demonstrator Scope and Overview

This demonstrator implements a measurement framework to synchronously monitor and measure power and energy consumption across multiple heterogeneous components of a wireless system.

Syncronized Power Monitoring for Wireless systems using Open-Air-Interface with NI USRP and NI cRIO (*Note: For the demo, the base station prototype is connected to a 5G prototype user terminal which is not shown on the block diagram.) ​

Device Under Test (DUT)

5G/6G Base Station Prototype, consisting of:

• Linux server (baseband processing platform)
• OpenAirInterface (OAI) base station stack
• NI USRP (RF front-end)
• External switchable power amplifier (PA)

1. 3GPP-Aligned Demo Use Case

Energy Savings via Enhanced Cell Sleep Mechanisms

• Demonstrates energy reduction at the base station power amplifier.
• Evaluates increased cell sleep opportunities.
• Quantifies real-time power savings during inactive traffic periods.

2. AI-RAN Demo Use Case

Energy Profiling of AI-Native vs. Traditional Receiver

• Measures energy consumption of:
  • AI-native base station receiver
  • Traditional (e.g., LMMSE-based) receiver

Key Feature of the Measurement Framework

All power and energy measurements are:

• Fully synchronized to a common time grid
• Aligned with the 500 µs slot grid of the 5G NR system

This synchronization enables:

• Slot-level energy analysis
• Accurate correlation between radio activity and power consumption
• Fine-grained energy profiling of PHY processing, RF transmission, and AI inference workloads

Demonstrator System Architecture

The diagram presents a Demonstrator System Architecture used for power‑aware testing of a 5G/6G Base Station Prototype (gNB) and NI USRP. ​

1. 5G/6G Base Station Prototype (gNB)

The DUT includes power sensors (GPU, CPU), a power supply, and an open-source 5G/6G stack from OpenAirInterface. It connects to NI USRP hardware and an external power amplifier. Power channels (AC/DC) are monitored for measurement.

2. NI CompactRIO Power Measurement System

• cRIO Controller 9047 for power calculation and data aggregation
• Measurement modules:
  • NI-9244 — AC voltage (400 Vrms)
  • NI-9238 — AC current (±500 mV)
  • NI-9229 — DC voltage (±60 V)
  • NI-9227 — DC current (5 Arms)
• Collects voltage and current measurements from gNB components

3. NI Data Recording Entity / Server

This Linux server handles:

• System configuration
• Test execution
• Data recording
• Data visualization

All measurement data is stored in a data lake with timestamps and metadata.

4. 5G User Terminal (UE)

The UE runs an open-source 5G stack from OpenAirInterface and communicates with the gNB via NI USRP hardware over a wired or wireless RF channel.

Overall Workflow

The gNB and UE communicate over RF. The CompactRIO system measures power data from the gNB and sends it to the centralized data server for recording and analysis.

Demonstrator Setup

The image shows a real‑world hardware setup corresponding to the demonstrator architecture. The numbered labels in the picture match three major system components. ​

1. Device Under Test (DUT): 5G Base Station

The left side of the setup contains the 5G base station prototype with an external switchable power amplifier. A computing platform equipped with an NVIDIA RTX 4090 GPU runs the 5G gNB software stack. Multiple cables connect the DUT to measurement equipment and RF interfaces.

2. NI cRIO Power Measurement System

The central upper part of the setup features the NI cRIO system with an attached breakout box for sensor connections. This equipment measures voltage, current, and power consumption from the DUT and forwards the data to the recording server.

3. Data Recording Entity

The central lower section includes the NI Data Recording Entity, responsible for data orchestration, logging, aggregation, and visualization. A monitor above shows dashboards and measurement results.

5G User Terminal (UE)

On the right side is the 5G User Terminal (UE), which acts as the RF counterpart to the DUT. It connects through RF interfaces for 5G communication testing.

5G Sub‑System Demo Configuration (gNB + UE)

1. Wireless Scenario

• Single link between one gNB and one UE
• Wired RF connection
• No interference from:
  • Neighboring cells
  • Other UEs

Operating Band

• NR Band: n78

Waveform & Numerology

• Subcarrier Spacing (SCS): 30 kHz
• Waveform: CP‑OFDM
• Channel Bandwidth: 40 MHz
• Maximum PRBs: 106

3. Downlink (DL) Scheduling

• Scheduled DL PRBs:
  • 20 PRBs
  • 80 PRBs
• Switch interval: Every 10 frames

4. Uplink (UL) Scheduling

• Scheduled UL PRBs: 6 (kept low to ensure gNB Neural Rx real‑time performance)
• UL transmission bandwidth: ~2.16 MHz

5. TDD Configuration

DL/UL periodicity: 5 ms

TDD Slot & Symbol Structure

Parameter	Value
nrofDownlinkSlots	7
nrofDownlinkSymbols	6
nrofUplinkSlots	2
nrofUplinkSymbols	4

6. PUSCH Configuration

• Mapping type: B
• PUSCH duration: 13 OFDM symbols
• DMRS configuration:
  • Type 1
  • dmrs-AdditionalPosition = pos2
  • DMRS positions: Symbols 0, 5, 11

Hardware System Block Diagram Explanation

The diagram shows a full hardware setup for a 5G/6G research testbed. ​

1. OAI Base Station (gNB) – Linux Server 1

This server runs the OpenAirInterface gNB software stack. It includes an NVIDIA RTX 4000 GPU and connects to a USRP X410 via high-bandwidth 4×25 GbE (QSFP28 to 4×SFP28). RF paths pass through 20 dB attenuators and HDMI breakout connectors.

2. OAI Soft User Terminal (UE) – Linux Server 2

This subsystem runs the OAI software UE. It connects to another USRP X410 using dual-port 25 GbE NICs and the same 4×25 GbE optical links.

3. USRP X410 Radios

Two USRP X410 SDR units are used—one for the gNB and one for the UE. They interface via optical fiber and RF lines routed through attenuation and power amplification modules.

4. Data Recording – Linux Server 3

This server includes quad-port 10 GbE NICs and 10/25 GbE SFP28 links for capturing IQ, logs, and network traffic. USB-A to USB-C serial connections provide PA control. It exchanges control and logging data via 1GE Ethernet.

5. Fast Switching Power Amplifier

A Skyworks SKY67154 fast-switching PA is shown between RF attenuation blocks. It provides controlled RF gain for more realistic testing scenarios.

6. RF Attenuators and Breakout Hardware

The RF path includes multiple fixed 20 dB attenuators and adjustable 15–20 dB attenuators. HDMI breakout connectors are used for additional RF signal routing and measurement.

7. High-Speed NICs and Optical Links

The system uses QSFP28 to 4×SFP28 breakout cables, 10/25 GbE NICs, and quad-port NICs to transport high-rate IQ and control messages between servers and USRPs.

Power Monitoring Demonstrator – Materials Summary

The Power Monitoring Demonstrator integrates high‑performance servers, SDR radios, RF components, and NI measurement hardware to evaluate and monitor the power consumed during wireless 5G/6G operation. Servers provide compute and networking, USRPs generate and receive RF signals, and the cRIO system captures accurate AC/DC measurements. RF attenuators, cables, and accessories ensure safe and controlled signal flow during operation.

Equipment	Type	Quantity
Server	Dell Precision 5860 Tower	3
Network Card (10GbE SFP+)	Intel X710 Quad Port 10GbE SFP+ Adapter	1
Eth Cable (SFP+)	10G Eth Cable SFP+ 2m	2
SFP-to-RJ45 Adapter	SFP 1 Gigabit Ethernet Interface Kit / FCLF8522P2BTL	1
Network Card (25GbE SFP28)	Mellanox NIC 2×1/10/25GbE SFP28 (MCX512A-ACAT)	4
QSFP28 → 4×SFP28 Cable	NVIDIA MCP7F00-A003R26N 100GbE to 4×25GbE, 3m or NI QSFP28→4×SFP28 Breakout (PN 788214-01)	2
NVIDIA GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition	1
Extra GPU Power Cable	COMeap 10‑pin to 8‑pin PCIe Cable (not required for Dell 5860)	1
NI USRP	USRP X410	2
External Clock + PPS Source	OctoClock‑G CDA‑2990	1
cRIO Power Measurement System	cRIO 9047 + NI 9238, NI‑9244, NI‑9229, NI‑9227 modules	1
RF Cables	SMA(M)‑to‑SMA(M) RF Cables (1m)	7
20 dB RF Attenuators	SMA‑F to SMA‑M Attenuators	2
10 dB RF Attenuators	SMA‑F to SMA‑M Attenuators	2
Switchable Power Amplifier	Skyworks PA SKY67154	1
AC Current Clamps	Magnelab SCT‑0750‑020	2
HDMI Breakout Connector	19‑pin HDMI Terminal Block Adapter	1
USB‑C to USB‑A Cable	Standard	1
Network Switch (Optional)	4+ Ethernet Ports (for demo / remote access)	1
1G Ethernet Cables	Standard	4

RF and Network Connections Overview

The diagram shows a RF and Network Connections Overview. ​

System Overview

This testbed implements a complete 5G NR gNB ↔ UE link in a wired back-to-back configuration using Open Air Interface (OAI) software. Three Linux servers handle baseband processing, user terminal emulation, and data recording respectively. Two USRP X410 units serve as the RF front-ends, connected through attenuators and a fast-switching power amplifier.

Hardware Components

Linux Server 1 - OAI Base Station

• Runs the OAI gNB 5G NR stack
• Equipped with Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU for real-time baseband acceleration (LDPC, FFT, channel estimation)
• Connected to USRP X410 via 4×25GbE QSFP28 → 4×SFP28 breakout cable
• Controls the Fast Switching PA via HDMI breakout connector + GPIO wires

Linux Server 2 - OAI Soft User Terminal (UE)

• Runs the OAI UE software stack (soft user terminal)
• Mirror configuration to Server 1
• Connected to USRP X410 via 4×25GbE QSFP28 → 4×SFP28 breakout cable

Linux Server 3 — Data Recording

• Central logging, packet capture, and experiment orchestration server
• Connects to both Server 1 and Server 2 via 10/25GbE SFP28 or 10GbE SFP+
• Connects to auxiliary small chassis via 1GbE and USB-A → USB-C serial

USRP X410 (×2)

• NI/Ettus Software Defined Radio units acting as the RF front-end
• One unit per server (gNB side and UE side)
• I/Q samples streamed over high-speed SFP28 links

Fast Switching PA — Skyworks SKY67154

• Wideband GaAs power amplifier on a custom breakout PCB
• GPIO-controlled via HDMI breakout from Server 1
• Enables TDD-synchronized TX/RX switching aligned to 5G NR slot timing

Attenuators

Position	Value	Purpose
gNB TX output	20 dB	Prevent USRP X410 TX overdrive
PA output (DL)	15–20 dB	Protect UE-side USRP RX input
UE TX output (UL)	20 dB	Protect gNB-side USRP RX input

NI cRIO (CompactRIO)

Connected to Server 3 via 1GbE (192.168.120.2) and USB-C serial console. The NI cRIO acts as a real-time embedded controller used for low-latency hardware control, timing synchronization, and auxiliary I/O management within the testbed.

Network Interfaces

Server 1 ↔ Server 3 (Management / Data)

Parameter	Value
Server 1 IP	192.168.100.2
Server 3 IP	192.168.100.1
Link Type	10/25GbE SFP28 or 10GbE SFP+

Server 2 ↔ Server 3 (Management / Data)

Parameter	Value
Server 2 IP	192.168.110.2
Server 3 IP	192.168.110.1
Link Type	10/25GbE SFP28 or 10GbE SFP+

Server 1 ↔ USRP X410 (Fronthaul)

Parameter	Value
Server 1 IPs	192.168.10.2 / 192.168.11.2
USRP X410 IPs	192.168.10.1 / 192.168.11.1
Link Type	4×25GbE QSFP28 → 4×SFP28

Server 2 ↔ USRP X410 (Fronthaul)

Parameter	Value
Server 2 IPs	192.168.10.2 / 192.168.11.2
USRP X410 IPs	192.168.10.1 / 192.168.11.1
Link Type	4×25GbE QSFP28 → 4×SFP28

Server 3 ↔ NI cRIO

Parameter	Value
Server 3 IP	192.168.120.1
NI cRIO IP	192.168.120.2
Link Type	1GbE + USB-A → USB-C Serial

RF Signal Chain

Downlink (gNB TX → UE RX)

USRP X410 (Server 1)
    │
    ▼
20 dB Attenuator
    │
    ▼
Fast Switching PA (Skyworks SKY67154)
    │
    ▼
15–20 dB Attenuator
    │
    ▼
USRP X410 (Server 2)

Uplink (UE TX → gNB RX)

USRP X410 (Server 2)
    │
    ▼
20 dB Attenuator
    │
    ▼
USRP X410 (Server 1)

Note: The Fast Switching PA is only in the downlink path. The HDMI breakout connector carries GPIO control signals from Server 1 to enable time-synchronized PA switching per 5G TDD frame structure.

IP Address Reference

Device	Interface	IP Address
Server 1	To Server 3	192.168.100.2
Server 1	To USRP P1	192.168.10.2
Server 1	To USRP P2	192.168.11.2
Server 2	To Server 3	192.168.110.2
Server 2	To USRP P1	192.168.10.2
Server 2	To USRP P2	192.168.11.2
Server 3	To Server 1	192.168.100.1
Server 3	To Server 2	192.168.110.1
Server 3	To NI cRIO	192.168.120.1
USRP X410 (gNB)	P1	192.168.10.1
USRP X410 (gNB)	P2	192.168.11.1
USRP X410 (UE)	P1	192.168.10.1
USRP X410 (UE)	P2	192.168.11.1
NI cRIO	To Server 3	192.168.120.2

Power Measurement and PA Control Connections

The diagram shows the Power Measurement and PA Control Connections. ​

Power Measurement & PA Control Connections

This section describes the power measurement setup and PA control wiring used in the 5G NR testbed, including DC/AC measurement modules installed in the NI cRIO chassis and the PA enable signal from the USRP X410.

System Components

Component	Description
Base Station Server	Main compute server running the OAI gNB stack
RU (USRP X410)	Radio Unit providing RF front-end and PA enable GPIO via HDMI breakout
Fast Switching PA Fixture	Skyworks SKY67154 PA board receiving V_EN control signal and DC supply
NI cRIO Chassis	CompactRIO hosting measurement modules for DC and AC power monitoring
Main Power Supply	AC mains supply powering the gNB and RU equipment
cRIO DC Supply	24V / 5A dedicated DC supply for the NI cRIO chassis
5V USB Power Supply	5V supply for the Fast Switching PA Fixture (V_DD)

NI cRIO Measurement Modules

Module	Type	Channel	Wiring
NI 9227	DC PA Current	Ch0	According to current flow: 0+ to 0−
NI 9229	DC PA Voltage	Ch0	red − 0+ / black − 0−
NI 9238	AC Current	gNB − ch0 / RU − ch1	White − 0+ / Black − 0−
NI 9244	AC Voltage	L1, N	AC Voltage measurement

PA Enable Control (HDMI Breakout)

The USRP X410 (RU) controls the Fast Switching PA via the HDMI breakout connector. The GPIO pins carry the PA enable signal synchronized to the 5G TDD frame timing.

HDMI Pin	Signal	Wire Color	Description
Pin 17	GND	Black	Ground reference
Pin 16	V_EN	Red	3.3V PA enable signal

Note: The signal is labeled GPIB HDMI PA enable in the diagram. The V_EN line switches the PA on/off in sync with gNB TX/RX slot timing.

Power Supply Connections

Supply	Voltage / Current	Powers	Connection
Main Power Supply	AC Mains	Base Station Server + RU (USRP X410)	To AC Power Supply (×2 outputs)
cRIO DC Supply	24V / 5A	NI cRIO Chassis	Direct DC wiring to cRIO
5V USB Power Supply	5V	Fast Switching PA Fixture (V_DD)	Red (+) / Black (−) wiring to PA board

AC Power & Measurement Wiring

AC power is distributed from the Main Power Supply via a green wire bus to:

• The NI cRIO chassis (via NI 9244 AC Voltage module — L1, N)
• The NI 9238 AC Current module measuring current drawn by gNB (ch0) and RU (ch1)

The cRIO ground and AC Current sense lines are connected at the cRIO chassis as indicated by the blue arrow in the diagram.

Signal Flow Summary

AC Mains
    │
    ├──► Main Power Supply ──► Base Station Server
    │                     └──► RU (USRP X410)
    │
    ├──► NI 9244 (AC Voltage: L1, N)
    ├──► NI 9238 (AC Current: gNB ch0, RU ch1)
    │
    └──► cRIO DC Supply (24V/5A) ──► NI cRIO Chassis

RU (USRP X410)
    │
    └──► HDMI Breakout (Pin16: V_EN 3.3V, Pin17: GND)
              │
              └──► Fast Switching PA Fixture (PA Enable)

5V USB Power Supply
    │
    └──► Fast Switching PA Fixture (V_DD)

NI cRIO
    ├──► NI 9227: DC PA Current (Ch0)
    ├──► NI 9229: DC PA Voltage (Ch0)
    ├──► NI 9238: AC Current (gNB ch0 / RU ch1)
    └──► NI 9244: AC Voltage (L1, N)

3. Software Installation

This section covers the software installation for all four entities in the testbed. For OAI gNB with Neural Rx and OAI UE, the installation follows the existing Application Note AN-829. The sections below provide direct references to the relevant steps in that document, along with the additional installation procedures for the NI cRIO and the Data Recording Server.

#	Entity	Host	Reference
1	OAI gNB with Neural Rx	Linux Server 1	AN-829 — Ettus KB
2	OAI UE	Linux Server 2	AN-829 — Ettus KB
3	NI cRIO	CompactRIO Chassis	See Section 3.3 below
4	Data Recording Server	Linux Server 3	See Section 3.4 below

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3.1 OAI gNB with Neural Rx (Linux Server 1)

The OAI gNB software installation on Server 1 follows the procedure described in the existing Ettus Knowledge Base Application Note AN-829: 5G OAI Neural Receiver Testbed with USRP X410.

The relevant sections to follow are listed below in order.

Step	Section in AN-829	Description
1	Power Management and BIOS Settings	Disable C-states, Hyper-Threading; enable SpeedStep and Turbo Boost
2	High-Speed Ethernet Configuration	Set MTU=9000, socket buffers, ring buffers for SFP28 interfaces
3	NVIDIA CUDA Drivers	Install Nvidia driver 535 + CUDA 12.2 on Ubuntu 22.04
4	TensorFlow 2.14 + TensorRT + TF C-API	Install TF 2.14 in Python venv, install TF C-API to /usr/local/lib
5	UHD 4.8.0.0	Build and install UHD from source; download USRP images
6	OAI gNB Source Code	Clone NI repository branch; comment out UHD re-install in build script
7	Neural Receiver Library	Build libtest_inference.a and call_test_inference.o
8	gNB and USRP Configuration	Set USRP IP addresses and clock source in .conf file
9	FlexRIC	Build FlexRIC with SWIG 4.1 and GCC 10/12
10	xApp gRPC Service	Build xAppTechDemo library and gRPC server interface

Note: Server 1 requires the Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU. Ensure the GPU is installed before beginning the CUDA driver installation step.

---

3.2 OAI UE (Linux Server 2)

The OAI Soft UE software installation on Server 2 also follows AN-829. Server 2 does not require GPU acceleration or the Neural Receiver library.

The relevant sections to follow are listed below in order.

Step	Section in AN-829	Description
1	Power Management and BIOS Settings	Same BIOS optimizations as Server 1
2	High-Speed Ethernet Configuration	MTU=9000 and socket buffer tuning for SFP28 interfaces
3	UHD 4.8.0.0	Build and install UHD from source (same as gNB side)
4	OAI UE Source Code	Clone NI UE repository; comment out UHD re-install in build script
5	Build OAI Soft UE	Build with --nrUE -w USRP flags
6	OAI UE Configuration	Set IMSI, key, OPC, DNN in ue.conf

Note: Server 2 does not require TensorFlow, CUDA, or the Neural Receiver library. A lower-performance GPU (e.g., RTX 4060) may be installed but is not required for UE operation.

---

3.3 NI cRIO Software Installation

The NI CompactRIO (cRIO) is used for real-time power measurement and PA control. It runs a LabVIEW Real-Time application deployed from NI MAX or the LabVIEW IDE.

3.3.1 Prerequisites

Software	Version	Notes
NI-RIO Driver	2023 Q4 or later	Required for cRIO communication
LabVIEW Real-Time Module	2023 or later	Deployed to cRIO chassis
NI-DAQmx	2023 or later	Required for NI 9227, 9229, 9238, 9244 modules
NI MAX (Measurement & Automation Explorer)	Latest	Used to configure IP and deploy RT application

3.3.2 Network Configuration

Configure the cRIO IP address using NI MAX:

1. Connect the cRIO to Server 3 via 1GbE cable.
2. Open NI MAX on Server 3.
3. Navigate to Remote Systems → locate the cRIO device.
4. Set the IP address to 192.168.120.2, subnet 255.255.255.0.
5. Set the gateway to 192.168.120.1 (Server 3).
6. Apply and reboot the cRIO.

Verify connectivity from Server 3:

ping 192.168.120.2

3.3.3 Module Slot Assignment

Verify that the following NI C Series modules are installed in the correct chassis slots and recognized in NI MAX:

Slot	Module	Function
Slot 1	NI 9227	DC PA Current measurement (Ch0)
Slot 2	NI 9229	DC PA Voltage measurement (Ch0)
Slot 3	NI 9238	AC Current measurement (gNB ch0, RU ch1)
Slot 4	NI 9244	AC Voltage measurement (L1, N)

3.3.4 LabVIEW RT Application Deployment

1. Open the cRIO LabVIEW RT project in LabVIEW on Server 3.
2. Right-click the cRIO target → Connect.
3. Right-click the RT application VI → Deploy.
4. Set the application to Run at Startup for autonomous operation.
5. Verify the deployment via NI MAX → Software tab on the cRIO target.

3.3.5 Serial Console Verification

Verify the USB serial connection between Server 3 and the cRIO:

ls /dev/ttyUSB*

The cRIO serial console should appear as /dev/ttyUSB0 or similar. Connect using:

sudo screen /dev/ttyUSB0 115200

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3.4 Data Recording Server Installation (Linux Server 3)

Server 3 acts as the central data recording and experiment orchestration node. It requires network configuration, data capture tools, and connection management for both the compute servers and the NI cRIO.

3.4.1 Operating System

Parameter	Value
OS	Ubuntu 22.04.5 LTS
Kernel	6.5.0-44-generic or later
Installation type	Bare-metal (no VM)

3.4.2 Network Interface Configuration

Configure all interfaces with static IP addresses. Edit the Netplan configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/netplan/01-netcfg.yaml

Example configuration:

network:
  version: 2
  ethernets:
    enp<server1_iface>:
      addresses: [192.168.100.1/24]
    enp<server2_iface>:
      addresses: [192.168.110.1/24]
    enp<crio_iface>:
      addresses: [192.168.120.1/24]

Apply the configuration:

sudo netplan apply

Verify connectivity to all nodes:

ping 192.168.100.2   # Server 1
ping 192.168.110.2   # Server 2
ping 192.168.120.2   # NI cRIO

3.4.3 Required Software Packages

Install the following packages:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y python3 python3-pip wireshark tcpdump \
    net-tools openssh-server screen git

Install Python dependencies for data recording scripts:

pip3 install numpy pandas matplotlib scipy

3.4.4 Packet Capture Setup

Verify that Wireshark or tcpdump can capture on the relevant interfaces:

sudo tcpdump -i enp<server1_iface> -w /data/capture_gnb.pcap

Ensure the /data directory has sufficient storage for experiment recordings.

3.4.5 SSH Access Configuration

Enable passwordless SSH from Server 3 to Server 1 and Server 2 for automated experiment orchestration:

ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096
ssh-copy-id [email protected]   # Server 1
ssh-copy-id [email protected]   # Server 2

---

3.5 Software Installation Summary

Entity	Server	OS	Key SW Components	GPU Required
OAI gNB + Neural Rx	Server 1	Ubuntu 22.04.5	UHD 4.8, CUDA 12.2, TF 2.14, OAI gNB, FlexRIC, xApp	Yes — RTX 4090
OAI UE	Server 2	Ubuntu 22.04.5	UHD 4.8, OAI nrUE	Optional
NI cRIO	cRIO Chassis	NI Linux Real-Time	NI-RIO, NI-DAQmx, LabVIEW RT App	No
Data Recording	Server 3	Ubuntu 22.04.5	Python 3, Wireshark, tcpdump, SSH	No

3.3 NI cRIO Software Installation

The NI CompactRIO (cRIO-9047) supports two installation methods for the Python-based gRPC server software: an automated deployment script (recommended) and a manual installation procedure. Both methods are described below.

For more details on general cRIO hardware setup, refer to the Getting Started with CompactRIO Hardware and LabVIEW guide.

---

3.3.1 cRIO System Preparation

1. Download and install NI CompactRIO driver version 2025 Q1 from the NI CompactRIO Download page.
2. Download and install Base Image 2025 Q1 from the NI Linux RT System Image Download page.
3. In NI MAX, do step 4 up to Base Image installation — select Linux RT System Image 2025 Q1 (Version 25.0.0).
4. After the automatic cRIO reboot, you will be asked to select a programming environment. Choose Other (…, Python, etc.).
5. Keep the default software selections and click Continue.

Note: If you encounter issues setting the password, finalize the software installation first and set the password afterwards.

After completing these steps, NI MAX should show the cRIO target with the following software installed under the Software tab:

Software Component	Version
Linux RT System Image 2025 Q1	25.0.0
CompactRIO Support	25.0.0
NI System Configuration	25.0.0
NI-DAQmx	25.0.0
NI-RIO Server	25.0.0
NI-VISA	25.0.0
NI Sync	25.0.0
SystemLink Client	25.0.0

And the following C Series modules should appear under the cRIO chassis:

Slot	Module	Assigned Name
1	NI 9227	NI-9227
2	NI 9229	NI-9229
3	NI 9238	NI-9238
4	NI 9244	NI-9244

Output of NI MAX. ​

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3.3.2 Firmware Update

If a firmware update is required, update to version 24.5.0f133-x64.

The firmware file is located at:

Firmware File Location

To update via NI MAX:

1. Select the cRIO target in the left panel (e.g., NI-cRIO-9047-Dev1).
2. In the System Settings panel on the right, verify the current Firmware Version.
3. Click Update Firmware and follow the on-screen instructions.
4. Verify the Operating System shows: NI Linux Real-Time x64 6.1.119-rt45
5. Verify Status shows: Connected - Running

Firmware Update. ​

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3.3.3 Rename C Series Modules in NI MAX

The module names are used by the Python RT implementation to identify modules based on a JSON configuration file. Rename each module in NI MAX as follows:

1. In NI MAX, expand the cRIO chassis node to show the installed modules.
2. Right-click each module → Rename.
3. Set the names exactly as shown in the table below.

Slot	Module	Required Name
1	NI 9227	NI-9227
2	NI 9229	NI-9229
3	NI 9238	NI-9238
4	NI 9244	NI-9244

To verify the module settings, click on each module in NI MAX and confirm:

• Program Mode: Real-Time (NI-DAQmx)
• Status: Present

NI MAX — cRIO-9047 C Series Module Rename (NI 9244 in Slot 4, Program Mode: Real-Time NI-DAQmx). ​

---

3.3.4 Network Adapter and User Settings

Network Configuration

To change IP settings in NI MAX:

1. Select the cRIO target → Network Settings tab.
2. Under Ethernet Adapter eth0 (Primary), configure:

Parameter	Value
Adapter Mode	TCP/IP Network
Configure IPv4 Address	Static (or DHCP or Link Local)
IPv4 Address	192.168.120.2
Subnet Mask	255.255.255.0
Gateway	192.168.120.1
DNS Server	172.22.86.10 (or as required)

Note: eth1 and usb0 adapters can remain at default 0.0.0.0 settings unless additional interfaces are needed.

NI MAX — cRIO-9047 Network Adapter Settings showing eth0 (Primary) configured with IPv4 address 10.94.17.30, eth1 and usb0 set to DHCP or Link Local

User / Password Settings

To set the administrator password, click Set Permissions in NI MAX toolbar:

Field	Value
Old password	<keep empty>
New password	admin
Confirm password	admin

Click OK and reboot the cRIO to apply.

NI MAX — cRIO-9047 User Settings: Change Administrator Password via "Set Permissions" (Leave Old Password Empty, Set New Password to "admin")

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3.3.5 Prepare cRIO Python Environment

Before installing the Python software, prepare the directory structure and locale settings on the cRIO.

Get the Software Packages

Obtain the following Python wheel files from the repository:

Package	Source
crio_grpc_shared	Internal repo or external .whl file
crio_grpc_server	Internal repo or external .whl file
crio_grpc_client	Internal repo (host PC only)

Dependencies are managed via poetry for consistent version management. For more details refer to: support_lti_6g_sw/power_monitoring/crio/python/README.md — "General" section.

Create Directory Structure on cRIO

SSH into the cRIO and create the required directories:

ssh admin@<ip address of crio>
mkdir crio_python
mkdir crio_python/installers
exit

Fix Locale Settings

Incorrect locale settings can cause DAQmx errors. Fix this as follows.

Optionally install nano on the cRIO:

opkg update
opkg install nano

Edit the bashrc file:

nano ~/.bashrc

Add the following two lines at the bottom:

export LC_ALL=en_US.UTF-8
export LANG=en_US.UTF-8

Save with Ctrl+S, exit with Ctrl+X, then restart the shell or reboot the cRIO.

Note: VS Code can be used to connect via SSH for file editing and copying. However, VS Code versions above 1.98.2 may have issues with SSH connections to the cRIO. See the Remote Development FAQ for details.

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3.3.6 Install cRIO Python Software

Two installation methods are available: automated script (recommended) or manual.

Method A: Automated Deployment Script (Recommended)

Open the deployment script on the Host PC:

support_lti_6g_sw/power_monitoring/crio/python/deploy_crio_server.sh

Edit the configuration section at the top of the script to match your setup:

# Configuration
CRIO_HOST="192.168.120.2"   # Update with your cRIO's IP address or hostname
CRIO_USER="admin"
CRIO_INSTALL_DIR="/home/admin/crio_python/installers"
CRIO_VENV="/home/admin/crio_python/.venv"

# Directories
BASE_DIR="/home/user/workarea/oai/lti-6g-sw_oai-5g-ran/support_lti_6g_sw/power_monitoring/crio/python"
SHARED_DIR="${BASE_DIR}/crio_grpc_shared"
SERVER_DIR="${BASE_DIR}/crio_grpc_server"

Run the script:

./deploy_crio_server.sh

The script will automatically:

• Build the Python packages
• Connect to the cRIO via SSH
• Install all required packages into the virtual environment

deploy_crio_server.sh — Script Configuration Variables (CRIO_HOST, CRIO_USER, CRIO_INSTALL_DIR, CRIO_VENV, BASE_DIR, SHARED_DIR, SERVER_DIR)

Method B: Manual Installation

Step 1: Copy the Python wheel files from the Host PC to the cRIO via SCP:

scp -r <path>\crio_grpc_shared-0.1.1-py3-none-any.whl admin@<IP-address>:~/crio_python/installers
scp -r <path>\crio_grpc_server-0.1.1-py3-none-any.whl admin@<IP-address>:~/crio_python/installers

Step 2: SSH into the cRIO:

ssh admin@<ip address of crio>

Step 3: Install dependencies and Python packages:

opkg install python3-pip
python3 -m venv ~/crio_python/.venv
cd crio_python/
source .venv/bin/activate
python3 -m pip install installers/crio_grpc_shared-0.1.1-py3-none-any.whl
python3 -m pip install installers/crio_grpc_server-0.1.1-py3-none-any.whl

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3.3.7 Run the gRPC Server on the cRIO

Two options are available to start the gRPC server on the cRIO.

Option 1: Run Manually from Virtual Environment

ssh admin@<ip address of crio>
cd /home/admin/crio_python
source .venv/bin/activate
python3 .venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/crio_grpc_server/energy_efficiency_grpc_server.py --device_type CRIO --log_level INFO

Option 2: Startup Script

Copy the startup script to the cRIO:

scp -r <path>\startup_crio.sh admin@<IP-address>:~/

The startup script content is as follows:

#!/bin/bash
cd /home/admin/crio_python
source .venv/bin/activate
exec python3 .venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/crio_grpc_server/energy_efficiency_grpc_server.py --device_type CRIO --log_level INFO

Run the startup script:

cd /home/admin/
./startup_crio.sh

A successful startup will show the following log output:

INFO - Initializing CRIO gRPC server...
INFO - Establishing connection to CRIO device...
INFO - Initializing CRIO gRPC server...
INFO - Configuring...
INFO - Finished processing state IDLE exit callbacks.
INFO - Finished processing state IDLE enter callbacks.
INFO - Configuring...
INFO - Executed callback '__reset_and_configure_measurement__'
INFO - Server started, listening on 2032

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3.3.8 Install gRPC Client on Host PC

The gRPC client runs on the Host PC (Server 3) and communicates with the cRIO gRPC server.

Prerequisites: Python 3.11 or later (verified with 3.12).

Step 1: Prepare the Python virtual environment on the Host PC:

python -m venv  <path>\crio\.venv
cd <path>\crio\.venv
.\.venv\Scripts\activate
python -m pip install .\crio_grpc_shared-0.1.1-py3-none-any.whl
python -m pip install .\crio_grpc_client-0.1.1-py3-none-any.whl

Step 2: Copy the installed example scripts to your project folder:

.venv\Lib\site-packages\crio_grpc_client\energy_efficiency_grpc_client_basicExample.py
.venv\Lib\site-packages\crio_grpc_client\energy_efficiency_grpc_client_basicVisualizationExample.ipynb

Step 3: Set the cRIO IP address in the example scripts:

grpc_target = "192.168.120.2:2032"

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3.3.9 Verify: Run Example Measurement gRPC Client

With the gRPC server running on the cRIO, run the Jupyter notebook example on the Host PC:

energy_efficiency_grpc_client_basicVisualizationExample.ipynb

This can be opened using:

• Visual Studio Code with the Python virtual environment activated
• Jupyter web server

A successful run will produce a real-time power measurement plot showing:

Trace	Color	Measured Entity
rf_pa_power (mW)	Blue	Power Amplifier (PA)
server_power_total	Red	gNB Server
ru_power_total	Green	USRP (RU)

The plot displays power in Watts over time (seconds), with the PA showing TDD burst patterns and the server and USRP showing stable DC power consumption levels. ​

3.4 Data Recording Server Installation (Linux Server 3)

Server 3 acts as the central data recording and experiment orchestration node. It collects power measurements from the NI cRIO, the gNB server internal sensors, and the USRP X410 embedded sensor via USB serial connection.

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3.4.1 Get the Software

On the Data Recording Server, create the working directory:

mkdir -p /home/user/workarea/oai/
cd /home/user/workarea/oai/

Obtain the NI internal OAI software package using one of the following methods:

Internal: Use the identifier name ni-internal-oai-5g-ran to locate the repository path in the given table.

External: Extract the provided ZIP or TAR file:

If ZIP file:

unzip ni-internal-oai-5g-ran.zip -d /home/user/workarea/oai/

If TAR file:

tar -xvf ni-internal-oai-5g-ran.tar -C /home/user/workarea/oai/

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3.4.2 Install Software Requirements

Navigate to the data recording application directory:

cd /home/user/workarea/oai/ni-internal-oai-5g-ran/support_lti_6g_sw/data_recording_app

Install Poetry for proper Python dependency management (Python 3.12.12):

For Poetry installation instructions, refer to the README:

ni-internal-oai-5g-ran/support_lti_6g_sw/data_recording_app/README_INSTALL_Poetry.md

Install required packages via Poetry:

poetry install

Activate the virtual environment:

. .venv/bin/activate

Note: To get USRP power measurement you may encounter a permission error on the serial port. Instead of running with sudo, grant your user permission to access the serial port:

sudo usermod -aG dialout $(whoami)
sudo usermod -aG dialout $USER

Log out and back in for the group change to take effect.

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3.4.3 Base Station Server — CPU and GPU Power Measurement Packages

On Linux Server 1 (Base Station Server), install the following additional packages to enable CPU and GPU power reading by the data recording application:

To read CPU Power:

sudo apt-get install msr-tools

To read GPU Power:

sudo pip install nvidia-ml-py3

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3.4.4 Updating Dependencies

If a new package has been added to the cRIO or Data Recording API, update the Poetry configuration files (pyproject.toml and poetry.lock).

Step 1: Run the dependency merge script from anywhere in the repository:

python3 support_lti_6g_sw/data_recording_app/create_common_toml_file_DR.py

This script automatically merges dependencies from:

• cRIO gRPC client: power_monitoring/crio/python/crio_grpc_client/
• Data Recording application: data_recording_app/

Step 2: Update the lock file and reinstall dependencies:

cd support_lti_6g_sw/data_recording_app/
poetry lock
poetry install

Note: Update the default_sources and default_output paths in create_common_toml_file_DR.py to match your directory structure:

default_sources = [
    "/home/user/workarea/oai/ni-internal-oai-5g-ran/support_lti_6g_sw/power_monitoring/crio/python/crio_grpc_client/pyproject.toml",
    "/home/user/workarea/oai/ni-internal-oai-5g-ran/support_lti_6g_sw/data_recording_app/data_recording_pyproject.toml",
]

default_output = "/home/user/workarea/oai/ni-internal-oai-5g-ran/support_lti_6g_sw/data_recording_app/pyproject.toml"

---

3.4.5 Get the USRP Serial Connection ID

The data recording application reads power measurements from the USRP X410 embedded sensor via a USB serial connection. Follow the steps below to identify the correct serial connection ID.

Prerequisites:

• Ensure the base station USRP X410 and the Data Recording Server are both powered on.
• Ensure the USB-C to USB-A cable between the USRP X410 and Server 3 is connected

as described in the Network Connections section.

Step 1: Log in to the Data Recording Server and open a terminal.

Step 2: Run the following command to list USB serial devices:

ls /dev/serial/by-id

The output will look similar to this (exact names may differ by OS version):

usb-Digilent_Digilent_USB_Device_2516353B3AD9-ifO0-port0
usb-Digilent_Digilent_USB_Device_2516353B3AD9-ifO2-port0
usb-Digilent_Digilent_USB_Device_2516353B3AD9-ifO1-port0
usb-Digilent_Digilent_USB_Device_2516353B3AD9-ifO3-port0

Step 3: Identify the entry with postfix if03. The alphanumeric string before the postfix is the required serial connection ID.

In the example above, the serial connection ID is: 2516353B3AD9

Step 4: Copy this ID into the JSON data recording configuration file under power_measurement_service_addresses → usrp_sensors:

"power_measurement_service_addresses": {
    "base_station": {
        "server_internal_sensors": "192.168.100.2:2031",
        "crio_sensors": "192.168.120.2:2032",
        "usrp_sensors": "2516353B3AD9"
    }
}

3.4.6 Troubleshooting: USB Port Busy

If the USB port is busy and cannot be accessed by the data recording application, use one of the following methods to free it:

Option 1: Find and kill the process using the USB port:

lsof | grep /dev/ttyUSB

Kill the process:

fuser -k /dev/ttyUSB0

Replace ttyUSB0 with the actual device name shown in the output.

Option 2: Use lsusb to find the USB device UID:PID and reset it:

lsusb

Identify the USRP entry (e.g., 0403:6011 Future Technology Devices International), then run:

sudo usbreset 0403:6011

This resets the USB device without requiring a system reboot.

3.4.7 Synchronized Data Recording Configuration

The data recording application uses a JSON configuration file to control synchronized 5G NR data capture and power monitoring.

The config file is located at:

/home/user/workarea/oai/ni-internal-oai-5g-ran/support_lti_6g_sw/data_recording_app/config/config_data_recording_local_mode_5g_nr_and_pow_meas.json

Configuration Parameters

Parameter	Description
enable_power_monitoring	Enable the power monitoring service
enable_nr_messages_power_meas_data_sync	Enable sync between 5G NR messages/traces and power measurements (based on slot and frame IDs). Requires at least one server internal sensor — CPU or GPU — to be enabled
enable_multi_sources_power_meas_data_sync	Enable sync between server internal power measurements and external cRIO power measurements based on timestamps. Note: USRP sensor measurements are not synchronized due to high latency (~160 ms per measurement request)
data	Path to directory for data storage
data_file_format	File format for saved data (e.g., SigMF)
enable_saving_tracer_messages_sigmf	Enable saving OAI trace messages (5G NR data + metadata) in SigMF format
enable_saving_power_meas_json	Enable saving power measurements in JSON file
num_records	Number of requested data records (slots)
power_supply_frequency	Power network frequency in Hz (50.0 or 60.0)
t_tracer_message_definition_file	Path to T-Tracer message definition file
parameter_map_file	Parameter mapping dictionary (OAI params → standardized SigMF metadata)
start_frame_number	Starting 5G NR frame number for recording

Base Station Configuration

Parameter	Description
requested_tracer_messages	Requested base station data traces: GNB_PHY_UL_FD_PUSCH_IQ, GNB_PHY_UL_FD_DMRS, GNB_PHY_UL_FD_CHAN_EST_DMRS_POS, GNB_PHY_UL_PAYLOAD_RX_BITS
server_internal_sensors	Server internal power sensors: gpu_power, cpu_power, cpu_usage, cpu_usage:nr-softmodem
crio_sensors	cRIO power sensors: rf_pa_power, server_power_total, ru_power_total
usrp_sensors	USRP power sensors: usrp_power_total
meta_data	Additional fixed base station parameters included in SigMF metadata (e.g., num_tx_antennas, tx_gain, hw_type: "USRP X410", seid)

User Equipment (UE) Configuration

Parameter	Description
requested_tracer_messages	Requested UE data traces: UE_PHY_UL_SCRAMBLED_TX_BITS, UE_PHY_UL_PAYLOAD_TX_BITS
server_internal_sensors	UE-side server internal sensors (empty by default)
crio_sensors	UE-side cRIO sensors (empty by default)
usrp_sensors	UE-side USRP sensors (empty by default)
meta_data	Additional fixed UE parameters for SigMF metadata (e.g., num_rx_antennas, rx_gain, hw_type: "USRP X410", seid)

Common Metadata and Network Configuration

Parameter	Description
common_meta_data	Shared metadata: sample_rate: 61440000.0, bandwidth: 40000000.0, clock_reference: "external"
ricAddress	RIC address: 192.168.100.2:5000
tracer_service_baseStation_address	T-Tracer address for base station: 192.168.100.2:2031
tracer_service_userEquipment_address	T-Tracer address for UE: 192.168.110.2:2031
power_measurement_service_addresses → base_station → server_internal_sensors	192.168.100.2:2031
power_measurement_service_addresses → base_station → crio_sensors	192.168.120.2:2032
power_measurement_service_addresses → base_station → usrp_sensors	USRP serial connection ID (e.g., 2516353274B01) — see Section 3.4.5

Note: The mapping between power measurements and cRIO channels is currently hardcoded. Configurable channel selection will be added in a future release.

3.4.8 Sync Service: Configuration Explanation

The Data Recording application uses a Data Sync Service to align 5G NR trace messages with power measurements across multiple sources. The diagram below explains the two sync stages and how they are controlled by the config file parameters.

Sync Architecture Overview

The Data Sync Service has two independent sync stages, both feeding into a Final Sync Info that is used to read slot-synchronized data sets from buffers.

Sync Stage	Config Parameter	Description
Sync 5G NR Messages (UE and gNB)	Always enabled	Synchronizes gNB T-Tracer and UE T-Tracer data streams based on common SFN (System Frame Number) and Slot IDs
Sync 5G NR MSGs with Power Measurements	enable_nr_messages_power_meas_data_sync	Aligns the synchronized 5G NR messages with server internal power measurements based on SFN and slot metadata
Power Measurement Multi-Source Sync	enable_multi_sources_power_meas_data_sync	Synchronizes Server PWR Reader and NI cRIO PWR Reader based on system timestamps (with time offset compensation)

Note: The slot-based sync process is not applied to USRP power sensor measurements. USRP measurements are received via serial connection only approximately every 160 ms, which is not compatible with the 500 µs slot periodicity.

Sync Info Example 1: First Common SFN and Slot IDs (gNB and UE Traces)

The sync service identifies the first common SFN and slot ID across gNB and UE T-Tracer streams. Rows highlighted in yellow are discarded; the first matching row (green) becomes the sync point.

gNB Traces	UE Traces
SFN3, slot 3	SFN3, slot 6
SFN3, slot 2	SFN3, slot 5
SNF3, slot 1	SFN3, slot 4
SNF3, slot 0	SFN3, slot 3
SNF2, slot 19	SFN3, slot 2

Sync Info Example 2: First Common SFN and Slot IDs (gNB & UE Traces vs Internal Server POW MEAS)

After synchronizing gNB and UE traces, the result is further aligned with internal server power measurements based on SFN and slot metadata.

gNB & UE Traces	POW MEAS based on Internal Server Metadata
SFN3, slot 7	SFN3, slot 10
SFN3, slot 6	SFN3, slot 9
SFN3, slot 5	SFN3, slot 8
SFN3, slot 4	SFN3, slot 7
SFN3, slot 3	SFN3, slot 6

Sync Info Example 3: First Common Timestamp (Internal Server vs cRIO POW MEAS)

The multi-source power measurement sync aligns internal server measurements with NI cRIO measurements using system timestamps (with time offset compensation). Highlighted rows are discarded until the first common timestamp is found.

Internal Server POW MEAS	cRIO POW MEAS
SFN3, slot 7, t_INTR_xx+500us, data	t_cRIO_xx+2000us, data
SFN3, slot 6, t_INTR_xx, data	t_cRIO_xx+1500us, data
SNF3, slot 5, t_INTR_xx-500us, data	t_cRIO_xx+1000us, data
SNF3, slot 4, t_INTR_xx-1000us, data	t_cRIO_xx+500us, data
SNF2, slot 3, t_INTR_xx-1500us, data	t_cRIO_xx, data

Legend: Green = First common sync point (kept) Yellow = Discarded data subsets per Sync Info