DSP-based architectures for mobile communications: past, present and future

Programmable DSPs are pervasive in the wireless handset market for digital cellular telephony. We present the argument that DSPs will continue to play a dominant, and in fact increasing, role in wireless communications devices by looking at the history of DSP use in digital telephony, examining the DSP-based solution options for today's standards, and looking at future trends in low-power DSPs.