An 8-user UMTS channel unit processor for 3GPP base station applications

We present a multi-user W-CDMA baseband channel unit processor ASIC for cellular base station applications. The ASIC is compliant with the 3GPP/UMTS standard and exceeds 3GPP minimum requirements for high-speed data by 2.1 to 6.35 dB. It supports up to 8 users simultaneously, with a mix of voice and data services and a maximum uplink data rate of 384 kbps. The ASIC implements preamble detection, searching, RAKE-finger demodulation, channel coding/decoding for voice and data services, and transmission functions. It is coupled to a DSP to form a complete channel element for 8 users. The ASIC has 1.88 M gates plus 2.7 Mbits of SRAM in a 0.16 /spl mu/m CMOS process at 61.44 MHz.