Cost-efficient software defined radio platform for multi-carrier and multi-mode applications

A new hardware platform for multi-carrier and multi-mode applications is presented, providing a fully digital solution up to the first intermediate frequency (IF) at around 80 MHz. It has been designed as a research and development platform for future wireless ad hoc networks with inherent quality-of-service measures, i.e. fourth generation networks and beyond (4G+). Because of its software configurable nature, it is not only suitable for 4G, but it is also capable of carrier-processing for second and third generation networks, such as GSM/EDGE and UMTS. The proposed solution is quite flexible, powerful and yet cost-effective. A wide-spread general purpose digital signal processor (DSP) assisted by field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) plus dedicated transmit and receive signal processors work at the transceiver's core.