Introduction to Software Defined Radio,

Cognitive Radio, and the

SDR Forum 12 Oct 2007

Peter G. Cook Secretary, SDR Forum

President, Peter G. Cook Consultancy, Inc. Consultant, HYPRES, Inc.

Software Defined Radio and

Cognitive Radio

A bomb has exploded at a shopping mall

You are with the local fire department and among the first responders on the scene

Chaos surrounds you

Imagine, if you will…

PoliceFireEMS

MobileCommand

Centers

ExplosionScene

Bomb Squad

Bomb Squad Robot and

Control

Triage Area

Among your problems – You need to communicate

The Challenge:

You need a technology that gives you the ability to communicate:

-with whom you need to -how you need to (voice and data)-when you need to

To Answer to These Challenges:

Software Defined Radio (SDR)According to the latest definition recently

coordinated between the IEEE and the SDR Forum, an SDR is:

• Radio in which some or all of the Physical Layer Functions are software-defined

– Software-defined refers to the use of software processing within the radio system or device to implement operating (but not control) functions

– Software for this definition refers to modifiable instructions executed by a programmable processing device

What does that mean?• A radio starts with a pure AC signal

– Voice from the microphone modifies that carrier• Signal power - AM• Frequency - FM

– The resulting complex waveform is amplified, and applied to the antenna

• The receiver– Picks up the very faint signal– Removes the carrier, extracts the voice – Sends the voice to a speaker

HW Radio vs. SDR• A Hardware Radio does all that with hardware:

– inductors, capacitors, amplifiers• A Software Defined Radio is mostly computers:

– Computes the complex waveform– Converts it to analog, delivers it to antenna– Faint signal from antenna is converted to digital – Receiver sees many channels– Computers extract the desired voice or data in real time– Voice is converted to analog, sent to speaker

Software Defined Radio Capabilities

• To change the way the radio works - change the Software– Change channel assignments or the whole

waveform– Provide interoperability– Simple modification, upgrades– Much more robust data handling, security,

error correction

To extend the power of SDR: Cognitive Radio

• Cognitive radios are radios that are aware of their environment and internal state and can make decisions about their radio operating behavior based on that information and predefined objective

• SDR is an enabling technology for Cognitive Radio

Cognitive Radio Definition• The Software Defined Radio Forum has adopted the following

definitions of Cognitive Radio:– a.) Radio in which communication systems are aware of their environment

and internal state and can make decisions about their radio operating behavior based on that information and predefined objectives. …

– b.) Cognitive Radio (as defined in a.) that utilizes Software Defined Radio, Adaptive Radio, and other technologies to automatically adjust its behavior or operations to achieve desired objectives.

Benefits of Cognitive Radio• Optimize use of spectrum• Organize interoperability• Map locations of units, rank candidates for

dispatch (nearest, equipment and training, ready to move)

• Reconfigure networks to meet current needs• Respond to priority structures• Reach hidden nodes

Technology Summary• Software Defined Radio and Cognitive

Radio offer significant opportunities for improving Public Safety operations

• SDRF is very active in concept development and standardization for a variety of applications

Introduction to the SDR Forum

What is the SDR Forum

A nonprofit international industry association dedicated to:

“Promoting the success of next-generation radio technologies”

Today the SDR Forum Represents Over 100 Member Organizations

Government and Non-Profit Organizations Participating in the SDR Forum

SDRF Organization• Three major committees

– Markets• Develop market information• Guide and promote SDRF as an organization• Develop domain-specific technology requirements, use cases, and

business cases– Regulatory

• International Regulatory Advisory Committee• Advise FCC, submit documents• Numerous filings

– Technical• Develop standards and recommendations• Sponsor workshops and Technical Conferences• Serve as a technical resource for government agencies and other

standards and professional organizations • Smart Radio Challenge for academic teams

SDR Forum Significant Events and Accomplishments

• Founded in 1996 under initiative of AF Rome Labs and the SPEAKeasy Software Defined Radio program

• Participation from many government agencies, commercial wireless, vendors,academia, non-profit organizations

• Initially published Technical Report outlining the state of the art– Subsequently generated numerous reports and

recommendations• Initiated development of the Core Framework,

precursor to Software Communication Architecture (SCA) now a JTRS standard

Events and Accomplishments (continued)

• Market Studies– The Cognitive Radio Market– The US Public Safety Market– WiFi, WiMAX, and Beyond– The Cellular Industry– Market Segmentation and Sizing– SDR: Altering the Value Chain

Public Safety Special Interest Group• Public Safety SIG started 2004 - Fred Frantz, chair

– Active participation from Public Safety community including NPSTC, public safety LMR vendors, military technology developers, academic researchers, regulators, and federally funded contract consultants

• Published documents– Reports

• Software Defined Radio Technologies for Public Safety (2006)• Use Cases for Cognitive Applications in Public Safety

Communications Systems Volume 1: Review of the 7 July Bombing of the London Underground (2007)

– Recommendations• Considerations and Recommendations for Software Defined

Radio Technologies for the 700 MHz Public/Private Partnership (2007)

Public Safety SIG (continued)• Workshops

– Industry-Public Safety Symposium on SDR Technology (2003, San Jose)

– Symposium on the Future of Public Safety Communications (2004, Mainz, Germany)

– Public Safety Requirements for Software Defined Radios (2004, Scottsdale)

– Software Defined Radio Technology for Public Safety (2006, Orlando)

Public Safety SIG Ongoing Activities• Cost Model Task Group

– Developing quantitative framework for assessing cost tradeoffs in implementing capabilities using SDR/CR technology

– Developing initial application trade study of adding WiFi & WiMAX capabilities to a land mobile radio

• Cognitive Use Case Task Group– Analyzing use cases for cognitive radio in a scenario

involving a chemical plant explosion and evacuation• Technologies for 700 MHz

– Expanding the initial report to provide more detail how utilization of SDR/CR technology can help meet the collective goals of the 700 MHz public/private partnership

The SDR Forum Addresses Our Programs Through 4 Pillars of Strategy

World Class Technical, Business, and Government Leaders Passionate About Creatinga Revolution in Wireless Communications

Based on Reconfigurable Radio Technologies

The SDR Forum“Promoting the Success of Next Generation Radio Technologies”

Advocacy

We will advocate for our members

with governments,regulators,

standards bodies, and research

sponsors, acting as the voice of the

reconfigurable radio community

OpportunityDevelopment

We will supportour members in identifying new

businessopportunities

and developing new markets

for their products and services

Commercialization

We will facilitatestandards,

certification, anddemonstration

projects that reduce costs (development,

production,operations) and time to market/

time to deployment for SDR and CR

technologies

Education

We will educate both the wireless community and our members

in the state of the art of SDR and CRtechnologies

Technical

Markets

Regulatory

Conclusion• SDRF looks forward to continued

cooperation and interaction with NPSTC and other organizations in the Public Safety Community

• Thank you for the opportunity to join you today

Questions?• For additional information

– SDR Forum website• www.sdrforum.org

– Contact• Peter Cook, Secretary, SDRF

– pgcook@pgcook.com• John Powell, Chair, Board of Directors, SDRF

– jpowell@berkeley.edu• Fred Frantz, Chair, Public Safety SIG, SDRF

– fred.frantz@L-3com.com