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Software DefinedRadio

Jay FlynnSharlene Katz

CREATE MeetingNovember 30, 2007

November 30, 2007 Flynn/Katz - SDR 2

Overview

What is Software Defined Radio (SDR)?

Current and Future SDR Applications

Advantages of SDR

Components of a SDR Development System

Demonstration

Curriculum Issues

November 30, 2007 Flynn/Katz - SDR 3

What is Software DefinedRadio (SDR)?

• A new technology for implementing radio

communications systems

• Art and science of building radios using

software

• Eliminating hardware and moving software as

close to the antenna as possible

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November 30, 2007 Flynn/Katz - SDR 4

Hardware Radio

November 30, 2007 Flynn/Katz - SDR 5

Software Defined Radio

aa

SoftwareAnalog to

DigitalConverter

November 30, 2007 Flynn/Katz - SDR 6

Current SDR Applications

Military Agile, robust and secure communications systems

Radar and Threat detection

Electronic Intelligence (ELINT)

Radio Astronomy

Amateur Radio

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November 30, 2007 Flynn/Katz - SDR 7

Future SDR Applications

Personal Communications Cell phones Wi Fi Entertainment distribution

Public Safety Remote Sensing Communications

Information, graphics Voice

November 30, 2007 Flynn/Katz - SDR 8

Future SDR Applications

Broadcasting Digital Radio

Digital Television

Advantages of SDR

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November 30, 2007 Flynn/Katz - SDR 10

No more standards

Historical Problems with standards Inertia

AM to FM Stereo Broadcasting AM to SSB communications AM to FM communications Black and White to Color Television Analogue Color Television to HDTV AM/FM Analogue to HD radio broadcasting

November 30, 2007 Flynn/Katz - SDR 11

No more standards

Interoperability problem solved Military

Example: Operation Market Garden Public Safety

Example: 9/11

Modes and operation tailored to individualneeds rather than choosing from a fewstandards.

November 30, 2007 Flynn/Katz - SDR 12

Reliability Fewer components = less failures Remote repair/update. No aging. No environmental drift.

Temperature Humidity Vibration

No alignment issues.

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November 30, 2007 Flynn/Katz - SDR 13

The sky’s the limit…

“Smart” radio technology Encoding, processing and decoding not constrained

by component limitations. More efficient use of limited spectrum. Users always have the latest, best implementation. Automated, plug-and-play systems. Features tailored for individual, time-variable

preferences/needs.

November 30, 2007 Flynn/Katz - SDR 14

Components of a SDR System

ADC

FPGA(Decimator,MUX, etc.)

USBController PC

Daughterboard (optional) Motherboard

ProgrammingAcademic Topics: Electronics DSP Digital Design

November 30, 2007 Flynn/Katz - SDR 15

Development Systems

Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP)/ GNU Radio

High Performance Software Defined RadioProject (HPSDR)

Softrock Others…

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November 30, 2007 Flynn/Katz - SDR 16

USRP -Motherboard/Daughterboard

November 30, 2007 Flynn/Katz - SDR 17

GNU Radio Software Community-based project started in 1998 GNU Radio application consists of sources (inputs),

sinks (outputs) and transform blocks Transform blocks: math, filtering,

modulation/demodulation, coding, etc. Sources: USRP, audio, file input, signal generator, … Sinks: USRP, audio, file output, FFT, oscilloscope, … Blocks written in C++ Python scripts used to connect blocks and form

application

November 30, 2007 Flynn/Katz - SDR 18

Example of GNU Radio Code

The following code specifies a channelfilter and computes the coefficients

a

H (dB)

f (KHz)-60

-16 16-9 9-8 8

-0.10

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November 30, 2007 Flynn/Katz - SDR 19

Demonstration

Narrowband FM Receiver AM Broadcast Band Receiver HF Radio File Inputs

November 30, 2007 Flynn/Katz - SDR 20

Effect on Curriculum

How does the introduction of this newtechnology affect the way we educate thetechnicians of the future?

How do we change our curriculum? More emphasis on programming

Concepts of DSP

Questions?