Lattice Semiconductor and Affarii Technologies have demonstrated the industry’s lowest cost, low power Remote Radio Head (RRH) solution at 1300mW per antenna. The integration of all RRH processing has been achieved on a single LatticeECP3-150 device. The single chip solution supports 2x2 MIMO configurations for WCDMA, LTE and WiMAX applications and is part of an overall RRH hardware evaluation platform jointly
developed by Lattice and Affarii. The platform is comprised of the RF front-end, high-speed
data conversion devices and the digital signal processing portion. The functionality of the full
signal path package includes DDC/DUC, DPD, CFR and CPRI IP cores, supports multi-carrier
waveforms up to 20MHz bandwidth and is compatible with Class AB and Doherty amplifiers
using LDMOS and GaN transistors.
All features of this RRH solution, both hardware and soft IP, are fully integrated and supported by Lattice’s latest generation of design tools.
The RRH solution is built using Affarii’s digitalTRX technology that includes Digital Up/Down Converter (DUC/DDC), Crest Factor Reduction (CFR) and Digital Pre-Distortion (DPD) functionality. When used with industry standard Doherty amplifiers the Digital Pre- distortion solution provides up to 30dB of ACLR correction with PA output efficiencies exceeding 40%, allowing flexible and efficient RRH designs. The solution is fully customizable, with end applications including WCDMA, LTE, WiMAX, and DVB-T/S/H.
The RRH solution is supported by a development and test environment that includes GUI-based design simulation, performance analysis and a production test API with design examples.
Deighted to see Pace moving into second place in the league table of leading set-top box suppliers, according to Screen Digest. The Yorkshire comnpany has overtaken Technicolor, formerly the Thomson set-top division, to be behind Motorola. The figures were published ahead of Pace’s annual results on Tuesday.
“Growth across the overall set-top box market for pay TV has been driven by two factors: higher volume in emerging markets; and a tendency toward more complex product," said Screen Digest technology analyst Tom Morrod. “Positioning with key operators in growth regions and a strong portfolio of HD and PVR devices are both key to success in the future market. In a large part we see traditional vendors leveraging this kind of expertise to reduce the fragmentation of the set-top box industry and expand market share.”
This comes after the purchase of Phillips’ Set-Top Boxes and Connectivity Solutions businesses in December 2007, adding contracts from the Canal+ Group and BT Vision.
... as it acquires French IP box supplier
French IPTV leaders add enhanced gateway capability to Pace’s converged digital TV offering
Pace France has signed a conditional agreement to acquire Bewan Systems SA, the Paris-based IP and cable gateways specialist. The consideration for the acquisition, part of which is subject to achievement of earn out targets, will be payable in cash and will not exceed €12.5 million. The transaction is expected to be completed during the second quarter of 2010.
Bewan’s residential gateway capabilities – including expertise in xDSL and cable DOCSIS 3.0 IP connectivity technologies - will combine with Pace’s existing gateway business, enabling Pace to offer converged gateway and digital TV solutions to payTV customers. Additionally, the strong relationships Bewan has with several customers in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East will further widen Pace’s growing global presence.
Neil Gaydon, Chief Executive Officer, Pace said; “Pace’s vision is to become a world leader in converged digital TV entertainment. As payTV operators develop converged home entertainment services, advanced residential gateways will become increasingly important - both as standalone devices and integrated into set-top box products that drive whole home networks.
“Bewan will further diversify the Pace Group’s technology and product offering, helping deliver on our convergence vision. Bewan’s management team has built a successful, innovative business; its technologies, intellectual property, excellent products and highly skilled engineering teams, in combination with our business, will further reinforce our IP connectivity capabilities.”
Pace already has an excellent pedigree in IP connectivity; Pace’s hybrid devices include the Le Cube box for French operator, CANAL+ - Europe’s first satellite / IP hybrid set-top box to use the Ethernet port for video-on-demand (VOD) services - and a hybrid HD PVR for Viasat in Scandinavia and the Baltics. Pace has also developed both set-top boxes for the UK’s BT Vision service, including the recently launched Vision+. Pace has demonstrated early leadership in the nascent convergence market – our Home Content Sharing product in the US was the first commercially available platform of its type.
Eric Teissandier, Chief Executive Officer, Bewan, commented; “Pace has built a very successful global business, with an enviable track record of delivering technologically advanced products to many of the world’s payTV operators. Bewan’s know-how will further enable Pace to offer a compelling converged gateway proposition to the market; we’re excited about becoming part of it.”
HD image signal processors combine image signal conditioning circuitry, a 14-bit ADC, and precision timing core for medical, industrial and scientific designs
As medical, industrial and scientific markets increasingly adopt high-definition (HD) image acquisition systems, designers of such systems must confront a host of signal-processing complexities in order to accurately capture and record high-resolution images. Analog Devices (ADI) has developed two high-performance, highly integrated 14-bit HD image signal processors: the 75 MSPS dual-channel AD9978A--the industry’s fastest-- and the 72 MSPS quad-channel ADDI7004. These single-chip solutions enable designers to create multi-channel CCD (charge-coupled device) or CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) HD image acquisition systems that can deliver the degree of clarity, visibility and accuracy needed for today’s high-resolution requirements. Many leading manufacturers of digital still cameras, camcorders, scanners and other imaging systems depend on Analog Devices to deliver the highest performance products with the lowest power dissipation available. Analog Devices’ 75 MSPS dual-channel AD9978A and 72 MSPS quad-channel ADDI7004 HD image signal processors enable the high-resolution, high-speed sampling of signals from advanced image sensors, while consuming very little power—280 mW (milliwatts) and 530 mW, respectively. “Until today, high-performance imaging system designers were forced to use multiple high-power components to sample image signals at HD rates,” said Stuart Boyd, product line director, Digital Imaging Systems at Analog Devices. “By integrating high-performance signal conditioning circuitry, a 14-bit data converter, and a precision timing core into a single HD image acquisition solution, designers can achieve an unequalled combination of speed and accuracy in high-speed, high-resolution digital imaging systems, while eliminating the power dissipation limitations that restrict portability and increase design cost.”
Accurate and Sharp HD Images for High-speed Applications
The AD9978A and ADDI7004 devices extend Analog Devices’ family of AD997x image signal processors for high-speed digital imaging applications. Each channel integrates a complete AFE comprising a black-level clamp, a CDS (correlated double sampler), a 1bit VGA, and a 14bit ADC. Analog Devices’ Precision Timing core provides adjustments for the CDS and SHA (sample-and-hold amplifier) clocks with 210ps resolution at 75 MHz (ADD9978A) and 217 ps at 72 MHz (ADDI7004). The AD9978A and ADDI7004 also contain a reduced range LVDS (low-voltage differential signaling) interface for the image-data outputs to increase performance and reduce EMI issues. The power consumption of each device is proportional to its sampling frequency. Both high-resolution image signal processors support designers’ efforts to standardize their image sensor interface designs across multiple platforms, eliminating the need to change or add additional components and reducing overall system cost across several models. Additionally, the AD9978A offers pin-for-pin compatibility with the industry-standard AD9978 14-bit CCD signal processor, enabling designers to easily change existing designs to deliver high-end performance. The dual channel AD9978A costs $25.32 while the quad channel ADDI7004 costs $48.12.
Modular development platform helps save months of development time through rapid prototyping and tool re-use
Freescale Semiconductor has launched a rapid evaluation and prototyping development system with two interchangeable peripheral modules and 8- and 32-bit microcontroller (MCU) modules for the Tower System. The advanced peripheral modules offer developers 802.11b Wi-Fi and rapid prototyping functionality while the newest MCU modules support Freescale’s MCF5225X 32-bit ColdFire MCU and MC9S08LL64 8-bit MCU. "With the addition of these advanced modules for Freescale’s Tower System, we are providing designers, students and hobbyists an affordable development system that’s modular and expandable,” said Aiden Mitchell, director of Freescale’s Industrial & Multi-Market Microcontroller business. “The Tower system, in conjunction with Freescale MQX software, is the ultimate enablement solution – giving designers an array of building blocks for entry-level to advanced processor development and helping speed time to market.” The Tower System provides a comprehensive and highly customisable embedded design environment that allows developers to mix and match MCU and peripheral boards to create reconfigurable development platforms that suit their design needs. Interchangeable modules promote reuse of hardware across multiple architectures, which helps speed time to market. The modular design scales down overall tool costs, while providing an inexpensive entry point.
Advanced MCU modules
The Tower System now supports two advanced microcontroller modules: the TWR-MCF5225X and the TWR-S08LL64, featuring the ColdFire V2 MCF5225X MCU and the 8-bit MC9S08LL64 MCU, respectively. These modules can be combined with various peripheral modules to form a unique Tower System development tool or used as standalone debug tools. The TWR-MCF5225X offers a powerful and flexible industrial connectivity solution with on-chip USB, Ethernet, controller area network (CAN) and encryption, along with the Freescale MQX real time operating system and associated tools and software stacks. The 8-bit MC9S08LL64 MCU includes an on-chip LCD driver that supports up to eight backplanes, enabling developers to drive more segments with fewer pins, reducing system cost and design complexity. The S08LL family supports an LCD blink mode that operates without waking up the controller core, which helps reduce overall power consumption. These advanced modules complement the previously announced TWR-MCF51CN Ethernet MCU module.
WiFi peripheral modules
The Wi-Fi module (TWR-ZGWIFI) adds 802.11b Wi-Fi functionality to the Tower System and includes the ZeroG Systems ZG2100 Wi-Fi I/O module and antenna, as well as configuration jumpers and an RS232 debug port. The embedded Wi-Fi module from ZeroG is optimised for embedded applications, with low data rates, power consumption and system resource requirements. The TWR-ZGWIFI module is FCC-certified and offers seamless integration with Freescale’s MQX software solution. With this module, developers can easily add Wi-Fi connectivity and run sample applications using the kit in less than a few hours. The prototyping module (TWR-PROTO) allows designers to quickly add custom circuitry and build custom prototype boards with application-specific features. With ample perfboard area, this cost-effective module is ideal for hardware development and testing during system design. These two peripheral modules complement the previously announced serial module (TWR-SER), supporting Ethernet, USB, RS232, RS485 and CAN, and elevator modules (TWR-ELEV) that connect the MCU and peripheral boards. The Tower System’s easy-to-use, modular design helps customers control tool costs, from simple concept testing to full product development. A single MCU/MPU module serves as the main control board. Modules simply plug into backplane boards, called “elevators,” through standard PCB edge connectors. Peripheral board re-use eliminates the need to buy and develop redundant hardware, which reduces future costs. In addition, the MCU modules include open-source background debug mode (OSBDM) hardware, allowing each board to serve as a standalone debug tool. Tower modules are currently available for MCF51CN, MCF5225X and MC9S08LL64 MCUs. In future months, Freescale and its partners plan to provide Tower System support for additional embedded devices, including other ColdFire MCUs, 8-bit MCUs and digital signal controllers (DSCs). * The TWR-MCF5225X MCU module is available for a suggested resale price of $49 * The TWR-S08LL64 MCU module is available for a suggested resale price of $69 * The TWR-ZGWIFI and TWR-PROTO modules are available now for a suggested resale price of $59 and $14.99, respectively. * The TWR-MCF5225X-KIT includes the TWR-SER and TWR-ELEV modules and is available for a suggested resale price of $119. * The TWR-S08LL64-KIT includes the TWR-PROTO and TWR-ELEV modules and is available for a suggested resale price of $99.
With a low power digital signal processor, Texas Instruments has managed to develop a development kit in a USB stick which drops the cost of a full-featured emulator and integrated development platform down to $49. This enables rapid creation of DSP applications including portable audio players, voice recorders, IP phones, portable medical devices, biometric USB keys, software defined radios (SDRs), hands-free headsets and metering applications. At this extremely low price point, it is the industry’s lowest cost DSP tool, making development accessible to existing and potential customers, hobbyists, researchers and students. The TMS320VC5505 eZdsp USB stick development tool simplifies development by providing integrated features such as an on-board XDS100 emulator and on-board audio codec and connectors. Taking advantage of the energy efficient C5505 DSP, the eZdsp requires no other components or cables allowing the entire development tool to be powered by the USB port. Designers simply plug into the USB port of any laptop or workstation for hassle-free development and a simple out-of-the-box experience. It is based on the C5505 processor, the industry’s lowest power 16-bit DSP with active power consuming less than 0.15 mW/MHz and standby power less than 0.15 mW. An on-board audio codec and connectors allow developers to evaluate many features of the C5505 processor and quickly optimize complex DSP algorithms in terms of performance and power consumption across a variety of design scenarios, and an extension connector allows developers to design and directly connect to daughter cards suitable for their application. The C5505 eZdsp USB stick development tool is available now $49, which includes a full XDS100 emulator and a target version of the CCStudio v.4 software. Special incentives are available for educators, university students and developers actively participating in TI’s online community.
The single chip solution supports 2x2 MIMO configurations for WCDMA, LTE and WiMAX applications and is part of an overall RRH hardware evaluation platform jointly
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