Date: 28th July 2010
ADI collaborates with Xilinx to make the
base station more programmable and flexible
Analog Devices (ADI) has collaborated with FPGA expert
Xilinx to make its radio architecture development platform
easily reprogrammable as per the customer's requirements.
ADI will use Xilinx's Virtex-6 FPGA ML605 (field-programmable
gate array) Evaluation Kit in connecting ADI's RF cellular
base station called MS-DPD board through an industry-standard
VITA-57 FMC connector. FPGA device is used to implement
required radio algorithms leveraging the ADI signal chain
available on the MS-DPD.
ADI's MS-DPD platform includes semiconductor chips such
as AD9122 1.2-GSPS DAC (digital-to-analog converter) and
ADL5375 quadrature modulator. The observation receiver chain
supporting 2G, 3G and emerging 4G wireless protocols include
the AD9230 12-bit, 250-MSPS ADC (analog-to-digital converter).
"In collaboration with Xilinx, customers now have
everything needed to demonstrate the transmit section of
a base station radio," said Martin Cotter, segment
director, Communications Infrastructure, Analog Devices.
"ADI has combined high performance transceiver components
into a single development platform for speeding the evaluation
of critical DPD algorithms running on Xilinx's Virtex-6
ML605 Evaluation Kit. The MS-DPD platform allows our customers
to focus on differentiating their DPD algorithm from their
competitors' solutions."
ADI says its multi-carrier MS-DPD development platform
simplifies component selection and board layout to make
it easier for designers of multi-carrier GSM and multi-standard
SDR (software-defined radio) base stations to develop FPGA-based
DPD algorithms. FPGAs also provide the flexibility to optimize
the solution that competing fixed-function ASICs (application-specific
integrated circuits) cannot, while providing an integrated,
low cost, low power and reliable solution.
"In collaborating with Analog Devices, we have been
able to create a more modular approach to radio development,
leveraging the new industry-standard FMC connectors,"
said Manuel Uhm, director, Wireless Communications Business,
Xilinx. "Customers are able to rapidly evaluate Xilinx's
crest factor reduction (CFR) and DPD algorithms in conjunction
with ADI's high-performance transmitter solutions, saving
considerable engineering time. Furthermore, customers can
leverage the Virtex-6 ML605 FPGA Evaluation Kit and MS-DPD
to develop and evaluate their own IP."
Xilinx has recently announced advanced 28nm FPGA family
called Virtex 7 with nearly 2x performance compared Virtex
6.
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