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A hardware emulator testbed for a software-defined radio.
Author(s)
Witkowsky, Jason
Date Issued
2003
Type
Thesis
Publisher
Peninsula Technikon
Abstract
Contemporary software-defined radio (SDR) is continuously changing and challenging
the way traditional RF systems operate. Having more of a radio system’s operation in
software enables further flexibility through the use of software manipulation. Due to
practical limitations, however, it is not always feasible to have the entire radio system’s
operations performed using software. Practical limitations, therefore, require that a SDR
employs some form of RF front-end in order to interface the antenna signals and the
signals prior to the data converters.
As technology grows in support of SDR development, this hardware interface is becoming
increasingly smaller. The problem with the rapid rate at which SDR developments are
occurring is that RF hardware needs to change accordingly. Therefore, the RF hardware
front-end can be seen as a non-standardised piece of equipment. To the designer, this
means having to prototype in hardware in order to experiment with various types of SDR
hardware front-ends.
One of a SDR’s main attractions is the inherent property of software testability. Taking
this fact into account, this thesis investigates the design and operation of a basic softwaredriven
RF front-end emulator for a SDR. Basic prototype software models are identified
and developed in order to test their performance within the emulator. The focus of the
thesis, however, is geared toward the development of a software architecture that enables
a high degree of interchangeability amongst the underlying modelled components.
In the case of a SDR, the advantage of prototyping in software is in predicting the
behaviour of a system prior to having to perform any physical developments. This property
of software testability in the emulator can only fully be appreciated if a bench-mark
system is used to evaluate the overall performance of the emulator. Therefore, a physical
hardware setup is performed in order to test the basic aspects of the emulators operation.
This evaluation is not meant as an exhaustive analysis of the emulator, but aims to highlight
the overall performance of the emulated system against a typical physical system
setup.
the way traditional RF systems operate. Having more of a radio system’s operation in
software enables further flexibility through the use of software manipulation. Due to
practical limitations, however, it is not always feasible to have the entire radio system’s
operations performed using software. Practical limitations, therefore, require that a SDR
employs some form of RF front-end in order to interface the antenna signals and the
signals prior to the data converters.
As technology grows in support of SDR development, this hardware interface is becoming
increasingly smaller. The problem with the rapid rate at which SDR developments are
occurring is that RF hardware needs to change accordingly. Therefore, the RF hardware
front-end can be seen as a non-standardised piece of equipment. To the designer, this
means having to prototype in hardware in order to experiment with various types of SDR
hardware front-ends.
One of a SDR’s main attractions is the inherent property of software testability. Taking
this fact into account, this thesis investigates the design and operation of a basic softwaredriven
RF front-end emulator for a SDR. Basic prototype software models are identified
and developed in order to test their performance within the emulator. The focus of the
thesis, however, is geared toward the development of a software architecture that enables
a high degree of interchangeability amongst the underlying modelled components.
In the case of a SDR, the advantage of prototyping in software is in predicting the
behaviour of a system prior to having to perform any physical developments. This property
of software testability in the emulator can only fully be appreciated if a bench-mark
system is used to evaluate the overall performance of the emulator. Therefore, a physical
hardware setup is performed in order to test the basic aspects of the emulators operation.
This evaluation is not meant as an exhaustive analysis of the emulator, but aims to highlight
the overall performance of the emulated system against a typical physical system
setup.
Additional information
Thesis (MTech (Electrical Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2003
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