# Presentation: 922821

## Software RadioEnabling Dynamic Spectrum Management

## Vanu, Inc. Background

- History
- Founded September ‘98
- Spin-off from MIT SpectrumWare project
- Building software radios since 1994
- Core Strengths
- 7 year's experience implementing software radios
- Staff: 5 PhD’s, 20 engineers
- Software engineering, waveform software, system design
- Core Technology Developed
- Technology is mature for:
-  **infrastructure and public safety markets**

**Notes:**

History
(follow bullets)

Our mission is...

We have expertise in software radio system design and prototype construction, and we leverage this expertise to assist our customers in building software radios, which creates a  market for our software.

## Outline

- Where are we going ?
- The future of wireless communications
- Software radio is the enabling technology
- Where are we now ?
- Tremendous progress over the last 10 years
- What are the next steps ?

## Hardware Radio
Separate devices for different functions
Any fix or upgrade needs a hardware change

- Separate devices for different functions
- Any fix or upgrade needs a hardware change

- The Ideal Software Radio

- Software Radio
- One device for many functions
- Upgrade through software change

**Notes:**

Today we have hardware based wireless devices, such as digital cell phones, analog cell phones, wireless network adapters, cordless home phones, walkie-talkies and garage door openers.

Since each of these devices is built with a dedicated hardware chip, there is nothing you can do turn you cell phone into your cordless phone, wireless network adapter or walkie-talkie.

Software radio more all of the signal processing out of hardware and into software, this enables a single wireless device to be reprogrammed to operate with any wireless system.

## Software Radio + Remote Antennas

- Extended Coverage
- Shared Infrastructure
- Better Spectrum Utilization
- Future Proofing
- Lower Capital Cost
- New Revenue sources

- Fiber or cable backbone

- Software Radio
- Cluster

## Dynamic Spectrum Utilization

## Benefits

- Better Spectrum Utilization
- System optimized to current channel conditions, user requirements and network traffic
- Dynamic Spectrum Optimization
- Make spectrum a commodity
- Should be able to sublicense portions as needed
- Use is a function of demand, not regulation
- Adapts to regional and time sensitive requirements
- Enable priority access
- Faster Technology Tracking
- New services and signal processing are software upgrades
- Leads to new revenue and even better spectrum utilization

## Outline

- Where are we going ?
- The future of wireless communications
- Software radio is the enabling technology
- Where are we now ?
- Tremendous progress over the last 10 years
- What are the next steps ?

## Evolution of Software Radio

- Dual-mode
- cell phone

- Modal SDR
- Software controls and configures the radio
- ASIC or analog hardware

**Notes:**
Just because there is software in a radio doesn’t mean it’s a software radio. Many radios today use software to implement some of the processing. However, this software does not give you the ability to change modes or download new standards, is simply was the way they chose to implement their processing.

In a software defined radio, the software can control and configure the radio.A simple example of a software radio is a dual mode cell phone. A dual mode cell phone has two hardware chips in it, one for each standard that it supports. Software determines which standard needs to be run, and directs the radio signals to the correct chip. While an SDR provides the flexibility to switch between modes that were build in to the radio, you do not necessarily have the ability to download new waveforms.

A software radio is a type of SDR that allows you to download new waveforms. This is achieved by implementing all of the processing in software, so that any of the radio functions can be changed by replacing the software. A software radio is a type of SDR, since software controls and configures the radio, but a software radio maximizes flexibility by implementing all of the processing in software.

## Evolution of Software Radio

- Dual-mode
- cell phone

- Modal SDR
- Software controls and configures the radio
- ASIC or analog hardware

- Reconfigurable SDR
- All signal processing reconfigurable
- Significant use of FPGA or assembly code

- SpeakEasy
- AirNet

**Notes:**
Just because there is software in a radio doesn’t mean it’s a software radio. Many radios today use software to implement some of the processing. However, this software does not give you the ability to change modes or download new standards, is simply was the way they chose to implement their processing.

In a software defined radio, the software can control and configure the radio.A simple example of a software radio is a dual mode cell phone. A dual mode cell phone has two hardware chips in it, one for each standard that it supports. Software determines which standard needs to be run, and directs the radio signals to the correct chip. While an SDR provides the flexibility to switch between modes that were build in to the radio, you do not necessarily have the ability to download new waveforms.

A software radio is a type of SDR that allows you to download new waveforms. This is achieved by implementing all of the processing in software, so that any of the radio functions can be changed by replacing the software. A software radio is a type of SDR, since software controls and configures the radio, but a software radio maximizes flexibility by implementing all of the processing in software.

## Evolution of Software Radio

- Dual-mode
- cell phone

- Modal SDR
- Software controls and configures the radio
- ASIC or analog hardware

- Reconfigurable SDR
- All signal processing reconfigurable
- Significant use of FPGA or assembly code

- SpeakEasy
- AirNet

- Software Radio (SWR)
- Takes advantage of Moore’s Law
- Portable programs

- Vanu

**Notes:**
Just because there is software in a radio doesn’t mean it’s a software radio. Many radios today use software to implement some of the processing. However, this software does not give you the ability to change modes or download new standards, is simply was the way they chose to implement their processing.

In a software defined radio, the software can control and configure the radio.A simple example of a software radio is a dual mode cell phone. A dual mode cell phone has two hardware chips in it, one for each standard that it supports. Software determines which standard needs to be run, and directs the radio signals to the correct chip. While an SDR provides the flexibility to switch between modes that were build in to the radio, you do not necessarily have the ability to download new waveforms.

A software radio is a type of SDR that allows you to download new waveforms. This is achieved by implementing all of the processing in software, so that any of the radio functions can be changed by replacing the software. A software radio is a type of SDR, since software controls and configures the radio, but a software radio maximizes flexibility by implementing all of the processing in software.

## Software Radio Phase Space

- Source: Mitola, Joseph. “Software Radio Architecture: A Mathematical Perspective”, *IEEE JSAC*, April 1999.

- A:  HF STR-2000
- B:  COTS Handset
- C:  SWR Cell Site
- D:  SPEAKeasy II
- V:  Vanu, Inc. Software Radio
- X:  Ideal Software Radio

## State Of Software Radio

- Technology is mature for infrastructure
- Basestations
- Public safety
- Wireless LAN/MAN/last mile
- Demonstrated capability at CTIA
- Cellular Handsets are 3-5 years away
- Power dissipation constraint
- Applicable to lower battery like markets today
- e.g. law enforcement, vehicular

## Outline

- Where are we going ?
- The future of wireless communications
- Software radio is the enabling technology
- Where are we now ?
- Tremendous progress over the last 10 years
- What are the next steps ?

## Next Steps

- SDR Rulemaking  is a great start
- Spectrum licensing needs to be less static
- SDR device approval needs to expand to include over the air upgrades

## Dynamic Spectrum

- Secondary markets would be a good first step
- Allows some ability to adapt
- Long term goal:
- Commodity spectrum market
- Computerized market maker
- Authorized traders
- Need to meet non-interference regualtions
- Support smaller geographic blocks
- Real-time bids
- Acquire spectrum for the region and time required

## SDR Waveform Downloads

- Essential to realize the benefits
- Spectrum efficiency
- Technology tracking
- Platform certification
- Insure no harmful interference, even with malicious software
- Radiate under power limitations
- Within allowed bandwidth
- Cannot theoretically guarantee correct functionality
- Can guarantee that it does NOT do certain harmful things

## Summary

- Software Radio will enable
- Better spectrum utilization
- Faster technology tracking
- New markets and uses for wireless
- Tremendous progress in the last decade
- Technology ready for infrastructure today
- Handsets coming fast
- Regulation
- Off to a good start with SDR rule making
- Next steps:
- More dynamic spectrum allocation
- Downloadable waveform upgrades