Press Release
PR2020159

Greater Connectedness in Remote Areas: A Ka-band Transceiverfor Satellite Communications
Tokyo and Yokohama, August 4, 2020 --- Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology andSocionext Inc. have developed a novel transceiver for enabling seamless communication
between earth ground platforms and satellites in the low, middle, and geostationary earth
orbits. Among other things, this transceiver could bring Internet to people in remote rural
areas and at sea.
We live in the information age, where communications technologies have reachedunprecedented levels of advancement. Yet, bringing connectivity to remote locations, such as
rural areas or the open sea, remains difficult. Satellite communication (SATCOM) is an
attractive option for providing data links to such places; but for effective SATCOM, the rightequipment must exist both in space and here on Earth.
At the forefront of research to achieve superior SATCOM are scientists from Prof Kenichi
Okada’s lab at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech), who have developed a noveltransceiver [1] for SATCOM using standard CMOS [2] technology. This transceiver operates inthe “Ka band,” which, for SATCOM, means a 27–31 GHz frequency range for uplink (ground tosatellite) and 17–21 GHz range for downlink (satellite to ground).
Their design carries a variety of features that make it stand out from the competition. On thetransmitter (TX) side, a high-quality-factor transformer is employed to achieve efficient power
use and high linearity in transmission, which results in lower distortion during transmission.
The receiver (RX) side features a dual-channel architecture that unlocks several capabilities.
First, having two RX channels allows for receiving signals from two satellites simultaneously.
These signals are received in parallel using either two independent polarization modes or twodifferent frequencies. In addition, the proposed design can perform adjacent-channelinterference cancellation; that is, the “contamination” on a signal received in one channel byanother signal on an adjacent frequency band is eliminated using information received at theother channel. This strategy increases the dynamic range of the system, thus allowing it tooperate correctly even in less-than-ideal scenarios with stronger noise and interference.
Both the TX and RX perform direct conversion of a signal; that is, the TX directly converts abaseband signal [3] into a modulated signal [4] and the RX performs the inverse process
without additional intermediate frequency conversions, unlike the more commonly used

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superheterodyne receivers. This makes the overall complexity, size, and power consumption of
the transceiver considerably lower.
The scientists created a prototype chip to test the actual performance of their design whenusing all the modulation schemes regulated by the SATCOM DVB-S2X standard. This includes
high-order modulation techniques like 64 APSK [5] and 256 APSK, which provide fast datarates.
The performance test results are very promising, especially when compared with otherexisting SATCOM transceivers, putting this developed novel design on the map. Prof Okadaremarks, “Our paper presents the first Ka-band SATCOM transceiver implemented using
standard CMOS technology and designed for an earth ground platform communication withgeostationary and low Earth orbit satellites.”
These orbits are at 35,786 km and 200–2,000 km, respectively. Communicating with satellites
that far away from a 3 mm by 3 mm chip is certainly no simple feat.
For years, Prof Okada’s lab has been developing various types of state-of-the-art transceivers
for next-generation technology, including 5G applications, Internet-of-Things-enabled devices,and low-power Bluetooth communications. This latest transceiver is another piece in thepuzzle of enabling seamless worldwide connectedness. “Satellite communication has become akey technology for providing interactive TV and broadband internet services in low-density
rural areas. Implementing Ka-band communications using silicon—CMOS technology inparticular—is a promising solution owing to the potential for global coverage at low cost andusing the wide available bandwidth,” Prof Okada says.
Let us hope that the efforts of these Tokyo Tech researchers help more people benefit frominstant communication in the current information era.

Technical Terms[1] Transceiver: A device capable of transmitting and receiving signals[2] CMOS: Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor; a modern type of fabrication process
for transistors widely used for highly integrated circuitry[3] Baseband signal: A signal in its “pure” form at its original frequency, without modulation[4] Modulated signal: An encoded signal that carries all the information of a baseband
signal, usually at a higher frequency so as to make it easier to transmit[5] APSK: Amplitude and phase shift keying; a modulation technique where a baseband
signal is encoded in both the phase and amplitude of a carrier signal

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ReferenceAuthors:

Yun Wang1, Dongwon You1, Xi Fu1, Takeshi Nakamura1, Ashbir Aviat Fadila1,Teruki Someya1, Atsuhiro Kawaguchi1, Jian Pang1, Kiyoshi Yanagisawa1,
Bangan Liu1, Yuncheng Zhang1, Haosheng Zhang1, Rui Wu1, Atsushi Shirane1,Shunichiro Masaki2, Daisuke Yamazaki2, Kenichi Okada1
Title of original paper: A CMOS Ka-Band SATCOM Transceiver with ACI-Cancellation
Enhanced Dual-Channel Low-NF Wide-Dynamic-Range RX andHigh-Linearity TX
Conference:IEEE Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits Symposium 2020 — RFIC2020
1Affiliations:
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Tokyo Institute ofTechnology
2Socionext*Corresponding author’s email: okada@ee.e.titech.ac.jp

Figure 1. Prototype of the SATCOM transceiver and its power consumption characteristics
The test chip only measures 3 mm by 3 mm.

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Contact
Emiko Kawaguchi
Public Relations Group,Tokyo Institute of Technology
media@jim.titech.ac.jp+81-3-5734-2975
Corporate Planning OfficeSocionext Inc.
https://www.socionext.com/en/contact+81-45-568-1006

About Tokyo Institute of Technology
Tokyo Tech stands at the forefront of research and higher education as the leading university for science andtechnology in Japan. Tokyo Tech researchers excel in fields ranging from materials science to biology,
computer science, and physics. Founded in 1881, Tokyo Tech hosts over 10,000 undergraduate and graduate
students per year, who develop into scientific leaders and some of the most sought-after engineers inindustry. Embodying the Japanese philosophy of “monotsukuri,” meaning “technical ingenuity and innovation,”
the Tokyo Tech community strives to contribute to society through high-impact research.
https://www.titech.ac.jp/english/

About Socionext
Socionext is a global, innovative enterprise that designs, develops and delivers System-on-Chip solutions tocustomers worldwide. The company is focused on technologies that drive today’s leading-edge applications inconsumer, automotive and industrial markets. Socionext combines world-class expertise, experience, and anextensive IP portfolio to provide exceptional solutions and ensure a better quality of experience for customers.
Founded in 2015, Socionext Inc. is headquartered in Yokohama, and has offices in Japan, Asia, United Statesand Europe to lead its product development and sales activities. For more information, visit
https://www.socionext.com.
All company or product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective
owners. Information provided in this press release is accurate at time of publication and is subject to change
without advance notice

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