3G Infrastructure
Altera's programmable logic devices (PLDs), intellectual property (IP) cores, and design software provide complete system-on-a-programmable-chip (SOPC) solutions for the cellular wireless infrastructure.
The latest technology migration is an upgrade from 3G to 3.5G networks based on high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) and high-speed uplink packet access (HSUPA). These 3G+ standards are based on the principle of a shared channel where you are dynamically assigned codes on a packet-by-packet basis with the MAC now being incorporated into the base transceiver station (BTS). This approach to radio resource sharing is optimal for data services that tend to have bursts of data. Therefore, 3G+ standards lower the cost of delivering data services for the operators. Also, 3G+ standards employ fast rescheduling algorithms that reduce the variance in transmission delay. This enhances the experience with delay-sensitive applications such as interactive games. Beyond 3G+, cellular communication systems are now evolving to 4G technology based on orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) and multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), with the goal of achieving data rates beyond 100 Mbps.
Figure 1. Evolution of Mobile Cellular Communication Systems
Notes:
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Narrowband CDMA.
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Time division multiple access.
A mobile cellular communication system can be divided into two segments: a radio access network that performs air-interface related functions and a core network that performs switching functions and interfaces to external networks such as the Internet or a public-switched telephone network (PSTN) (see Figure 2). The evolution to next-generation technology is taking place in both the radio access network and the core network. The new air interface standards include W-CDMA and cdma2000-1X. The corresponding wireless networks are universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS) and cdma2000.
Figure 2. Mobile Communication System Infrastructure
A mobile access network's key function is to carry out baseband signal processing for effective communication over the air. A mobile access network requires a high-throughput signal-processing capability, and new capacity-enhancement techniques are continually being incorporated. Programmable hardware is the best choice to address the high-bandwidth requirements, dynamic marketplace, and evolving wireless technologies. Altera's high-density programmable logic devices (PLDs) can meet these performance requirements by allowing designers to implement parallel architecture. You can achieve rapid prototyping using a large portfolio of digital signal processing (DSP) and telecom IP cores provided by Altera and its partners. With Nios® II embedded soft processors, you can effectively implement complex algorithms and control functions within a PLD. Altera also provides HardCopy® ASICs for low-cost migration.
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