Software Defined Radios (SDRs) are radio implementations in software versus the classic method of using discrete electronics. Considering the various classes of radio applications ranging from mobile-handsets to cellular base-stations, SDRs cover a wide range of power and computational needs. As a result, computing heterogeneity, in terms of Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), and General Purpose Processors (GPPs), is needed to balance the computing and power needs of such radios. Whereas SDR represents radio implementation, Cognitive Radio (CR) represents a layer of intelligence and reasoning that derives reconfiguration of an SDR to suit an application's need. Realizing CR requires a new dimension for radios, dynamically creating new radio implementations during runtime so they can respond to changing channel and/or application needs. This thesis explores the use of integrated GPP and DSP based processors for realizing SDR and CR applications. With such processors a GPP realizes the mechanism driving radio reconfiguration, and a DSP is used to implement the SDR by performing the signal processing necessary. This thesis discusses issues related to implementing radios in this computing environment and presents a sample solution for integrating both processors to create SDR-based applications. The thesis presents a sample application running on a Texas Instrument (TI) OMAP3530 processor, utilizing its GPP and DSP cores, on a platform called the Beagleboard. For the application, the Center for Wireless Telecommunications' (CWT) Public Safety Cognitive Radio (PSCR) is ported, and an Android based touch screen interface is used for user interaction. In porting the PSCR to the Beagleboard USB bandwidth and memory access latency issues were the main system bottlenecks. Latency measurements of these interfaces are presented in the thesis to highlight those bottlenecks and can be used to drive GPP/DSP based system design using the Beagleboard. / Master of Science

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With the growing interest in software defined radios (SDRs), cognitive radios, the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS), and the Software Communication Architecture (SCA) comes the need for a rapid prototyping approach to radio design. In the past, radios have traditionally been designed to have a static implementation with the express goal of implementing a specific type of communication, such as 802.11b, CDMA voice communication, or just a simple FM tuner. However, when designing an SDR, the developer must not only be able to understand the radio engineering aspects of the design, but also be able to interface correctly with the underlying core software framework. This added software complexity, along with the general need for faster, more economical waveform development, illuminates the need for a rapid prototyping SDR development environment. This thesis takes a fresh look at the task of providing radio designers with a functional, straightforward design tool that enables the developer to focus more on the radio design than the tedious task of interacting with CORBA, IDL, and the SCA Core Framework. The design approach used to create such a tool is investigated along with an overview of general SDR concepts and an introduction to MPRG's open source SCA Core Framework, OSSIE. Discussion on the design methodology behind creating an SCA waveform is provided and the final result of this research, OSSIE Waveform Developer (OWD), is introduced and explored in detail. The code generated using OWD is detailed and waveform design approaches are presented with some suggested modifications. Finally, the improvements gained by using OSSIE Waveform Developer instead of the traditional approach of manually developing waveforms are presented. / Master of Science

Software Defined Radio (SDR) is a growing technology that allows radio communication to become interoperable. SDR can lower the cost for a particular hardware radio to communicate with another radio that uses a different standard. In order to show the capability of SDR, this thesis shows how to implement IEEE 802.14.5, a low-rate wireless personal area network (LR-WPAN) standard, on a standalone embedded machine. The implementation is done using a universal software radio peripheral embedded, USRP E100, an open source software development toolkit for SDR, GNU Radio, and UCLA ZigBee PHY GNU Radio application. The implementation can be done on the regular non-embedded USRPs. However, without a fast host computer demodulating the packets, the USRP E100 cannot receive incoming packets. An available FPGA is used to solve this problem by doing a software-hardware hybrid design to allow the USRP E100 to communicate with other IEEE 802.15.4 devices. The final product is an IEEE 802.15.4 monitor software that detects messages from devices communicating using IEEE 802.15.4 in its range. In addition, recommendations are presented for improving SDR education and training, particularly for developers with backgrounds in disciplines other than communications engineering. / Master of Science

The Software Communications Architecture (SCA) is a standard for software defined radios (SDR) designed in part to promote code reuse for long-term development. With the emergence of adaptive/cognitive radios, new SDRs that are capable of reconfiguration during runtime must be developed. One advantage of SDR development over conventional radio development can be ease of design if the proper rapid development tools are made available. This thesis explores tools designed to help realize the construction of reconfigurable systems while promoting code-reuse within the bounds of the SCA. Developing these tools requires an understanding of the SCA as well as the Open Source SCA Implementation Embedded (OSSIE) for which they are developed. The use of CORBA to link together modularized components is also discussed. Finally, several simulations are conducted in order to approximate the amount of overhead resulting from the use of the reconfiguration tool developed (the "Connect Tool"). / Master of Science

The next generation of wireless communications will demand the use of software radio technology as the basic architecture to support multi-standard, multi-mode and future-proof radio designs. Software-defined radios are configurable devices in which the physical layer can be reprogrammed to support various standards. Field programmable architectures provide a suitable platform to achieve such run-time reconfigurations of the physical layer of the radio. This thesis explores the use of FPGAs in the design of reconfigurable radios. The results presented here demonstrate how FPGAs can be used to provide the flexibility, performance, efficiency and better resource utilization while meeting the speed and area constraints set by a particular design. The partial reconfiguration feature available in the state-of-the art FPGAs has been exploited to implement the baseband physical layer of reconfigurable radio which can be altered to support various modulations schemes for different wireless standards. The design flow for partial reconfiguration along with the implementation results on two different FPGA platforms is presented. The experiments presented in this thesis make use of System Generator for DSP, a productivity tool from Xilinx, to design and to simulate system-level models in a MATLAB/Simulink environment, and to obtain timing and resource utilization results before implementing the design on actual hardware. / Master of Science

A very basic engineering tradeoff is performance versus flexibility and this design choice must be made when developing a software radio. Hardware devices such as General Purpose Processors (GPPs), Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) all provide a designer with choices along the performance versus flexibility spectrum. The designer must choose a combination of GPP, DSP, FPGA and ASIC devices to balance the needs of performance versus flexibility. The Software Communications Architecture (SCA) is a specification for a software radio architecture produced by the Joint Program Executive Office (JPEO) Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS). The 2.2 revision of the SCA only implies support for GPPs, with no specified support for additional devices such as FPGAs. However, FPGA integration within the scope of the SCA is still possible. The integration of an additional processing hardware device other than a GPP requires the ability to logically represent the device within the Core Framework. This representation is implemented within the OSSIE Core Framework, an open source implementation of the SCA. The representation requires the support of multiple implementations of signal processing components within the framework, a simple component deployment model, and the abstraction of the FPGA interactions into a software component. / Master of Science

Development of Cognitive Radio (CR) applications, which rely on a radio's ability to adapt intelligently to it's spectral surroundings will soon make the all important technological jump from research interest to systems integration, as demand for highly adaptive wireless applications expand. VT-CORNET (Virginia Tech – Cognitive Radio Network Testbed) is a unique testbed concept, designed to facilitate this technology leap by offering researchers — both local and remote — the opportunity to conduct CR experiments on an installed infrastructure of highly flexible radio nodes. These nodes — 48 in total — are distributed throughout four floors of a building on the Virginia Tech campus, and provide researchers with diverse options in terms of channel conditions and deployment scenarios. The radios themselves consist of the widely used USRP2 Software Defined Radio (SDR) platform, coupled to a centrally located cluster of rack servers — which provide a high performance GPP environment for real-time software based signal processing. VT-CORNET is specially licensed to operate our low-power nodes over a broad range of frequencies, which provides researcher the opportunity to conduct experiments on live spectrum — in the presence of real primary users. Testbeds are a widely used tool in the wireless and networking fields, and VT-CORNET expands the concept through a focus on CR research and education. This thesis describes the construction and deployment of the CORNET testbed in detail. Specific contributions made to the testbed include the design and implementation of the management network, as well as the initial deployment of the SDR nodes in the ceiling. In addition, this thesis describes the administration and management of the CORNET GPP cluster, and provides a instructions for the basic usage of CORNET from an administrative and user perspective. Finally, this thesis describes a number of custom SDR waveforms implemented on CORNET which demonstrate the utility of the testbed for cognitive radio applications. / Master of Science

<p>At the Department of Technology and Built environment at the University of Gävle there was an interest to study GNU Radio, which is an "open source radio project. The project is based on that most of the radio signal processing is made in an ordinary PC. The idea behind this degree project was that in a laptop there are several radio transmitters/receivers that takes space, generates heat and transmit in varied frequency band etcetera.</p><p> </p><p>All these radio transmitters/receivers could be replaced with a Software Defined Radio system. It means that one common, general radio hardware is used to different communications such as: WLAN, Bluetooth, GPRS, 3G etcetera. The waveform is generated in the software, which makes the system very flexible. To transmit and receive radio signals a USB-based hardware is required, for example from Ettus Research LLC.</p><p> </p><p>During this degree project two PC:s was used for the signal processing and the signal transferring. The operating system that was used on the computers, were the Linux based Ubuntu 8.04. To generate the signals, to modulate/demodulate the signals and to get the communication on the sound cards in/out-port working, the different packages in the GNU Radio software was used and for programming the high level language, Python, was used.</p><p> </p><p>In this degree project a lot of experiments where made, for example a sine wave was generated in computer 1 and the signal was amplitude modulated and transferred to computer 2, through the sound card. In computer 2 the signal was demodulated and filtrated, before it was saved to the hard drive. When the signal was saved on computer 2, it could be sent out on the sound card and be studied on an oscilloscope. This transfer between the computers was made with a stereo cable, but also with a radio link equipment on the University of Gävle.</p><p> </p><p>The result of this degree project was satisfying, because the signal was possible to modulate, transfer, demodulate and save. In the wire transfer a lot of noise was generated on to the signal, mostly because of the sound cards. When the wireless transfer was made it appeared more noise, because of the quality of the receiver, the transmitter and the antennas.</p><p> </p><p>This work can be developed to more advanced systems.</p> / <p>Vid Högskolan i Gävle på institutionen för Teknik och Byggd miljö (ITB) fanns ett intresse att undersöka GNU Radio, som är ett open source radio-projekt. Projektet bygger på att den största delen av radiosignalbehandlingen sker i en vanlig PC. Idén som låg till grund för detta examensarbete var att det i en laptop finns ett stort antal radiosändar- och mottagarkretsar som tar plats, genererar värme och sänder på olika frekvensband med mera.</p><p> </p><p>Alla dessa radiosändar- och mottagarkretsar skulle kunna ersättas med ett Software Defined Radio-system. Vilket innebär att en gemensam, generell radiohårdvara används för olika kommunikationer som: WLAN, Bluetooth, GPRS, 3G med flera. Vågformerna genereras i mjukvaran, vilket gör systemet mycket flexibelt. För att kunna ta emot och sända radiosignaler behövs en hårdvara. Denna hårdvara har bland annat Ettus Research LLC tagit fram, med USB-anslutning.</p><p> </p><p>Under examensarbetet har två stycken PC använts för behandling av signaler, samt överföring mellan dessa. Operativsystemet som användes på datorerna var det Linuxbaserade Ubuntu 8.04. För att generera signaler, modulation/demodulation av dessa signaler samt för att få kommunikation med ljudkortets in-/utgång att fungera, användes de olika paketen i mjukvaran GNU Radio och för programmering användes högnivåspråket Python.</p><p> </p><p>I detta examensarbete utfördes ett flertal experiment, bland annat genererades en sinussignal i dator 1 och signalen amplitudmodulerades och överfördes till dator 2 via ljudkortet. På dator 2 demodulerades denna signal och filtrerades, innan den sparades på hårddisken. Signalen kunde sedan skickas ut på ljudkortet och studeras med ett oscilloskop. Överföringen mellan datorerna gjordes med en stereokabel, men också med en radiolänkutrustning som fanns på Högskolan i Gävle.</p><p> </p><p>Resultatet var tillfredställande då signalen kunde moduleras, överföras samt demoduleras och sparas. I den trådbundna överföringen uppstod mycket brus i signalen, till största delen berodde detta på ljudkorten. När den trådlösa överföringen gjordes uppstod mera brus, vilket berodde på kvalitén hos mottagare, sändare och antennerna.</p><p> </p><p>Detta arbete kan utvecklas till mer avancerade system.</p>

At the Department of Technology and Built environment at the University of Gävle there was an interest to study GNU Radio, which is an "open source radio project. The project is based on that most of the radio signal processing is made in an ordinary PC. The idea behind this degree project was that in a laptop there are several radio transmitters/receivers that takes space, generates heat and transmit in varied frequency band etcetera.   All these radio transmitters/receivers could be replaced with a Software Defined Radio system. It means that one common, general radio hardware is used to different communications such as: WLAN, Bluetooth, GPRS, 3G etcetera. The waveform is generated in the software, which makes the system very flexible. To transmit and receive radio signals a USB-based hardware is required, for example from Ettus Research LLC.   During this degree project two PC:s was used for the signal processing and the signal transferring. The operating system that was used on the computers, were the Linux based Ubuntu 8.04. To generate the signals, to modulate/demodulate the signals and to get the communication on the sound cards in/out-port working, the different packages in the GNU Radio software was used and for programming the high level language, Python, was used.   In this degree project a lot of experiments where made, for example a sine wave was generated in computer 1 and the signal was amplitude modulated and transferred to computer 2, through the sound card. In computer 2 the signal was demodulated and filtrated, before it was saved to the hard drive. When the signal was saved on computer 2, it could be sent out on the sound card and be studied on an oscilloscope. This transfer between the computers was made with a stereo cable, but also with a radio link equipment on the University of Gävle.   The result of this degree project was satisfying, because the signal was possible to modulate, transfer, demodulate and save. In the wire transfer a lot of noise was generated on to the signal, mostly because of the sound cards. When the wireless transfer was made it appeared more noise, because of the quality of the receiver, the transmitter and the antennas.   This work can be developed to more advanced systems. / Vid Högskolan i Gävle på institutionen för Teknik och Byggd miljö (ITB) fanns ett intresse att undersöka GNU Radio, som är ett open source radio-projekt. Projektet bygger på att den största delen av radiosignalbehandlingen sker i en vanlig PC. Idén som låg till grund för detta examensarbete var att det i en laptop finns ett stort antal radiosändar- och mottagarkretsar som tar plats, genererar värme och sänder på olika frekvensband med mera.   Alla dessa radiosändar- och mottagarkretsar skulle kunna ersättas med ett Software Defined Radio-system. Vilket innebär att en gemensam, generell radiohårdvara används för olika kommunikationer som: WLAN, Bluetooth, GPRS, 3G med flera. Vågformerna genereras i mjukvaran, vilket gör systemet mycket flexibelt. För att kunna ta emot och sända radiosignaler behövs en hårdvara. Denna hårdvara har bland annat Ettus Research LLC tagit fram, med USB-anslutning.   Under examensarbetet har två stycken PC använts för behandling av signaler, samt överföring mellan dessa. Operativsystemet som användes på datorerna var det Linuxbaserade Ubuntu 8.04. För att generera signaler, modulation/demodulation av dessa signaler samt för att få kommunikation med ljudkortets in-/utgång att fungera, användes de olika paketen i mjukvaran GNU Radio och för programmering användes högnivåspråket Python.   I detta examensarbete utfördes ett flertal experiment, bland annat genererades en sinussignal i dator 1 och signalen amplitudmodulerades och överfördes till dator 2 via ljudkortet. På dator 2 demodulerades denna signal och filtrerades, innan den sparades på hårddisken. Signalen kunde sedan skickas ut på ljudkortet och studeras med ett oscilloskop. Överföringen mellan datorerna gjordes med en stereokabel, men också med en radiolänkutrustning som fanns på Högskolan i Gävle.   Resultatet var tillfredställande då signalen kunde moduleras, överföras samt demoduleras och sparas. I den trådbundna överföringen uppstod mycket brus i signalen, till största delen berodde detta på ljudkorten. När den trådlösa överföringen gjordes uppstod mera brus, vilket berodde på kvalitén hos mottagare, sändare och antennerna.   Detta arbete kan utvecklas till mer avancerade system.