Software Defined Radio platforms incl. accessories (cables, antennas, connectors, clock synchronization, etc.)

LOT 001 NI/Ettus Main Units (or equivalent)

LOT 002 Accessories (cables, antennas, plugs, clock synchronization)

In several research projects of the Chair of Radio Communications and Navigation, Software Defined Radio platforms are needed to research future mobile radio technologies and their applications. In detail, the devices are used on the one hand for the implementation and further development or research of classical communication protocols in the sub-6GHz range as well as in end-to-end applications such as e.g. mobile Smart Agriculture applications. Furthermore, USRP setups with very high bandwidth (>1GHz) are required for the implementation of Joint Communication and Sensing (JCAS) applications. For this purpose, appropriate data processing nodes are required (e.g. PXIe platform) to aggregate the bandwidths of several USRPs or to transport and process the enormous amounts of data. This happens on both the transmit and receive side. Furthermore, a setup for phase synchronization of the individual SDRs is required. In addition to JCAS, classic communication from sender to receiver will also be required in both cases.

Since the existing software implementations at the chair (e.g. based on GNURadio, 5GOpenAirInterface), which are used in a modified form, have already been tested on other products from NI or Ettus, only platforms from this manufacturer can be considered in the current projects.

Labview support will continue to be required to operate the PXIe platform. The chair already has a license agreement for this. Furthermore, some features are required in the application scenarios mentioned, which, according to our research, can currently only be fulfilled by the Ettus/NI devices. These include:

- USRP X410 (or equivalent)

o Support of sub-6 GHz frequency bands (esp. 3.7 GHz) up to max. 7.2 GHz

o Mind. 400 MHz Kanalbandbreite

o Possibility of GPS-based synchronization as well as local clock synchronization

o Support of the UHD driver

o Support of open source software (Gnuradio, OpenAirInterface)

o Support of high-rate serial interfaces for outsourcing signal processing to off-board FPGA processors (MXIe and PXIe interfaces)

o Xilinx based FPGA memory with RFNoC support

o ARM Cortex processors for applications with high latency requirements

o 4x4 MIMO support to increase transmission reliability and capacity

- PXIe platform (or equivalent)

o Distributed signal processing on on- and off-board FPGA processors (USRP X410 and FPGA co-processor, e.g. Xilinx Virtex Ultrascale+) with support for high bandwidths and low latencies at the same time

o Ability to aggregate the bandwidths of multiple SDRs

o Support for Labview

o PCI Express Genration 3x8 (28.2 Gbit/s Line Rate)

In several research projects of the Chair of Radio Communications and Navigation, Software Defined Radio platforms are needed to research future mobile radio technologies and their applications. In detail, the devices are used on the one hand for the implementation and further development or research of classical communication protocols in the sub-6GHz range as well as in end-to-end applications such as e.g. mobile Smart Agriculture applications. Furthermore, USRP setups with very high bandwidth (>1GHz) are required for the implementation of Joint Communication and Sensing (JCAS) applications. For this purpose, appropriate data processing nodes are required (e.g. PXIe platform) to aggregate the bandwidths of several USRPs or to transport and process the enormous amounts of data. This happens on both the transmit and receive side. Furthermore, a setup for phase synchronization of the individual SDRs is required. In addition to JCAS, classic communication from sender to receiver will also be required in both cases.

Since the existing software implementations at the chair (e.g. based on GNURadio, 5GOpenAirInterface), which are used in a modified form, have already been tested on other products from NI or Ettus, only platforms from this manufacturer can be considered in the current projects.

Labview support will continue to be required to operate the PXIe platform. The chair already has a license agreement for this. Furthermore, some features are required in the application scenarios mentioned, which, according to our research, can currently only be fulfilled by the Ettus/NI devices. These include:

- USRP X410 (or equivalent)

o Support of sub-6 GHz frequency bands (esp. 3.7 GHz) up to max. 7.2 GHz

o Mind. 400 MHz Kanalbandbreite

o Possibility of GPS-based synchronization as well as local clock synchronization

o Support of the UHD driver

o Support of open source software (Gnuradio, OpenAirInterface)

o Support of high-rate serial interfaces for outsourcing signal processing to off-board FPGA processors (MXIe and PXIe interfaces)

o Xilinx based FPGA memory with RFNoC support

o ARM Cortex processors for applications with high latency requirements

o 4x4 MIMO support to increase transmission reliability and capacity

- PXIe platform (or equivalent)

o Distributed signal processing on on- and off-board FPGA processors (USRP X410 and FPGA co-processor, e.g. Xilinx Virtex Ultrascale+) with support for high bandwidths and low latencies at the same time

o Ability to aggregate the bandwidths of multiple SDRs

o Support for Labview

o PCI Express Genration 3x8 (28.2 Gbit/s Line Rate)