Design ecosystem simplifies wireless infrastructure

The ecosystem’s transceiver technologies reduce radio size, weight and power (SWaP), while the design environment offers support packages, software and tools to help customers simplify and accelerate radio development across a range of applications, including wireless infrastructure, aerospace and defence electronics and electronic test and measurement. RadioVerse is redefining radio design at the circuit, architecture, system and software levels to simplify integration and speed customers’ time to market.

As part of the RadioVerse technology and design ecosystem release, ADI has introduced the AD9371, the latest addition to the integrated wideband RF transceiver product series. It is a highly versatile, carrier grade, system-on-chip (SoC) radio solution that achieves a wide RF tuning range of 300MHz to 6GHz, 100MHz signal bandwidth, and power consumption of less than 5W under standard operating conditions. It replaces or eliminates as many as 20 discrete radio components and can be used as a common design platform across multiple applications and standards, increasing R&D efficiency and reducing time to market of the end product. Other products in the wideband RF transceiver series include the AD9361 and AD9364.

“ADI’s RadioVerse technology and design ecosystem demonstrates our system level approach to innovation through which we deliver solutions that go beyond silicon to enable designers to get to market faster and reduce their costs,” said Rick Hess, Executive Vice President, Communications Business Group, Analog Devices. “RadioVerse’s industry leading radio technology gives our customers a competitive advantage to be innovative for their customers.”

Accelerating time to market

ADI’s RadioVerse technology and design ecosystem accelerates customer time to market by providing integrated RF transceivers, software API, design support packages, robust documentation and access to ADI’s EngineerZone online technical support community. RadioVerse provides integrated wideband RF transceiver evaluation boards that directly connect to an FPGA development platform, allowing customers to perform chip level performance evaluation and rapid prototyping of complete wireless scenarios using a single hardware platform.

The boards are supported by a toolkit that includes HDL, Linux drivers, software API a GUI, and design files necessary for customers to kick-start their own designs. An exact, verified model of the AD9371 transceiver, enabling advanced simulation and analysis of the transceiver, can be developed by using MATLAB and Simulink. End users can then use the model to configure the transceiver and verify performance, correct problems earlier, and accelerate completion of their RF system design.

The RadioVerse design environment will continue to expand to include third party design houses, COTS providers and other partners to further enable customers to rapidly deploy their products to market.

Highest bandwidth integrated RF transceiver

The AD9371 integrated wideband RF transceiver is well suited for applications such as wireless communications, aerospace and defence electronics, and electronic test and measurement equipment that require high performance radios across a wideband frequency range, while maintaining low power consumption levels. The AD9371 covers a 300MHz to 6GHz frequency range and supports receiver and transmit large signal instantaneous bandwidths up to 100MHz, observation receiver and transmit synthesis bandwidths up to 250MHz, fully integrated LO and clocking functions, and advanced on-chip calibration and correction algorithms. It supports a range of standards and applications, and enables customers to reduce component and development costs by reducing their need for multiple design variants. The versatility, ease of use and reduced SWaP of the AD9371 enable designers to deploy radios in an array of applications.