TI’s new demonstration kit enables digital filtering for wideband signal repeaters

Texas Instruments has introduced a four-channel wideband digital repeater evaluation module (EVM) that isolates up to four non-contiguous spectrum bands, each as wide as 35 MHz. The TSW4100 also offers a digital filter design tool for wireless basestation OEMs. Taking advantage of TI’s data converter and digital signal processing technologies, the EVM can be used to rapidly implement a proof-of-concept repeater design, reducing time to market by up to 80 percent.

Since service providers selectively amplify their own spectrum bands to avoid interfering with competing bands, cellular repeaters must filter out or suppress wireless signals in other bands. These bands often can be adjacent to an amplified channel. As a result, equipment manufacturers look to the high-level precision and repeatability of digital signal processing to quickly develop and bring to market signal repeaters for wireless infrastructure applications.

The TSW4100 digital repeater EVM uses digital signal processing techniques to digitally filter wideband input signals and reduce spectrum interference. With a complete IF transceiver signal chain implementation and a digital filter design tool, TI’s TSW4100 digital repeater demonstration kit allows wireless infrastructure OEMs to significantly reduce development time for wireless repeater applications.

“With the consolidation of cellular service providers, digital repeater systems now require advanced filtering technology that will enable OEMs to selectively amplify non-contiguous bands of frequency that may interfere or disturb the wireless network,” said David Briggs, general manager for TI’s RF and Radio Products group. “The TSW4100 EVM is a useful tool for OEMs to significantly reduce design time and get wireless repeater products to market more quickly.”

At the heart of the TSW4100 demonstration kit is TI’s GC5016 digital upconverter (DUC)/digital downconverter (DDC), a digital signal processing device that can be configured to offer a four-, two-, or one-channel digital repeater. The TSW4100 EVM includes Graphical User Interface (GUI) software to simplify programming and digital filter configuration options. Parameters like channel bandwidth and gain, as well as signal ripple, shape and other functions can be easily changed by simply modifying an entry in the filter configuration tool’s GUI. In addition, the TSW4100 demonstration kit features TI’s high performance analog solutions, including the ADS5545 14-bit 170 MSPS analog-to-digital converter (ADC), the DAC5688 Dual 16-bit 800 MSPS interpolating digital-to-analog converter (DAC), and the CDCM7005 clock generation and distribution device.

The TSW4100 EVM is an extension of TI's high-performance analog product line targeted for wireless infrastructure applications, which includes RF transceiver devices, data converters, clocking and amplifier solutions.