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Simultaneous Multimode RRH Design Made Easy
June 26, 2009 6:54 am | CommentsDiverse modulation formats and sampling rates between various standards make designing common building blocks challenging. Deepak Boppana, Altera Corporation click to enlarge Figure 1. Farrow Filter Structure. Remote radio heads (RRH) technology with support for simultaneous operation of multiple air-interface protocols is an emerging product requirement for operators.
Q: What type of tag should be used for cost-effective, accurate data capture?
June 26, 2009 6:54 am | CommentsEPC-compliant RFID UHF tags deliver accurate, affordable and unique identification. They create real-time visibility for identifying and tracking objects moving through the supply chain or on and off the shelves. But there are many different types of tags and formats to choose from, depending on the application.
Do Tough Economic Times Breed Better Innovations?
May 27, 2009 7:31 am | CommentsNancy Maas Editor-in-Chief Every morning we wake up to a barrage of reports on the global state of the economy and how it is impacting our citizens, our government as well as nations around the world. One day the market is up and showing possible signs of recovery; the next day the market takes back any profits we made the previous day and the media is again reporting all "doom and gloom.
Next-Generation Wireless Sensing is Moving Forward
May 27, 2009 7:31 am | CommentsWith the integration of MEMS technology in the remote, motion signatures can be digitized for the game control. By Michelle Kelsey, Freescale Semiconductor The evolution of gaming is on its way - Freescale's accelerometer, MCU and radio portfolio enables an ideal chip set for low power with high integration.
It's in the Tag: The Importance of Considering Power Efficiency when Choosing a Real Time Location System
May 27, 2009 7:31 am | CommentsFor a location system to deliver a return-on-investment, a critical mass of assets must be tagged for tracking. By Steve Jackson, RadarFind Corporation Figure 1. Status switches on RTLS tags. While more organizations are realizing the value of investing in a real time location system, demonstrating the return-on-investment is critical to garner broad support.
Shared Active Infrastructure and the Virtualization of Wireless Networks
May 27, 2009 7:31 am | CommentsA virtualized network provides each operator with full independent control of their own virtual Base Transceiver Subsystem (vBTS), and connectivity to their own Base Station Controller (BSC) and core network. Steve Muir, Vanu®, Inc. click to enlarge Figure 1: Basic structure of a Virtualized System.
Welcome to Brainstorm!
May 27, 2009 7:31 am | CommentsWhen it comes to choosing between FPGAs and ASICs, both technologies have their pros and cons. Ultimately it is the designer's decision as to which one will help get the product to market on time or better yet, before the competition does. Q: In high-volume consumer electronic devices, which is the best technology to use: FPGA Design Flow or ASIC Design Flow? By John Burton, Vice President of Marketing for Octera Solutions The answer of course is 'It depends'.
Incorporating a Touch Interface into Wireless Designs
May 26, 2009 7:00 am | CommentsIncorporating touch into a wireless product design introduces additional complexity with radios, antennas and the attendant higher power consumption. By Bruce DeVisser, Fujitsu Components America, Inc. Figure 1. Identifying early-on where a wireless touch device is primarily being designed to perform will help to quickly bring together the right touch parameters.
Demand for 2.4 GHz Wireless Will Continue to Stay Strong
April 8, 2009 6:48 am | CommentsBy Svenn-Tore Larsen, Chief Executive Officer, Nordic Semiconductor Like many organizations in today's electronics sector, my company, Nordic Semiconductor, is rising to the challenge of operating in a global semiconductor market that analysts say could drop by around 20 percent this year compared to 2008.
Electronic Packaging RF SiPs Demand Early Packaging Focus
April 8, 2009 6:48 am | CommentsBy considering packaging in the early stages of product development, design teams can determine the best architecture for their particular application. By Ralph Ebbutt, Maxtek Components Corp. click to enlarge Figure 1 - An example of a system-on-chip (SoC) device.
Remote Possibilities
April 8, 2009 6:48 am | CommentsUsing advanced battery technologies to unlock the dynamic growth potential of remote wireless sensors used in "smart infrastructure" and related applications. By Sol Jacobs, Tadiran Batteries Contrary to all the recent economic news, the February 17, 2009 edition of The Wall Street Journal contained an upbeat article by Michael Totty entitled "Smart Roads.
Welcome to Brainstorm!
April 8, 2009 6:48 am | CommentsThere are inherent risks when it comes to wireless technology in medical electronic devices – security, performance, coexistence, EMI and privacy. Q: What are the requirements for effectively deploying and managing wireless medical devices? By R. Srinivasan, Principal Software Engineer, Cambridge Consultants Nowhere are the demands on wireless technology more complex and more critical than in the medical device industry.
Femto Mass Market Mobilization
March 16, 2009 7:03 am | CommentsBy Todd Mersch, Continuous Computing So here we are in the second half of 2008 — why are femtocells not more widely deployed in our homes? When are we finally going to get five bars in the family room? And what’s keeping us from quicker YouTube downloads in our kitchens? click to enlarge Figure 1.
Universal Cell Phone Charger -What a Concept!
March 6, 2009 6:56 am | CommentsNancy Maas Editor-in-Chief The Mobile World Congress Show (MWC) recently took place in Barcelona, Spain. Every year this show has its "hot topics" that attendees just can't seem to get enough of, and this year was no exception. Conversations focused on handsets, Long Term Evolution (LTE), Location-Based Services (LBS), social networking, application stores and mobile advertising.
Testing LTE and WiMAX OFDM/MIMO-Based Systems
March 6, 2009 6:55 am | CommentsThe introduction of new radio technoloiges, like OFDM and MIMO, in LTE and WiMAX systems has created the need for new types of test equipment. George Reed, Azimuth Systems click to enlarge Figure 1. Three methods of testing transmitter and receiver performance: lab-based, direct cable connectivity, over-the-air testing and lab-based, connection through a channel emulator that simulates real world conditions.
