CEVA has formed a number of partnerships to support its CEVA-XC communications processor IP which is aimed at next generation mobile phone platforms.
The aim is to provide design services, tools and software support for CEVA’s processor IP which implements software defined radio (SDR) for LTE and WiMax basestations and handsets
The use of SDR processing means that the CEVA-XC processor supports multiple air interfaces including LTE, WiMAX, HSPA, alongside 3G and 2G in software.
According to CEVA's CEO Gideon Wertheizer, there are a number of factors that have changed the feasibility of SDR:
1. The introduction of 4G wireless standards (LTE, WiMAX) means more processing power is required for performing the PHY processing
2. Flexibility to support growing number of wireless standards (LTE, WiMAX, HSPA+, HSPA, CDMA2000, EDGE etc)
3. Shrinking geometries means that more processing power is now available in the same die area; thus, cost-wise, SDR is now becoming a reasonable approach
4. Shrinking geometries play an important role in reducing power consumption to a point where power efficient SDR solutions become a reality.
"As a result of these factors, a SDR architectural approach for next generation wireless infrastructure and handsets makes sense and will form the basis for the future of wireless processors," said Wertheizer.
Partners include ArrayComm, RTOS supplier ENEA and debugger specialist Lauterbach providing DSP software design services, RTOS, SoC level prototyping and simulation tools.
“With the CEVA-XCnet Program we are focusing specifically on the unique requirements of advanced wireless communications needs – LTE, WiMAX, HSPA+, SDR – and bringing together a wide array of expertise and technology that can be used to meet these very demanding development challenges,” said Eran Briman v-p of marketing at CEVA.
The initial partners in the CEVA-XCnet Program are:
ArrayComm, a provider of LTE physical layer software solutions for wireless
infrastructure applications.
Carbon Design Systems, which provides virtual platform modeling design solutions.
ENEA, a supplier of RTOS and development tools for embedded applications.
IPG Communications, a provider of hardware and software communication IP and
engineering services for mobile broadband.
Lauterbach, the manufacturer of JTAG debuggers and real-time trace tools.
mimoOn, a provider of LTE physical layer software solutions for mobile terminals.
See: Q5 Interview - Gideon Wertheizer, CEVA