Multicore DSP enhances capabilities for GSM

Wireless infrastructure baseband product boosts applications for GSM-based basestations while addressing new markets and requirements for WiMAX and TD-SCDMA.

Texas Instruments' newest 3GHz-performing wireless infrastructure baseband product boosts applications for GSM-based basestations while addressing new markets and requirements for WiMAX and TD-SCDMA.

With three cores running at 1GHz each, the TMS320TCI6487 processor enables basestation manufacturers to extend their existing designs while entering into new markets, requiring small form factor applications with an exceptional scaleable, flexible solution.

"Wireless infrastructure requirements are constantly changing and evolving, with regional and form factor opportunities growing quickly", said Flint Pulskamp, Wireless Semiconductor Analyst at IDC.

"Offering a single, flexible solution to manufacturers and service providers to solve their needs for quick regional deployments for GSM, TD-SCDMA and WiMAX further strengthens TI's strong position in this market space".

Currently, there are more than two billion GSM subscribers in 210 countries around the world.

With TI's TCI6487, manufacturers will be able to deliver a high-performance, low-cost infrastructure solution for this market that supports up to 10 Edge-enabled carriers with a single chip.

In addition to supporting more users, the multicore DSP provides enhanced capabilities for GSM, including interference cancellation and better reception for high-datarate applications.

This flexible, software upgradeable solution reduces overall infrastructure costs, enabling service providers to deploy baseband technology in new emerging markets such as those in India, Russia, Africa and South America.

Texas Instruments' TCI6487 is also optimised for infrastructure designs of TD-SCDMA, China's unique air interface.

With precommercial trials currently underway for TD-SCDMA, it is expected that the standard will be widely deployed in advance of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, requiring a solution that can immediately meet the needs of this huge cellular market.

The 3GHz "baseband on a chip" can support three carriers and 69 users per device.

Building on TI's current WiMAX leadership, the TCI6487 is an excellent solution that meets the unique needs of today's emerging OFDMA requirements and tomorrow's LTE demands.

The single-chip DSP solution, works in conjunction with TI's optimised software library, complete analogue front end and key products from third parties.

Now, TI's WiMAX customers can quickly get to market with advanced products for current requirements and the ability to shrink as future smaller form factor requirements demand.

A complete 10MHz two-antenna three-sector solution can easily be implemented, improving overall cost and power per channel.

"Flexibility is key in infrastructure design, as the market constantly evolves and infrastructure requirements change to support newer features and services", said Jerold Givens, TI Communications Infrastructure DSP Director.

"While we have insight into what the next paradigm shift is likely to be in the wireless space in the coming years, it is important for us to offer our customers a solution that is flexible enough to meet a variety of today's industry requirements and powerful enough to take them to tomorrow's next phase in wireless infrastructure design".

TI's TCI6487 offers 3x the performance of previous infrastructure solutions, providing greater channel enhancement and more flexibility while reducing design complexity for OEMs.

Manufactured in 65nm process node, this new DSP is the highest performing processor in TI's TMS320C64x+ DSP family.

As a result, carriers will be able to deploy advanced networks quickly while future proofing their investments.

The ability to upgrade performance with software enhancements also enables service providers to support emerging standards such as LTE, 3GPP and 3GPP+, while easily adding new features and services to their networks.

This, in turn, will provide subscribers access to the latest and greatest services and capabilities that the wireless world can deliver.

TI offers the industry's broadest wireless infrastructure product portfolio, spanning the complete signal chain.

Supporting analogue products include digital up/down convertors, high speed data convertors, RF products, timing, backplane interface and standard logic components.

Highlighting the company's leadership in power management, TI has developed a nonisolated DC/DC power module with extremely fast response and high performance.

It is the first power management device to meet core voltage tolerance requirements of the TCI6487.

The TCI6487 is currently sampling with targeted customers.

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