Page 14 - EngineerIT April 2022

ICT COMMUNICATION

Transceiver with scalable power and

performance: a solution to mission

critical communications

Michelle Tan, Product Applications Engineer

This article discusses the ADRV9001, Analog Devices’ newest generation software-defined radio (SDR) transceiver monolithic integrated
circuit (IC), designed to provide scalable power and performance for many satellites, military, land mobile, utility infrastructure, and cellular
mission critical communications. It first introduces three user-defined power saving options within the ADRV9001 from the component
level, channel level and IC system level. Then it further discusses a unique system feature called monitor mode, which not only saves power
for the ADRV9001 itself but also enables the user to reduce the baseband integrated circuit (BBIC) operating power so that the best overall
system power saving target can be achieved. This article also demonstrates power consumption savings for each power saving option and
provides a detailed explanation of the associated performance trade-offs. By thoroughly understanding those trade-offs, the best system
power saving strategy can be determined to achieve the optimal power consumption with satisfactory system performance.

Introduction attributes of achieving a perfect balance between performance, power, size and cost, made
The ADRV9001 is part of a highly agile, possible by this IC. Figure 1 showcases the major power saving options provided at the
user-configurable, new generation SDR component, channel and system levels. Note: different transceiver variants in the ADRV9001
IC transceiver family. It provides state- family could have different numbers of channels and different system features, which are
of-the-art RF performance with a set simplified in figure 1.
of advanced system features such as
multichip synchronisation (MCS), digital
predistortion (DPD), dynamic profile
switching (DPS) and fast frequency
hopping (FFH). The IC supports both
frequency division duplex (FDD) and time
division duplex (TDD) operations with
a wide range of RF frequency from 30
MHz to 6 GHz, which covers the ultrahigh
frequency (UHF); very high frequency
(VHF); industrial, scientific and medical
(ISM); and cellular frequency bands. It can
handle both narrow-band (down to 12
kHz) and wideband (up to 40 MHz) signals
with an almost continuous sample rate
from 24 kSPS to 61.44 MSPS.
Empowered with all these capabilities,
it is ideally suited as a platform for use
across many different mission critical
applications. Several general-purpose
system on modules (SOMs) have already
been developed from ADI partners, such
as Alciom, Epiq Solutions, NextGen RF
Design, and Vanteon Wireless Solutions.
The SOM products target mission critical
communications, including industrial
automation and advanced metering
applications. They share the same Figure 1: A high level diagram of the ADRV9001 power saving options at three different levels.

EngineerIT | April 2022 | 12