Design and Implemetation of FPGA based Software Defined Radio Using Simulink HDL Coder

This paper presents the design procedure and implementation results of a proposed software defined radio (SDR) using Altera Cyclone II family board. The implementation uses Matlab/SimulinkTM, Embedded MatlabTM blocks, and Cyclone II development and educational board. The design has first implemented in Matlab/SimulinkTM environment. It is then converted to VHDL level using Simulink HDL coder. The design is synthesized and fitted with Quartus II 9.0 Web Edition® software, and downloaded to Altera Cyclone II board. The results show that it is easy to develop and understand the implementation of SDR using programmable logic tools. The paper also presents an efficient design flow of the procedure followed to obtain VHDL netlists that can be downloaded to FPGA boards

Toward model-based engineering for space embedded systems and software

International audienceEmbedded systems development suffers from difficulties to reach cost, delay and safety requirements. The continuous increase of system complexity requires a corresponding increase in the capability of design fault-free systems. Model-based engineering aims to make complexity management easier with the construction of a virtual representation of systems enabling early prediction of behaviour and performance. In this context, Space industry has specific needs to deal with remote systems that can not be maintained on ground. In such systems, fault management includes complex detection, localisation and recovery automatic procedures that can not be performed without confidence on safety. In this way, only simulation and formal proofs can support the validation of all the possible configurations. Thus, formal description of both functional and non-functional properties with temporal logic formulae is expected to analyse and to early predict system characteristics at execution. This paper is based on various studies and experiences that are carried out in space domain on the support provided by model-based engineering in terms of: • support to needs capture and requirements analysis, • support to design, • support to early verification and validation, • down to automatic generation of code

Behavioral modeling for sampling receiver and baseband in Software-Defined Radio

Projecte realitzat en col.laboració amb Illinois Institute of TechnologySoftware Defined-Radio (SDR) consists of a wireless communication in which the transmitter and the receiver are controlled by means of software. Its ultimate goal is to provide a single universal radio transceiver capable of multi-mode multi-standard wireless communications. Modeling of the proper circuits and new designs aimed at SDR is necessary for further development and experimentation. It sharpens our understanding of fundamental processes, helps to make decisions and provides a guide for training exercises. Due to the lack of these models two independent and different models have been created based on new proposed designs. Each modeled design belongs to a different layer of abstraction and therefore, the tool used is different as well. The first proposed model consist of a Simulink (Matlab) file which models the discrete-time signal processing used in a Discrete-time receiver for Bluetooth Radio. The results show good performance when processing a signal that has been transmitted through a noisy channel. The signal at each step is visualized to see the individual effect of each building block. The second proposed model narrows down the topic and focuses on a Widely-tunable, Reconfigurable Analog Baseband filter, for which a Verilog-A model, by using Cadence, has been created. The outstanding feature of the filter is that its programmability is based on the duty-cycle of the input control signals. Moreover, Verilog-A modules bring the design really close to the real circuit, allowing the designer to face problems that the real circuit will present and easing the replacement of the building blocks with new ones when desired. The results for this model show a very little error within the passband of the filter that increases when the attenuation introduced for the stopband becomes higher

Link Adaptation for Microwave Link using both MATLAB and Path-Loss Tool

The inherent multipath transmission on wireless channels usually leads to signal fading which eventually degrades the system performance. In mitigating this problem, link adaptation has been identified as a promising scheme that helps in maximizing the system spectral efficiency (SE) in dispersive wireless channels. In this paper, link adaptation based on adaptive modulation and coding was used to study the performance of M-ary quadrature amplitude modulation radio system subjected to multipath fading. MATLAB® scripts and Simulink model were developed to compare the effect of wireless channel on different constellation sizes. Also, transmission link on Federal University of Technology Akure campus’ path terrain was designed with the aid of path-loss® tool application software in order to further analysis the effect of using different modulation formats on the system performance. The results show that, employment of link adaptation scheme offers better performance regarding the system availability and S

A dual-mode Ultra-Wideband wireless platform for remote patient monitoring systems

The combination of two factors demands the need to find a solution that guarantees the well-being of the people suffering from chronic diseases. On the one hand, the increase of the life expectancy leads to an older world's population. On the other hand, the aged are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases and/or injuries. This thesis deals with the design of an Ultra-Wideband-based node of a Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) network. This node must be able to measure, collect and transmit some medical parameters of a patient. Existing RPM networks use two different hardware platforms: one for measuring and another one for transmitting. This leads to high cost and high power consumption. Since a RPM network is typically composed by hundreds or thousands of nodes, a new platform with lower cost and power consumption is vital to make such a system work. This thesis explores the viability to achieve the dual-mode operation: Radar Mode (RM) to obtain a certain parameter and Data Transmission Mode (DTM) to send it to another node. A platform using Impulse-Radio Ultra-Wideband (IR-UWB) has been proposed to accomplish this goal. The simulations done verified its feasibility. Moreover, the physical experiments carried out validated the transmitter. Nevertheless, due to time and hardware limitations, the receiver has not been experimentally validated yet

Development Environment for Optimized Locomotion System of Planetary Rovers

This paper addresses the first steps that have been undergone to set up the development environement w.r.t optimization and to modelling and simulation of overall dynamics of the rover driving behaviour under all critical surface terrains, like soft and hard soils, slippage, bulldozing effect and digging in soft soil. Optimization is based on MOPS (Multi-Objective Prameter Synthesis), that is capable for handling several objective functions such as mass reduction, motor power reduction, increase of traction forces, rover stability guarantee, and more. The tool interferes with Matlab/Simulink and with Modelica/Dymola for dynamics model implementation. For modelling and simulation of the overall rover dynamics and terramechanical behaviour in all kind of soils we apply a Matlab based tool that takes advantage of the multibody dynamics tool Simpack. First results of very promising rover optimizations 6 wheels are presented that improve ExoMars rover type wheel suspension systems. Performance of driveability behaviour in different soils is presented as well. The next steps are discusses in order to achieve the planned overall development environment

Hardware, Software, and Low-Level Control Scheme Development for a Real-Time Autonomous Rover

The objective of this research is to develop a low-cost autonomous rover platform for experiments in autonomous navigation. This thesis describes the design, development, and testing of an autonomous rover platform, based on the commercial, off-the-shelf Tamiya TXT-1 radio controlled vehicle. This vehicle is outfitted with an onboard computer based on the Mini-ITX architecture and an array of sensors for localization and obstacle avoidance, and programmed with Matlab/SimulinkRTM Real-Time Workshop (RTW) utilizing the Linux Real-Time Application Interface (RTAI) operating system.;First, a kinematic model is developed and verified for the rover. Then a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) feedback controller is developed for translational and rotational velocity regulation. Finally, a hybrid navigation controller is developed combining a potential field controller and an obstacle avoidance controller for waypoint tracking.;Experiments are performed to verify the functionality of the kinematic model and the PID velocity controller, and to demonstrate the capabilities of the hybrid navigation controller. These experiments prove that the rover is capable of successfully navigating in an unknown indoor environment. Suggestions for future research include the integration of additional sensors for localization and creation of multiple platforms for autonomous coordination experiments

Navigation system for the remote management of unmanned aircraft

In this work will be discussed the problematic of the UAV navigation for the remote management in vision of a BLOS capability showing the research experience developed in collaboration with Alenia Aermacchi, focusing on the solution adopted for increasing the navigation automations and the system interoperability. The first section presents an overview of such problems and the guideline followed to provide a relevant solution. The second section exhibits the effective implementation of the studied cases on the Alenia Aermacchi Sky-Y UAV focusing on the navigation issues. During the navigation functions development a large use of simulators occurred: one Matlab® model and one Simulink® simulator have been developed for this purpose, then the proper Alenia Aermacchi Sky-Y flight simulator has been used before the RIG tests. In the last part of this work some results of such simulations are presented by showing some significant cases of navigation test done with the different tools mentioned above

Model based design for 4G and 5G wireless communications software defined radio using MATLAB

Model based design workflow for wireless communications using MATLAB in combination with supported Xilinx Zynq based SDR hardware implementation platforms, from developing floating point simulations for the PHY layer of a LTE receiver, to implementing fixed point simulations, and verifying performance using real off-the-air RF data

Systems Calibration, Testing, and Preflight Preparations of a Reusable Launch Vehicle Subscale Model for a Parameter Determination Flight Program

The European space community, having recognized the need for reliable and affordable space access, has identified two reusable vehicle concepts for future autonomous access to space. One of these concepts is the horizontally launched and landed “Hopper”. Various European agencies are participating in the development of the concept including the Technical University of Aachen, Germany. The purpose of this work was to prepare and test the subscale vehicle for the flight test program conducted at the Technical University of Aachen (RWTH). The work was part of a larger project to create and demonstrate the technology required for reusable autonomous space access. The “Phoenix” project is a joint effort involving the German government, industry, and the Technical Universities of Aachen, Munich, and Stuttgart. The Phoenix geometry is typically for space-plane configurations, having a low aspect ratio, low wing area, and a slender body. The model was equipped with an onboard telemetry system, so as to record flight data through the use of a MatLab® program and Simulink® simulation, as well as a dSPACE® real-time processor and ControlDesk® software. This work included the calibration of the air system, determination of the moments of inertia of the model, calibration of the control surfaces, and cooperative work in testing hardware and software, as well as flight-tests planning. The air system calibration took place in the wind tunnel at RWTH with the goal being to develop angle of attack, angle of sideslip, dynamic and static pressure relations based on the installed instrumentation. The moments of inertia were determined for the purpose of calculating aerodynamic moments from the differentiated time histories of the rotation rates. The control surface calibrations were developed in order to input the excitation deflections, and to create a correlation of the measured potentiometer values versus degrees of actual deflection. It was also necessary to test all functions including field testing of the transmitter, telemetry system, and static pressure system. Radio interference and range problems were also addressed during this phase. A summary of the status of the program and some of the possible challenges are included in the conclusions and recommendations sections