Interphase Solutions for Wireless Applications
Interphase LTE-capable products are suitable for use in an eNodeB (Baseband, Control, and Network), EPC Offload Engines (Serving Gateway, Packet Data Network Gateway, Mobility Management Entity), and LTE Signaling Nodes. Interphase has demonstrated technical expertise in the wireless design area, and offers our customers the benefits of leading-edge technology and engineering design customization. These products can also be used in WiMAX and potentially in UMTS basestations.
LTE Basestation on a Card
Our lead LTE offering is a game changing, application-ready, small form factor basestation module. With its pre-integrated fully-compliant LTE (PHY/L2/L3) protocol layers, it is ready to integrate with a radio and application software for quick time-to-market eNodeB microcell, picocell, or enterprise femtocell basestations. This innovative baseband solution can also be used for WiMAX applications.
For equipment manufacturers, this disruptive new offering can:
- Reduce development costs and time to market
- Shrink the base station footprint
- Simplify the design to reduce base station costs
- Substantially reduce power consumption
- Enable new solutions that were not previously feasible
The core technology and capabilities of these baseband modules has been designed to be used in purpose-built form factors, such as:
- Integrated RF & baseband on a single custom module
- Embedded baseband modules in basestation appliances
- Integrated into remote radio head
- Standard form factors such as AMC, PCIe, etc.
Basestation Customization Services
Interphase has extensive design experience in building wireless base stations with technologies such as Mindspeed, Wintegra, Cavium, picoChip, Freescale, and FPGAs such as Altera and Xilinx. We can design and develop and manufacture any preferred combination of technology and form factor to meet your specific product needs. Highlights of the Interphase eNodeB application-ready solutions for LTE:
- Integrated hardware and software addressing Layer 1-3
- Integrated management tools (iWARE)
- Common application interfaces
- Common hardware solutions for LTE and WiMAX
- Support for emerging standards
- Multiple clocking options including GPS, Synchronous Ethernet, IEEE 1588
- Interoperability with a number of EPC providers
Initial Designs
Interphase offers an initial module design based on the innovative Mindspeed Transcede™ 4020 System on a Chip (SoC) processor, with an industry-leading level of integration. The Transcede 4020 integrates the base station control, baseband PHY, and the radio interface into a single package, enabling a highly scalable, cost-effective module that also includes API-level software. This initial Interphase module, called the iSPAN 36701, can be used as a convenient lab model, standards-based deployment, and starting point for a custom solution.
Interphase also offers a second design called the iSPAN 36702, which provides value in the FPGA-based design for those markets such as military and defense, where additional customization and security of the PHY layer is required. While we've built this with the Wintegra WinPath™3, a next generation chip that is highly optimized for wireless-specific protocols, and Xilinx® Virtex®-6, which integrates the baseband PHY and the radio interface into a single component.
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Packet Processing Solutions for Wireless Applications
In some solutions, additional packet processing power will be required to augment the eNodeB or to support EPC functions. Interphase offers a portfolio of packet processor modules.
- iSPAN 36CA - Quad SFP GE with Cavium OCTEON 58xx AMC
- iSPAN 36MC2 – Single/Dual SFP+ 10 GE with Cavium OCTEON 56xx AMC
Interworking Gateway Solutions for Wireless Applications
Interphase also offers a number of products that can be used to build interworking gateways to bridge between LTE and the existing mobile networks:
- iSPAN 3639 & iSPAN 3640 Quad / Octal T1/E1/J1 Communications and Signaling controllers
- iSPAN 3650 – Quad OC-3/STM-1 ATM – GE Interworking Card
Webinar - LTE Technologies and Components from Light Reading
Light Reading, a recognized wireless industry resource, has recently hosted a live webinar (April 29, 2010) in which recognized industry experts from Interphase and Light Reading review the technology and the challenges and benefits expected from LTE and the migration from existing 2G and 3G networks. The webinar also reviews the latest developments as component vendors introduce second-generation LTE solutions. Interphase is proud to be a sponsor of this informative LTE webinar and invites you to view the archived Webinar and/or download the presentation.
Download LTE Webinar Presentation
The LTE Network
While LTE aims for an all-IP simplified infrastructure, in reality LTE must interwork with the 3G network, Internet Multimedia Subsystems (IMS), and other pre-existing elements. It most affects the radio access network and packet core network. The LTE Network consists of updates or replacements for many components already in the wireless network. For example:
- eNodeB replaces the 3G base-station NodeB, to accommodate the change to E-UTRAN (Evolved UTRAN/RAN) from the older standard in the 2G and 3G Radio Access Networks
- EPC (Evolved Packet Core, known also as SAE, System Architecture Evolution) replaces the General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) core network
- The SAE Gateway is a new element that acts as a Serving Gateway and a Packet Data Network Gateway to handle traffic and data-plane aspects
- Diameter signaling replaces SS7 signaling in the Home Subscriber Server (HSS), an existing element which is used by the new MME (Mobility Management Entity) node
Diagram: The 3G and LTE Network
How Interphase Fits in an LTE Solution
The Interphase approach to LTE is to provide application-ready solutions for LTE that leverage our recognized expertise in developing ATCA / AMC products, our custom design experience with LTE and WiMAX solutions, and our extensive array of partnerships.
Diagram: Interphase LTE solutions in an LTE network
These Interphase solutions span many elements across the LTE network, from eNodeB wireless base station baseband/control/transport module to a Packet Data Network Gateway GPW Offload Engine.
Next Steps
Contact Interphase now to discover additional LTE solutions, whether you are considering “custom off-the-shelf,” new custom design, software or system integration, or a complete turnkey solution. Interphase - your best solution partner for LTE success.
