The evolution of hardware platforms for mobile "software defined radio" terminals

The deployment of communication systems mainly depends on the availability of appropriate microelectronics. Therefore, the Fraunhofer-Institut für Mikroelektronische Schaltungen und Systeme (IMS) considers the combined approach to communication and microelectronic system design as crucial. This paper explores the impact of anticipated communication services for future wireless communication systems on the evolution of microelectronics for wireless terminals. A roadmap is presented which predicts the hardware/software split of future software defined radio terminals (SDR terminals). Additionally, a new philosophy for analog and digital codesign is introduced, which may help to accelerate the appearence of mobile software defined radio terminals.