Rapid Prototyping Interface for Software Defined Radio Experimentation

Leferman, Michael Joseph

Etd

Rapid Prototyping Interface for Software Defined Radio Experimentation

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This thesis focuses on a user-friendly software-defined radio (SDR) development workflow for prototyping, research and education in wireless communications and networks. Specifically, a Simulink interface to the Universal Software Radio Peripheral 2(USRP2) SDR platform is devised in order to enable over-the-air data transmission and reception using a Simulink signal source and sink, in addition to controlling a subset of the hardware resources of the USRP2 platform. Using the USRP2 as the RF front end, this interface will use Simulink for software radio development and signal processing libraries of the digital baseband component of the communication transceiver design. This combination of hardware and software will enable the rapid design, implementation, and verification of digital communications systems in simulation, while allowing the user to easily test the system with near real time over-the-air transmission. The use of Simulink and MATLAB for communication transceiver development will provide streaming access to the USRP2 without the steep learning curve associated with current workflows. These widely available software packages and the USRP2 will make digital communication system prototyping both affordable yet highly versatile, enabling researchers and industry engineers to conduct studies into new wireless communications and networking architectures including cognitive radio. Furthermore, the interface will allow users to become familiar with tools used in industry while learning communications and networking concepts.

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