Maxim Succeeds in Implementing Flexible and Scalable SDR with WBR Technology
Simplifies automotive head unit design and reduces cable count

The standards that support car radios around the world are all different. Accordingly, companies that develop radio tuners have also supplied products that meet each standard. So, does that mean that hardware needs to be redesigned because the standards are different? That is no longer necessary. This is because of software-defined radio (SDR) technology.

However, we cannot say that the optimal design is achieved by only applying SDR. This is because there is another obstacle. Since the software still has to be run on some hardware platform, the baseband signal processing core with each front end must be placed on the same chip and each must process AM and FM. In other words, it is bound to be a heavy SDR design.


▲ Smart multimedia touchscreen system in the car

In other words, a traditional wireless receiver that integrates a front-end tuner and a baseband processor must have as many radio receiver chips as the standard, and the existing SDR implemented to solve this problem inevitably has a heavy design due to each baseband signal processing core. Maxim Integrated's SDR technology, which has been consistently developing innovative automotive solutions, appears to be sufficient to solve the concerns of tuner design engineers.

The company announced a remote tuner solution that simplifies the design of automotive head units and reduces the number of cables, and that it can support worldwide radio standards through software updates without changing the vehicle's hardware. Of course, the ideal implementation of SDR requires that any signal related to a particular standard be processed using SDR techniques. The ideal SDR approach should be able to change the design according to various techniques and evolving standards.

Supports global standards with only software updates, without hardware changes

Maxim's proposed WBR (World Band Radio) technology provides a clue to finding the answer. With a more flexible architecture to maximize the flexibility of SDR, this technology enables the design of a standalone front-end tuner that can run all major analog and digital radio standards. This is made possible by powerful multicore processors. By more efficiently utilizing the multicore application processors already present in the system, the design can be expanded without having to add separate baseband signal processing cores.

▲ MAX2175

Maxim’s remote tuner solution consists of the MAX2175 analog/digital hybrid radio receiver with front end (RF to Bits), the MAX96708 14-bit GMSL deserializer, the MAX96711 14-bit GMSL serializer, the MAX15027 1A LDO linear regulator, and the MAX20002 36V, 2A synchronous buck converter. Maxim is the only company to offer a solution that includes all the RF, SerDes, and power components.

Maxim's latest tuner solution succeeds in killing two birds with one stone: flexibility that complements existing highly integrated SDR solutions and expandability that can support any global standard.