Recore Systems and CRC partner to port high velocity digital radio L-band listening to Recore's DSP application platform

ENSCHEDE, - December 19, 2011 - The transition from FM and AM radio to DAB/DAB+/DMB digital radio introduces a potential disappointment for those enjoying radio listening to local stations while traveling, since at higher speeds radio reception deteriorates for stations using DAB transmission mode IV  in the L-band, the designated frequency band for local radio stations. Recore Systems and CRC - Canada’s renowned Communications Research Centre  are working together to solve this problem by porting CRC’s proven Doppler Effect mitigation technique to Recore Systems’ DSP application platform, optimized for this type of Software Defined Radio (SDR) solution.  

CRC has developed proprietary DAB/OFDM Doppler mitigation algorithms (patent pending) that overcome the technical challenges and greatly improve reception at common traveling speeds. The technique is fully compatible with transmitted DAB/DMB/DAB+ signals, and requires only additional signal processing in receivers. CRC’s technologies open the door for using transmission mode IV at L-band and allowing broadcasters who wish to cover large areas with a Single Frequency Network to separate transmitters by distances up to 40 km, as opposed to 20 km for L-band mode II. Mode IV requires fewer transmitters, and allows for much more economical coverage than mode II. However, above 70 km/h (45 mph), reception of mode IV at L-band degrades significantly, necessitating Doppler mitigation algorithms.

“We are happy to partner with Recore Systems which has a flexible DSP application platform well suited to the implementation of our Doppler Effect mitigation algorithm,” states Louis Thibault, CRC’s Manager of Advanced Audio Systems. “This collaboration gives us the opportunity to show that our algorithm has great value for a traveler’s radio, as well as for broadcasters who can now use mode IV and significantly reduce coverage costs at L-band.”  

SDR provides ultimate flexibility because it is loaded on the DSP platform. CRC has been working on this approach as an alternative to dedicated hardware platforms which are expensive to change.

“The beauty of the SDR approach is that it can be easily reconfigured and re-used for new radio protocols or standards by simply loading new software. SDR systems provide a sustainable solution for radios that will be on the road for years to come,” Thibault explained.

“We’re excited that a renowned and award-winning expert in broadcast systems like CRC will port their sophisticated algorithms to our new DSP application platform,” says Gerard Rauwerda, CTO at Recore Systems. “CRC’s state-of-the-art Software Defined Radio application is a perfect match for Recore’s reconfigurable DSP application platform for digital radio, as their software concepts for reconfigurable software defined radio solutions complement the hardware technology concepts that form the basis for our reconfigurable DSP application platforms. We expect the combination of the two to pave the way for Software Defined Radio systems for consumer electronics.”

Both CRC and Recore Systems will be at the 2012 CES in Las Vegas (Jan. 10-13) to showcase their achievements and technologies. You are welcome to visit Recore Systems at booth #73511 in the Eureka!Park in the Venetian (more information on www.recoresystems.com/2012CES).

About Recore Systems:

Recore Systems is a fabless semiconductor company that develops advanced DSP platform ICs and licenses reconfigurable semiconductor IP. We specialize in reconfigurable multi-core designs that can instantly adapt to new situations and combine flexibility, high performance, low power, and low cost. Scalability of the technology allows its use in lean consumer as well as in demanding professional applications. Typical application areas are broadcasting, wireless (tele)communications, multimedia and digital beamforming.

Recore's reconfigurable technology comprises innovative processor cores, design tools for easy integration in customer solutions and ready-to-use applications. Besides reconfigurable hardware solutions, Recore provides accompanying IDE tools, software libraries and application engineering services.

For more information, please visit www.recoresystems.com

About CRC:

The Communications Research Centre Canada (CRC) is the federal government's primary laboratory for research and development in advanced telecommunications, and a centre of excellence in information and communications technologies. The CRC's Advanced Audio Systems Group conducts research and development in advanced audio technologies as well as transmission technologies for digital audio and multimedia broadcasting. The group has developed a strong expertise in Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing wireless transmission in mobile environments. This expertise makes the CRC a major contributor to standardization and spectrum planning activities on digital broadcasting issues for organizations such as Industry Canada, the WorldDMB Forum and the International Telecommunication Union - Radiocommunication Sector. More information can be found at http://www.crc.gc.ca/aas.