Smart Energy Efficient Digital Communication (SEEDCOM)

Themes: Big-data on-chip transmission, Microwave circuits, RF electronics

Problem statement; Wireless communications are growing exponentially and are moving towards fourth generation (4G) mobile services, which aim for wider signal bandwidths and MIMO techniques to handle more users at higher data rates. These rapid changing conditions demand new solutions for the basestation transmit path (TX), whose efficiency dominates the huge operating costs and related worldwide CO2 emissions of wireless networks. Scientific challenges are found in identifying the suitable all-digital signal generation, conditioning, amplification and power combining that enable truly energy-efficient, multi-band cost-effective data transmissions. Research method; The goal of SEEDCom is: �To introduce novel, digital-oriented signal generation, up-conversion and RF amplification techniques that will yield a new paradigm of transmitter topologies pushing to new unheard-of limits of functionality, integration and power efficiency, while being modular and data-rate scalable�. Fundamental bottlenecks related to switch-mode operation at RF frequencies, like low gain, poor path calibration and power hungry pre-distortion can be completely eliminated by the all-digital approach. Expected results; SEEDCom will result in new scientific approaches to transmit and amplify RF signals, which will allow our corporate partner to engineer novel smart package-integrated digital-enhanced power amplifier modules with improved data capacity, energy efficiency, signal quality, re-configurability, form factor, reduced cost and ecological footprint. The smaller form factor and extended functionality will allow new tower-top base stations (eliminating lossy cables and active cooling units), facilitate MIMO and multi-sector operation, as well as, smart-antenna systems, providing higher data capacity and improved link budget at much lower CO2 emissions.