Using the power of innovation to impact the world around us
Signals+ ニュースレター登録
Signals+はコネクティビティ、デジタルヘルス、モビリティ、スマートインダストリーに関する最新情報をお届けします。
ありがとうございます。ご登録のメールアドレスにお送りしたメールを確認し、ニュースレター登録を完了させてください。
世界中の人々の生活に影響を与える、画期的なテクノロジーに関する最新情報をタイムリーにお届けします。
閉じるJVCKENWOOD’s LIFESAVING CRITICAL COMMUNICATIONS RADIO
When natural disaster strikes and lives are at stake, first responders need to establish robust wireless communications to coordinate rescue and recovery efforts, even when terrestrial infrastructure is compromised. Information must be disseminated quickly and accurately among fire, police, and emergency teams to facilitate collaboration, provide real-time updates, and respond effectively to new developments. Communication is also essential for managing the longer-term recovery process, including rebuilding, caring for the injured, and providing aid to affected communities.
Land mobile radio (LMR) devices support recovery efforts when established network infrastructure is compromised. Their high powered transmitters allow for direct device-to-device communication across large areas. Their reach can be further enhanced by deploying mobile ad hoc infrastructure. LMR devices and networks enable first responders to stay connected even in challenging environments like dense forest or mountainous terrain. In these conditions, first responders need their radios to provide all-day battery life, even under heavy use. LMRs are also the go-to devices for first responders’ day-to-day needs as they facilitate communication and coordination of routine activities like responding to a traffic stop, fire alarm, or medical emergency.
Enter JVCKENWOOD (JKC), a market leader in the development of land mobile radio devices, and Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI), a technology innovator with two decades of experience developing software-defined Radio ICs. JKC collaborated with ADI to advance the development of ADI’s Nevis radio transceiver IC, which JKC has selected as a core technology underpinning its future generation of land mobile radios. Through this combined effort, JKC aimed to improve the radio performance and reliability of its LMR devices while bolstering its communication systems business. ADI, in turn, aimed to support JKC while further advancing its own Nevis radio technology. A win-win for both companies.
AT A GLANCE
COMPANY
JVCKENWOOD (JKC) is a Japanese electronics manufacturer with strengths in wireless communication and audio and video technology. In the communications systems business, JKC contributes to a safe and secure society by providing highly reliable radio communications products.
APPLICATIONS
Digital signal processing (DSP) and ADI’s versatile ADRV9104 transceiver—a high dynamic range, low power, software-defined radio (SDR) integrated circuit (IC).
CHALLENGES
Enable next-generation LMR devices to achieve high RF performance, meet compliance standards, and enhance operation in congested or challenging environments while improving power efficiency and minimizing SWaP.
GOAL
Deploy a next-generation, mission-critical wireless communications device designed for use by public safety teams in non-emergencies and response and rescue teams during natural disasters. Set the stage for other communication devices down the road.
ENGAGING THE FRONTLINE USER
LMR critical communications systems must coexist alongside commercial cellular networks, which can produce blocking and interfering signals. However, these are only two of the many challenges LMR radios face. Aiming to enhance the user experience of its next-generation LMR products, JKC’s Advanced Engineering Team sought feedback directly from those on the frontlines.
JKC found, based on customer feedback, that some customers wanted even longer battery life. During extended emergency operations, finding a place to charge batteries can be challenging due to power outages and other factors. Frequent recharging could hinder their activities. JKC also received feedback that improvements in radio performance would be valued, particularly regarding the radio’s ability to perform well in the presence of nearby blocking signals.
COLLABORATING FOR BETTER RESULTS
JKC shared its findings with ADI, along with a range of radio use cases and their understanding of critical communication market needs. “The engagement wasn’t a build-to-print process where requirements were simply handed over,” said Matthew Hazel, Senior Product Marketing Manager, narrow-band transceivers, ADI. He added, “We had a dynamic, back-and-forth collaboration. For example, during testing, we worked hand-in-hand to enhance hardware performance. We shared our simulation results and hardware tests, and JKC was able to assess our device’s performance against its system-level needs. This insight helped mitigate significant risks that could arise later in the system development process.”
ADI and JKC compared notes and evolved everything accordingly. For more than 2 years, iterations, increments, and improvements were made to both hardware and software. It was not a turnkey project, but it was very complex and had many moving parts. As such, ADI needed to align its development schedule to remain in lockstep with JKC to integrate with key customer development milestones.
“The core service of a wireless radio is critical communications. It is the one thing it must do exceptionally well.”
DELIVERING THE SOLUTION
Through collaborative efforts with JKC, ADI pushed Nevis beyond a transceiver’s typical role of providing RF-to-bits functionality. Nevis became ADI’s first software-defined radio IC with an integrated software-defined modem (SDM). This SDM platform has been optimized for land mobile radio waveforms and other narrow-band applications. The SDM architecture is comprised of a programmable processor and supplemented by an array of hardware accelerators (HWA), peripherals, and interfaces. The HWAs are dedicated silicon blocks that perform specific processing tasks, offering efficiency and power savings as compared to performing those same functions in software. The peripherals and interfaces allow Nevis to control other system elements, schedule system tasks, and interface with external codecs and processors.
Nevis’ software-defined modem extends the transceiver’s capabilities by incorporating functionality that has historically only been possible in the application processor. This brings signal processing closer to the edge, providing benefits for the radio design. As described by ADI’s Matthew Hazel, “By integrating waveform processing tasks into Nevis, and performing those functions in hardware rather than software, it allows our customers to scale down their system processor or allocate its capability to more advanced radio functions. Customers reap the benefits of this new architecture, with radios that last longer on a charge while still providing the performance and capability they expect.”
ADI’s NEVIS TECHNOLOGY
A Software-Defined Radio IC with an Integrated Soft-Modem
Nevis is ADI’s first software-defined radio (SDR) with an integrated software-defined modem (SDM). The SDR is primarily responsible for converting input RF waveforms to baseband digital signals (RF-to-bits functionality) and vice versa. But the SDM and SDR can exchange information bidirectionally, enabling Nevis to do more high level functions.
Nevis Benefits
- Waveform Processing On-Chip: Customers can leverage the integrated SDM to perform signal processing functions, up to and including the modem functionality for their wireless protocol. By leveraging the provided library of hardware accelerators, customers can reduce the load on the processor, improving overall system power efficiency.
- RF Performance: A radio built with Nevis technology provides a more reliable connection, even in challenging environments where spectrum congestion or malicious jamming is present. Additionally, Nevis supports narrow-band (kilohertz) and wideband (megahertz) waveforms, simplifying the integration of multiple wireless protocols, such as 5G cellular and P25, into a single handheld radio.
- Efficiency and Power Savings: Nevis offers a new benchmark of RF performance at low power consumption. Innovative design techniques were applied to reduce power consumption without sacrificing RF performance capabilities. Power-saving modes significantly reduce Nevis’ power consumption by powering down internal circuits that are not in use during periods of radio inactivity. Additionally, Nevis’ monitor modes can be used to disable the radio processor while Nevis itself listens for a signal that indicates the radio needs to take action.
DOWN THE ROAD
Even in routine, non-critical operations, industry relies on wireless communications to manage risk and enhance operations and teamwork.
Nevis co-development benefited JKC and ADI as they worked toward a common goal: exceptional critical communication performance. But it also offered both companies flexibility down the road—and the potential to meet the specific needs of both emergency and non-emergency situations.
“Combining JKC’s expertise in the professional wireless market with ADI’s advanced IC technologies means that we will provide customers with even more powerful system solutions,” said Akira Suzuki, COO Safety & Security Sector, JKC.
Communication applications might include:
- Agriculture: managing and monitoring farming operations
- Construction: managing large sites such as bridges, highways, and skyscrapers
- Hospitality: coordinating staff and security in hotels and at large events
- Public Transportation: helping to ensure communication between bus, train, and subway systems
- Utility and Energy: enhancing operational efficiency in factories and power, water, and gas sectors
In each successive generation of software-defined radio ICs, ADI’s goal has been to help customers, like JKC, get to market more quickly through expanded capabilities, performance, and integration. This paves the way for technology to help people to communicate and manage their world.
