Programmable Data Movement Controller for Radio Base Station Signal Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In radio telecommunications base stations, the processing of multiple-source digital data streams is hindered by multi-path distortion, requiring powerful computers for real-time processing, which results in a low S/N ratio and inefficient data transfer due to the need for flexible data processing and frequent reprogramming of data controllers.
Innovation Solution
A programmable data movement controller is introduced to manage data transfers between shared and local stores, allowing for multiple data transfer modes with minimal reprogramming, using programmable data registers and counters to implement time delays and data alignment, enabling efficient data processing and multi-dropping of data without repeated data fetches.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If powerful computers are used to perform flexible data processing in real-time, then the processing capability is improved, but the S/N ratio of the processed signal becomes low
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the data processing task by separating data fetching from data processing. A dedicated data movement controller handles all data transfer operations between shared and local stores, while processing elements focus solely on signal processing computations. This segmentation eliminates the bottleneck where general-purpose computers had to switch between data fetching and processing, enabling real-time processing without compromising S/N ratio.
Solution Approach 2:
A specialized data movement controller acts as an intermediary between the shared data store and processing elements. This intermediary component is specifically designed to handle data transfer operations efficiently, using techniques like multi-dropping to deliver data to multiple processing elements simultaneously without repeated fetches. This allows powerful processing to occur in real-time while maintaining high signal quality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If frequent reprogramming of data controllers is performed to handle multiple data transfer modes, then the flexibility of data processing is improved, but the reprogramming overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The data movement controller is designed as a universal component that can handle multiple data transfer modes (sequential, sub-sampled, multi-dropping, overlapping) without requiring reprogramming. It achieves this through configurable parameters and a unified architecture that accommodates different transfer patterns, eliminating the need to switch between specialized controllers for different modes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic data transfer techniques where the data movement controller can adapt its operation mode on-the-fly based on processing requirements. Techniques like multi-dropping allow the same data to be dynamically delivered to multiple processing elements with different phase delays, and overlapping transfers enable continuous data flow without interruption. These dynamic capabilities provide flexibility without reprogramming overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
A data movement controller (20) for controlling the movement between a shared data store (18) and a local data store (16) such that the data can be used by a plurality of parallel data processing elements is described. The data movement controller (20) comprises a set of data registers (56, 58, 60) which, in use, are loaded with different data parameters (57, 61, 62) to define a plurality of different ways in which data is transferred between the shared data store (18) and a set of processing elements (12). The data parameters (57, 61, 62) define a set of time delays for transferring portions of the data to predefined ones of the plurality of processing elements (12) and the type of overall data transfer that is to be carried out. The transfer of data in this programmable manner facilitates efficient use of the data movement controller (20) with SIMD associate processors (12) and in one example, the efficient processing of a stream of multiple-source digital data received at radio telecommunications base station to remove distortion due to multi-path effects.