Putting the Radio in “Software-Defined Radio”: Hardware Developments for Adaptable RF Systems

TLDR

Adaptable RF hardware faces a frequency‑planning bottleneck dominated by filtering stages, yet even banded systems can suffer significant performance loss from modest tuning. The paper aims to demonstrate future adaptable RF capabilities by outlining a field‑programmable filter array that dynamically interconnects resonators to generate on‑demand transfer functions. A novel synthesis approach enables multiple filters to cooperate without band crossover, allowing graceful switching of passbands while preserving adjacent band integrity. The authors demonstrate that a programmable front‑end filter improves a fixed system in an unlicensed band, a wide‑band tunable design selects across 20 MHz–6 GHz, and high‑quality pre‑LNA filtering enables cooperative operation of colocated nodes, collectively illustrating extensive filter state flexibility and the potential for more spectrum‑efficient RF systems.

Abstract

The prospects for and the state of the art of adaptable RF hardware are reviewed, focusing primarily on the traditional frequency planning bottleneck, the filtering stages. First, a case is made that even banded systems can be greatly impacted by a modest amount of tuning. This is done by showing the results of a traditional fixed system in an unlicensed band upgraded with a programmable front-end filter. Next, a system built specifically for wideband tuning is shown that enables band selection across the 20-MHz-6-GHz-band. Cooperative operation of multiple colocated nodes is enabled by high-quality pre-LNA filtering across the bands of operation. Future capabilities of adaptable systems are shown by reviewing the state of the art of adaptable systems, heading toward a field-programmable filter array in which a sea of resonators are dynamically interconnected to create a transfer function on demand. Additionally, a novel synthesis approach is highlighted in which multiple filters can cooperate gracefully without crossover issues between the bands. This approach allows for a vast number of filter states by turning on and off passbands without affecting the adjacent bands. The advancements in adaptable hardware will enable new classes of RF systems which much more efficiently utilize the spectrum.