A new reconfigurable modem architecture for 3G multi-standard wireless communication systems

The trend in communication systems is towards more rapidly changing specifications with shorter time intervals between updates of existing standards. This results in a coexistence of many diverse standards. To support this diversity, communication systems should have a flexible architecture for easy and rapid updates. An ASIC design approach is not suitable for this purpose. Reconfigurable computing machines (RCM) provide a promising solution for multi-standard communication system design. The flexibility and scalability of RCM can support multiple standards and easily adapt to rapid changes of specifications. In this paper, we present a reconfigurable modem (RM) architecture targeting 3G multi-standard wireless communication systems. The proposed RM achieves scalability and low circuit complexity, white obtaining the performance close to an ASIC.