DVB-S2x Software Modem (SOMO) Wideband DVB-S2x Software Demodulator Running on CPU and/or GPU on Consumer Hardware Platforms

  • Status
    Ongoing
  • Status date
    2022-01-19
  • Activity Code
    7B.058
Objectives

Nowadays, the modem part of the user terminals for Satcom market is implemented on dedicated hardware components, which brings a number of constraints, such as customised production and long development cycle time, among others. There are certain Satcom market areas (e.g. automotive, IoT, multicast, VSAT) where user terminals could benefit from the use of a software modem implementation running in already existing general purpose computing hardware, thus with lower development cycle and costs.

In the activity, a fully software defined wideband DVB-S2X demodulator prototype that runs on CPU and optionally on GPU of consumer hardware platforms is implemented. It is easily portable across different architectures and operating systems. Intel and ARM-based CPUs as well as Windows, MacOS and Linux are supported. 

The software demodulator prototype supports DVB-S2x, including time slicing capabilities (defined in EN 302 307-1 Annex M), with limited CPU power consumption over consumer platforms (e.g. tablets) up to 36 Msymbol/s throughput. The architecture of the software is modular and flexible and enables simple and effective customization to a wide range of different platforms and application scenarios.

Challenges
  • Comprehensive support of a wide range of MODCOD profiles and options fully compliant to the DVB-S2x standard.

  • SW Implementation minimizing computational resources while maintaining any combination of application specific data-rate and latency requirements.   

  • Scalable, modular and flexible SW design that allows execution on various consumer target platforms, simple upgrades and user-defined extensions.

Benefits

Cost effective and flexible solution providing a wideband DVB-S2x demodulator. The software-defined demodulator is power-optimized and runs on consumer HW devices on the CPU. A variety of systems and platform is supported, such that it can be easily adapted to different scenarios and use-cases.

Features
  • Full support of the DVB-S2x standard.

  • Purely software-defined solution.

  • Speed and power optimized implementation.

  • Support of Windows, Linux and MacOS based systems.

  • Support of x86 and ARM based platforms.

  • Flexible architecture that allows adaptation to many different scenarios and use-cases.

  • Supported bandwidth is up to 36 Msymbol/s

System Architecture

Software defined and modular DVB-S2x demodulator consisting of the following components:

  • Linear equalizer

  • Matched filter

  • Carrier & frame acquisition

  • Timing, frequency and phase synchronization

  • LDPC decoder

  • BCH decoder

  • GSE decapsulator

Interfaces:

  • Sample input: VITA 49.2. 

  • Packet output: Ethernet/IP

Plan

Milestones:

  • MS1    Requirements Review (RR)

  • MS2    Technical Baseline Review (TBR)

  • MS3    Critical Design Review (CDR)

  • MS4    Test Readiness Review (TRR)

  • MS5    Acceptance Review (AR)

  • MS6    Final Review (FR)

Current status

Activity started in mid-November 2021.

Prime Contractor