The big challenge in today’s basestation design is implementing the tough new Long-Term Evolution (LTE) standards while providing for existing 3G and 2G radios. That means wideband, multi-band, multi-carrier designs that are a real handful. DesignArt Networks has designed its next-generation DAN3000 open system-on-a-chip (SoC) family to speed and simplify that process.

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With the DAN3400 and DAN3100 SoCs, DesignArt provides system vendors with a complete end-to-end development framework for any type of basestation product ranging from picocell access points to large-scale distributed macro base transceiver station (BTS) applications using any kind of mobile 2G, 3G, or 4G technology.

Based on a unique multi-layer, multi-core architecture, the platforms integrate all four processing layers required for the design of any type of mobile radio access network (RAN) infrastructure product, ranging from basestations, radio heads, and backhaul systems up to fully integrated multi-sector 4G basestation systems with zero-cost self-backhaul on one chip.

The flagship DAN3400’s unique and patented multi-layer, multi-core architecture comprises two completely software-defined high-performance subsystems: an embedded basestation and a digital front-end design for high-output RF applications. The SoC extends DesignArt’s current lead in the single-box compact BTS market, enabling compact BTS solutions ranging from the lowest-cost 4G access points all the way up to multi-carrier, multi-protocol, multi-sector macrocells, based on one single R&D software and hardware development framework.

The DAN3100 offers a targeted solution for digital radio designs, e.g., multi-carrier, multi-mode remote radio head (RRH) products. In combination, the DAN3400 and the DAN3100 are the only available end-to-end distributed basestation silicon solutions on the market, ranging from low-cost distributed micro BTSs up to the most powerful distributed macro BTS systems. Vendors can use both versions of the pin-compatible SoC family, turning any RRH design instantly into a single-box macrocell compact BTS with the same RF output power.

All of the members of the DAN3000 SoC family support the concurrent operation of 2G, 3G, and 4G services at the full performance level of macrocell basestations, providing operators with both future-proof and backward-compatible in-field software evolution paths all the way to full 4G.

One of the key solutions to the mobile data explosion is more compact basestations that address multi-standard mobile service networks. With the DAN3400 and DAN3100 SoC solutions, DesignArt is well positioned in this emerging segment. The family comprises several products ranging from picocell access points, compact basestations for macrocells, microcells, and picocells, and distributed macro basestations to RRH and high-capacity gigabit point-to-point (PtP) and point-to-multipoint (PmP) backhaul systems.

A powerful development system with a debugging framework that includes full-featured trial-ready software applications supplements the new chips. First samples of both chips will be available to select customers in the third quarter of 2010.

DesignArt Networks Ltd.