The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday morning adopted rule changes to accommodate the authorization and deployment of a new generation of radio equipment known as software defined radios (SDRs). The new rules will allow manufacturers and operators to reconfigure devices after they have been deployed in the field.

This reprogramming capability could change the way users traditionally communicate across wireless services. In a software defined radio, functions that were formerly carried out solely in hardware, such as the generation of the transmitted radio signal and the tuning of the received radio signal, are performed by software that is in high-speed digital signal processors.

Because these functions are carried out in software, the radio is programmable, allowing it to transmit and receive over a wide range of frequencies and to emulate virtually any desired transmission format. The operating parameters of such a radio can be readily altered by a simple software change. SDR concepts span all types of wireless handhelds from cellular phones to feature phones, smart phones, PDAs, computing devices and smart garage door openers.

The most prominent and immediate area of adoption is in the communications field. Today's digital cellular and PCS networks use a variety of second generation (2G) digital technologies for the air interface link between the terminal and network and embrace a number of standards (e.g. GPRS, HSCSD, etc.) and protocols (WAP, pJAVA, compact_html, etc.) for accessing the Internet. The divergent 2G standards (adopted by large groups of end-users around the globe) often frustrate business travelers who communicate with their customers or offices while traveling from one network type to another as they cannot use the same device without significant enhancements /adjustments to deal with incompatible systems.

To add to the complexity, the wireless industry is in the throes of migrating to next generations of these standards, as well as introducing technologies such as GPS (for location services) and Bluetooth (for local communications). With SDR, one would implement a common hardware platform and accommodate these standards and technologies via software modules and firmware.

In March 2000, the FCC released a Notice of Inquiry seeking comments on a number of issues related to software defined radios. These issues included the current state of technology, how this technology could facilitate interoperability between radio services, how it could improve the efficiency of spectrum use, and what changes may be required in the FCC equipment approval process.

Under the former rules, if a manufacturer wanted to make changes to the frequency, power or type of modulation for an approved transmitter, a new approval had to be obtained, and the equipment had to re-label the device with a new identification number. Those requirement had not posed problems in the past because radio transmitters have not had the capability of having their operating parameters easily changed in the field.

Under the rules adopted today, software modifications in an SDR can be made through a "permissive change," which has a streamlined filing process. The FCC identification number will not have to be changed so equipment in the field will have to be relabeled. Permissive changes can be obtained only by the original grantee of the equipment authorization.

LATEST NEWS

UCSD Plans First Flash-Based Supercomputer
Digging Into N.Y.'s Antitrust Suit Against Intel
Analyst: Sony-Ericsson's Android Bid Is Late
Coupon Site Targets Black Friday, Cyber Monday
Microsoft Sites Up Big in Time Spent Online

To allow for changes to equipment by software developers, the FCC will permit an optional "electronic label" for SDRs that would permit the FCC identification number to be displayed on an LCD or similar type screen. The rule allows for a third party to obtain an equipment approval in its own name and become the party responsible for compliance instead of the original equipment maker.