The industry’s most comprehensive development platform using Power Architecture technology for the creation of WiMAX baseband applications is available from Freescale Semiconductor.

Incorporating high-performance PowerQUICC communication technology, StarCore digital signal processors and a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), the WiMAX baseband platform works together with medium access control (MAC) and physical layer (PHY) software to provide the performance and programmable processing required for production of WiMAX base station products.

According to In-Stat, the number of fixed WiMAX subscribers worldwide is projected to reach 16 million by 2010, and the number of mobile WiMAX subscribers is expected to range from 15 million to 25 million.

Designed to support fixed and mobile stations, the WiMAX platform provides the essential hardware functionality required for a first-generation WiMAX IEEE 802.16-2005 mobile baseband platform in a single advanced mezzanine card (AMC) form factor.

The design uses a Gigahertz performance MPC8555E PowerQUICC III communication processor built on Power Architecture technology for MAC processing, two quad-core MSC8126 500Mz DSPs based on StarCore technology for layer 1 PHY processing, and an FPGA for time-domain processing. Freescale’s QUICC engine technology enables network termination, and the AMC platform supports a variety of interface technologies including the Gigabit, serial I/O and rapid IO interconnect standards.

Software shipped with the WiMAX platform includes CodeWarrior development tools and a SmartDSP-OS RTOS integrated with peripheral device drivers for Freescale’s MSC8126 processor. Customers also can leverage enabling software kernels from Freescale for MAC and PHY processing. AMC card design details including schematics and Gerber files are available upon request.

The SPTWIMAXCC1E AMC channel card is available via Freescale’s distribution channel.

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