Sbaa 443
Sbaa 443
Application Report
SBAA443 – July 2020
Yusuf Agoro
ABSTRACT
This application note describes the NCO-based frequency hopping capability of the RF-sampling AFE79xx
device. The AFE79xx is a family of high-performance, wide-bandwidth multi-channel transceivers,
integrating four RF sampling transmitter chains, four RF sampling receiver chains, and up to two RF
sampling digitizing auxiliary chains (feedback paths). Each receiver chain includes a 25-dB range DSA
(Digital Step Attenuator), followed by a 3-GSPS analog-to-digital converter (ADC). Each transmitter chain
includes a single or dual digital up converters (DUCs) supporting up to 1200-MHz combined signal
bandwidth. The output of the DUCs drives a 12-GSPS digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The feedback
path includes an 25-dB range DSA driving a 3-GSPS RF-sampling ADC, followed by a DDC with up to
1200-MHz bandwidth. The AFE79xx improvement in density and flexibility enables high-channel-count,
multi-mission systems, and makes these devices a very attractive option for wideband, frequency-hopping
applications.
Contents
1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 2
2 Phase Coherency vs Phase Continuity .................................................................................. 2
3 AFE7920 Architecture ...................................................................................................... 3
4 Numerically Controlled Oscillator (NCO) ................................................................................. 4
5 Configuring the AFE7920 for NCO Hopping via GPIO ................................................................. 5
6 Measuring Hop Time ....................................................................................................... 8
List of Figures
1 Example of Phase Coherent Frequency Hopping ....................................................................... 2
2 Example of Phase Continuous Frequency Hopping .................................................................... 3
3 AFE7920 Receiver Single DDC Block Diagram ......................................................................... 3
4 AFE7920 Transmitter Single DUC Block Diagram ...................................................................... 4
5 NCO Block Diagram ......................................................................................................... 4
6 Displaying GPIO Pin Control for Channel A and B in the Default Case .............................................. 6
7 TX Hop Time via GPIO Hardware Setup ................................................................................. 8
8 Programming NCO0 and NCO1 for TXA in Latte ....................................................................... 9
9 Mapping pin L14 to TX_NCOSEL_0 Using Latte Function sysParams.gpioMapping .............................. 9
10 J11 pin Header Housing the AUX2 GPIO pin .......................................................................... 10
11 Latte Command for Enabling DAC Constant Output Tone ........................................................... 10
12 Scope Shot: TXA Hopping From 2200 MHz to 2800 MHz With Hop Time of 217.24 ns ......................... 11
13 RX hop Time via GPIO Hardware Setup ................................................................................ 12
14 Baseband Signal Hopping From 120.40 MHz to 20.40 MHz ......................................................... 13
List of Tables
1 GPIO FUNCTION Control the Default Case ............................................................................. 5
2 TX NCO Switching Modes to TX_NCOSEL_X Function Mapping .................................................... 6
3 TX Parameter Default Summary ........................................................................................... 7
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Introduction www.ti.com
1 Introduction
Frequency hopping describes a method in which communication systems rapidly change the operating
frequency for a specific application. Applications such as radar, electronic warfare (EW), and
communications use frequency hopping to avoid interference, avoid detection, or find signals that are
attempting to remain undetected. The faster these systems can change frequencies, or frequency hop, the
more agile these systems become, thus increasing the chance to avoid interference and detection. In a
traditional frequency-hopping system, where an analog mixer and PLL or VCO is used as a local
oscillator, changing frequencies can take quite a long time. As RF sampling has become more prevalent,
frequency hopping is moving toward an NCO-based hopping technique.
NCO0: F1
NCO1: F2
RF output
Time
NCO0: F1 NCO1: F2 NCO0: F1
Selected Selected Selected
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Phase continuity; however, refers to a smooth and continuous transition from one frequency to another on
the RF output when the selected source changes frequencies. Noncontinuous or abrupt transitions in the
output frequency may lead to unwanted spurious content during fast Fourier transform (FFT) analysis.
Figure 2 shows an example of continuous frequency hopping, where the selected source switches from
NCO0 (programmed to F1) to NCO1 (programmed to F2). As Figure 2 illustrates, when frequency hopping
from frequency 1 to frequency 2, there is a continuous transition between frequency 1 and frequency 2.
NCO0: F1
NCO1: F2
RF output
Time
NCO0: F1 NCO1: F2 NCO0: F1
Selected Selected Selected
3 AFE7920 Architecture
The digital mixer within the AFE7920 receivers and transmitters includes two NCOs, whose frequency can
be set independently. The mixers can switch between two NCOs, each able to maintain the NCO phase at
all times. The switch between the two NCOs can be controlled through the SPI or dedicated GPIO pin.
The NCOs have two options for setting the frequency. First, they can have a 32-bit resolution with the
frequency specified as the N × sample rate × 1 / 232. Optionally, the NCOs can provide an exact 1-kHz
raster for an input reference clock frequency of N × 61.44 MHz, where N is a integer. The NCOs and
mixer provide a SFDR of 100 dB.
Peak/
RMS AGC
Peak
To š[•
Decimation Complex š[•
Serdes Automatic
filters Mixer
block I Level I I
Control and
IQ1 N ADC DSA
Floating
Q Point Q Q
Formatter
NCO1 NCO2
Dual NCOs
Figure 3. AFE7920 Receiver Single DDC Block Diagram
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Complex
Digital Input
Signal eiZ t
I I I I Sin(x)
Baseband DAC
IQ functions N M x
Q Q Q Q
Figure 4. AFE7920 Transmitter Single DUC Block Diagram
16
Accumulator sin
Frequency 32 32 32 16 16
Look Up
Register Table 16
CLK RESET cos
16
Phase
fDAC_front NCO SYNC Register
The NCOs in the AFE7920 receivers and transmitters run continuously, whether currently selected or not,
maintaining phase coherency over time.
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NOTE: The associated parameter syntax between the receivers and transmitters are similar with the
only difference being whether RX or TX is specified in the functions name.
• ncoTxMode/ncoRxMode
• broadcastTxNcoSel/broadcastRxNcoSel
• numTxNCO/numRxNCO
• TxNco0/RxNco0
• TxNco1/RxNco1
• TX_NCOSEL_[0-3] /RX_NCOSEL_[0-3]
The next section defines the function of each function for the transmitter.
NOTE: The Latte functions specific to the receivers perform the same functions specific to the
AFE7920 receivers.
5.2.1 TX_NCOSEL_0/1/2/3
There are in total of 4 GPIO functions (TX_NCOSEL_0/1/2/3) for the AFE7920 receivers and transmitters.
Each function controls whether NCO0 or NCO1 is selected for the associated TX channel. The NCO that
is not selected will still run actively in the background therefore phase coherency is maintained when
switching between NCOs. Each GPIO function is then assigned to a one of many available AFE7920
device pins as determined by the user. The device pin selected should be physically connected to a GPIO
pin. The state of the GPIO pin connected to the AFE7920 device pin will ultimately determine which NCO
is selected within the corresponding channel. During the default bring-up procedure, the AFE7920 is
configured such the NCOs within band0 (single band mode) for all four transmitters are the only NCOs
enabled for NCO hopping and they are controlled by the GPIO functions TX_NCOSEL_0 and
TX_NCOSEL_1. Table 1 shows which channels are controlled by TX_NCOSEL_0 and TX_NCOSEL_1 in
the default case.
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Figure 6 illustrates how the GPIO pin assigned to the GPIO function TX_NCOSEL_0 will select which
NCO is active for channels A and B.
Figure 6. Displaying GPIO Pin Control for Channel A and B in the Default Case
The default case configuration is not mandatory as the mapping of GPIO functions to corresponding
NCOs and TX channels is highly configurable with the AFE7920 device. For example, it is possible to
configure the AFE7920 to control multiple channels with a single GPIO function. The GPIO function to
channel mapping is variably configured depending on how the TX parameters ncoTxMode and
broadcastTxNcoSel are set. The next sections provide details about ncoTxMode and
broadcastTxNcoSel and how they dictate the possible NCO control configurations.
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As Table 2 shows, when ncoTxMode is set equal to 0, NCO switching via GPIO is disabled for both
bands. When ncoTxMode is set equal to 1, the state of the GPIO pin assigned to GPIO function
TXNCOSEL_0, selects which NCO is active for TxA&B in Band0 and TXNCOSEL_1 selects which NCO is
active for TxC&D in Band0. The Same Pins Controls which NCO is active in Band1 if Dual DUC mode is
enabled. When ncoTxMode is set equal to 2, the active NCO within each TX channel is determined by
state of its own respective GPIO function and GPIO pin. TXNCOSEL_0 for TXA, TXNCOSEL_1 for TXB,
TXNCOSEL_2 for TXC, and so on.
Notice that whenever broadcastTxNcoSel is set equal to 1, the same GPIO function assigned to Channels
A and B is also assigned Channels C and D, respectively.
The next sections describes the remaining parameters related to configuring the AFE7920 device for NCO
hopping.
5.2.3 numTxNCO
numTxNco determines the number of active TX NCOs that are to be used. NumTxNco can be set to either
1 or 2. If no NCO switching is needed, set this to 1.
Default: numTxNCO = 1
5.2.4 TxNco0
TxNco0 effectively programs TX NCO0s operating frequency in MHz for all transmitter channels. NCO0 in
both available TX bands are programmed through this function. The NCOs in band1 are only accessible
when the AFE7920 transmitter is configured in Dual DUC mode.
Default: txNco0 = [[1800,2600],[1800,2600],[1800,2600],[1800,2600]]
[Band0, Band1] for TxA for NCO0; [Band0, Band1] for TxB for NCO0 [Band0, Band1] for TxC for NCO0
[Band0, Band1] for TxD for NCO0
5.2.5 TxNco1
TxNco1 effectively programs TX NCO1s operating frequency in MHz for all transmitter channels. NCO1 in
both available TX bands are programmed through this function. The NCOs in band1 are only accessible
when the AFE7920 transmitter is configured in Dual DUC mode.
Default: txNco1 =[[1900,2700],[1900,2700],[1900,2700],[190 0,2700]]
[Band0, Band1] for TxA for NCO1; [Band0, Band1] for TxB for NCO1 [Band0, Band1] for TxC for NCO1
[Band0, Band1] for TxD for NCO1.
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Figure 10 shows the schematic symbol of the pin header housing the AUX2 GPIO pin. The AUX2 GPIO
pin routed to the "L14" AFE7920 device pin.
Figure 10. J11 pin Header Housing the AUX2 GPIO pin
Figure 11. Latte Command for Enabling DAC Constant Output Tone
2. Set the function generator to output square pulses at a relatively slow output frequency. 1 Hz should
work. Connect one output of the function generator to the NCO hopping GPIO pin, and connect the
second output of the function generator the oscilloscope.
3. Connect the TXA output from the AFE7920 to the oscilloscope and program the oscilloscope to trigger
on the square wave input. At this point a single pulse should change select the NCO while also
triggering the oscilloscope. The change in frequency should reflect on the TXA output and the hop time
should now be visible.
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Figure 12 shows the oscilloscope shot displaying the captured hop time.
Figure 12. Scope Shot: TXA Hopping From 2200 MHz to 2800 MHz With Hop Time of 217.24 ns
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Figure 14. Baseband Signal Hopping From 120.40 MHz to 20.40 MHz
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