Using the PRISM® Chip Set for Low
Data Rate Applications
Application Note
January 1997
AN9614.1
Authors: Carl Andren and John Fakatselis
Introduction
Description
™
The PRISM chip set has been
A. External IF Filtering
optimized to address high data rate
applications with up to 4 MBPS data
rates. The PRISM can also be utilized
for low data rate applications. To
The band pass filters shown between the HFA3624 and the
HFA3724 labeled as BPF1a and BPF1b on Figure 1 are
centered at IF and filter the spread wideband waveform
before demodulation on the receive side and before the final
upconversion on the transmit side.
implement low data rate applications (below 250 KBPS) the
designer needs to address design considerations in the
following areas:
One might think that the TX filter can be avoided but it is
required to meet the sidelobe suppression specifications
according to FCC requirements.
A. Selection of external filtering supporting the PRISM com-
ponents.
For the high rate configuration of the PRISM, a
recommended implementation is to use SAW BPFs centered
at 280MHz with a BW of about 17MHz. This is assuming an
11MHz chip rate (thus 22MHz spread null to null bandwidth).
A recommended device that meets these requirements is
the ToyoCom TQS-432.
B. Limitations on filter cut off frequencies of the HFA3724
internal Low Pass Filters.
C. Selection of appropriate carrier and clock oscillators to
achieve the desired performance, given the HSP3824 inter-
nal Acquisition and Tracking loop integration constraints.
The system designer should also evaluate the option where
the radio maintains its high data rate configuration but
transmits the data using infrequent high data rate burst
packets.
If a low data rate configuration is implemented then
substitute IF filters need to be identified that will filter to the
channel bandwidth of the spread waveform at the lower chip
rate. The designer can use any IF center frequency within
the HFA3724 range. The designer must be sure, though, that
the identified filter meets the transmission spectral mask
requirements for FCC for the 2.4MHz ISM band. SAW filters
Where the system requires that the radio operate at low
rates (<250 KBPS), the designer must address the areas
highlighted on the PRISM block diagram shown in Figure 1.
PRISM PCMCIA Reference Radio Block Diagram
TX/RX
FILTER CUTOFF
SELECT
ANTSEL
SELECT
HFA3724
Q MODEM
ADC
CCA
QUADRATURE
DEMOD
LNA
RF2304
I ADC
BPF1a
BPF1b
DE-
SPREAD
DE-
MOD
I
Q ADC
HFA3424
LNA
HFA3624
RF/IF
LIMITING IF /RSSI
TX/RCV
DATA
IO
HSP3824
BASEBAND
PROCESSOR
M
U
X
M
U
X
I/Q LO
28SSOP
MOD/
ENCODE
CONTROL
TEST
I/O
SPREAD
CLK
Q
HFA3925
QUADDRATURE
MODULATOR
RF POWER AMP
AND TX/RX
SWITCH
5TH ORDER
BUTTERWORTH
LOW PASS
VCO
VCO
OSC
22MHz
FILTERS
HFA3524
DUAL SYNTHESIZER
FIGURE 1. PRISM™ CHIP SET BLOCK DIAGRAM
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