FlexiChaP: A Dynamically Reconfigurable ASIP for Channel Decoding for Future Mobile Systems

Future mobile and wireless communication networks require flexible modem architectures to support seamless services between different network standards. Hence, a common hardware platform that can support multiple protocols implemented or controlled by software, generally referred to as software defined radio (SDR), is essential. This chapter presents a family of application-specific instruction-set processors (ASIPs) for channel coding in wireless communication systems. Flexibility is provided by offering not only programmability but also dynamical reconfiguration within the ASIP pipeline. As a weakly programmable IP core, it can implement many channel decoding schemes for a SDR environment. It features binary convolutional decoding, turbo decoding for binary as well as duo-binary turbo codes, and LDPC decoding for current and upcoming standards. The ASIP consists of a specialized pipeline with 15 stages and a dedicated communication and memory infrastructure. A reconfigurable data shuffling allows for fast context switches, multi-standard support, and a efficient ASIP implementation.

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