An Introduction to Software Defined Radio With

LabVIEW and NI USRP

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 Hands-on Course Objectives
• Find an FM radio station using the USRP as spectrum analyzer
• Introduction to the LabVIEW environment
Exercise • Configuring the USRP software defined radio
1 • Exploring live radio spectrum

• Demodulate & listen to live FM radio

• LabVIEW programming fundamentals
Exercise • Integrating digital signal processing functions
2 • Using .m file script inside LabVIEW

• Explore a digital communications system

• Open and run a digital communications reference design
Exercise • Identify the part of a more advanced LabVIEW block diagram
3 • Overview of the modulation & demodulation process

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 What is LabVIEW?

• LabVIEW is a graphical programming environment used

by millions of engineers and scientists to develop
sophisticated measurement, test, and control systems

• LabVIEW can integrate with wide variety of hardware

devices, including the NI USRP

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The National Instruments Vision
“To do for test and measurement
what the spreadsheet did for financial analysis.”

Virtual Instrumentation

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 NI RF Test Platform
Cellular, Wireless, & GPS
Optimized APIs Test Toolkits
(802.11 a/b/g/n , GSM, EDGE,
WCDMA, RFID, WiMAX, GPS, etc.)

Soft Front Panels

Reference Architectures

Multicore VSAs & VSGs FPGA I/O & Amplifiers & Switching Power
Processing
ni.com Co-processing Attenuators Meters
 The Next 30 Years:
Expanding LabVIEW into System Design

Design Verification Product Verification

Research & Design & Verification & Manufacturing

Modeling Simulation Validation

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 Introduction to SDR
Find an FM radio station using the USRP as spectrum analyzer
Introduction to the LabVIEW environment
Configuring the USRP software defined radio
Exploring live radio spectrum

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 From Concept to Prototype … Rapidly!

Graphical System Design Platform

Design Simulate Prototype

• LabVIEW Graphical System Design offers one tool, integrated flow

• Shorter learning curve
• Easier system integration
• Reduce the time to hardware … rapid prototyping!
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 Getting Started in LabVIEW

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 LabVIEW Programs are Called Virtual Instruments (VIs)
LabVIEW VIs contain three main components:
1. Front Panel 2. Block Diagram 3. Icon/Connector Pane

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 Front Panel & Controls Palette
Numeric
Control

Controls Palette - contains the controls

and indicators you use to create the
front panel
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 Block Diagram & Functions Palette
Math
Function

Front panel objects appear as

terminals on the block diagram
Contains the VIs, functions,
and constants you use to
create the block diagram
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 Dataflow Programming

• Block diagram execution

– Dependent on the flow of
data
– Block diagram does NOT
execute left to right
• Node executes when data
is available to ALL input
terminals
• Nodes supply data to all
output terminals when
done

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 LabVIEW Help Utilities – Context Help
Hover over function blocks for just-in-time help

• Help»Show Context Help

• Shortcut Keys: <Ctrl-H>

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 LabVIEW Help Utilities – Detailed Help

• Select Help»LabVIEW Help

• Use the Detailed help link or

button in the Context Help
window

• Right-click an object and select

Help from the shortcut menu

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 What is a Software Defined Radio?

Software-Defined Radio (SDR) refers to the

technology wherein software modules running on
a generic hardware platform are used to
implement radio functions …..

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 NI USRP Software Defined Radio Signal Processing
and Synthesis
Tunable RF Transceiver
NI LabVIEW to develop
Front Ends
and explore algorithms
Frequency Range
50 MHz – 2.2 GHz (NI-2920) NI Modulation Toolkit and
2.4 GHz & 5.5 GHz (NI-2921) LabVIEW add-ons to
400 MHz – 4.4 GHz (NI-2922) simulate or process live
signals

Applications
FM Radio Safety Radio 1 Gigabit Ethernet to PC
TV OFDM Plug-and-play capability
GPS Passive Radar Up to 25 MS/s baseband IQ
GSM Dynamic Spectrum Access streaming
ZigBee

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 NI USRP Software Defined Radio

RF Baseband IQ
Software
Transceiver Processing

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 SDR Components

• Digital to Analog
Tx • RF Upconversion • Modulation

• RF Downconversion • Demodulation
RX
• Analog to Digital • Signal Processing

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 NI USRP-2920 Hardware Diagram 1. Device
Name
5. Gain

6. # Samples/
4. Antenna Buffer

2. IQ Rate

Analog RF Transceiver
3. Carrier Fixed Function FPGA PC
Frequency

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 USRP Configuration in 6 Parameters

1. Device Name – IP address of one or multiple USRP

2. IQ Rate – Quadrature sampling rate, equivalent to bandwidth

3. Carrier Frequency – Frequency of interest

4. Antenna – Select which antenna port to receive from

5. Gain – Amplification of signal before digitizing the signal

6. Fetch size – how many samples to acquire each fetch

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 USRP Configuration in 6 Parameters

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 NI USRP RF Receive Parameters

IQ Rate ~ Bandwidth

1 MHz
Power (dB)

50 MHz 94.7 MHz Frequency

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 NI USRP RF Receive Parameters

Carrier Frequency

1 MHz
Power (dB)

50 MHz 94.7 MHz Frequency

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 NI USRP RF Receive Parameters

Gain
1 MHz
Power (dB)

50 MHz 94.7 MHz Frequency

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 NI USRP RF Receive Parameters

number of samples
Time Domain
1
* number _ samples = fetch _ time
IQ _ rate

Frequency Domain
IQ _ rate
= resolution _ bandwidth
number _ samples

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 NI-USRP Driver Software

Initialize Configure Start Read IQ Stop Close

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 Exercise 1 Find a Radio Station

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 Demodulating Live FM
Demodulate & listen to live FM radio
LabVIEW programming fundamentals
Integrating digital signal processing functions
Using .m file script inside LabVIEW

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 Dataflow Programming

• Block diagram execution

– Dependent on the flow of
data
– Block diagram does NOT
execute left to right
• Node executes when data
is available to ALL input
terminals
• Nodes supply data to all
output terminals when
done

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 Common Data Types Found in LabVIEW

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 Reviewing the Block Diagram

Wire:
Waveform
Datatype

Wire:
Error Cluster

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 Waveform Data Type

• The waveform data type is used by LabVIEW to

display and store periodic signal measurements.

t0 – Initial time of waveform

dt – Sample period

Y – Array of data samples

Baseband IQ : Y is an array of complex numbers representing I and Q samples

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 Arrays

• An array consists of elements and dimensions

• Elements: data that make up the array
• Dimension: the length, height, or depth of an array

• Consider using arrays when you work with

a collection of similar data and when you
perform repetitive computations

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34
 Clusters

• Clusters group data elements of mixed types

• Similar to a record or a struct in text-based programming
languages

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 Error and Complex Waveform Clusters
• Error Cluster – convention for tracking errors through a program

• Waveform Cluster – Used in the Modulation Toolkit

• (similar to Waveform Datatype)

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 Loops While Loop

• While Loop
• Terminal counts iterations
• Always runs at least once
• Runs until stop condition is
met
• For Loop
For Loop
– Terminal counts iterations
– Runs according to input N of
count terminal

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 FM Radio Spectrum

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 Demodulating Broadcast FM Radio

FM radio can be demodulated in 3 steps:

1. Detect carrier phase (Arc Tan of baseband IQ samples)

2. Unwrap the phase (remove discontinuities)

3. Compute the derivative (change in phase ≈ frequency)

Demodulated
Baseband IQ
FM

Detect Unwrap Differentiate

phase phase phase

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 Unwrapping Phase

• Polar numbers consist of magnitude and phase

• Phase values from -180º to 180º
• Discontinuities exist as phase wraps back around
• Unwrap phase to eliminate discontinuities

180°

-180°

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 Exercise 2A Demodulate and Listen to FM Radio

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 Demodulated Broadcast FM

Mono Stereo Audio

Audio Left - Right
Left + Right
19 kHz
Stereo
Pilot Direct Band Audos Subcarrier
RBDS

0 57 kHz
30 15 23 38 53 58.35 67.65 76.65 92 99
Hz kHz kHz kHz kHz kHz kHz kHz kHz kHz

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 LabVIEW Models of Computation
Dataflow C | HDL Code Textual Math Multi-Rate DSP Simulation Statechart

LabVIEW LabVIEW LabVIEW LabVIEW

``

Desktop Real-Time FPGA MPU/MCU

Personal Computers PXI Systems CompactRIO Single-Board RIO Custom Design

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 Math with the LabVIEW MathScript Node
• Implement equations and algorithms textually
• Input and output variables created at the border
• Generally compatible with popular .m file script language
• Terminate statements with a semicolon to disable
immediate output

(Functions»Programming»
Structures»MathScript)

Prototype your equations in the interactive LabVIEW MathScript Window.

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ni.com
 Frequency Demodulation Algorithm

Detect Unwrap Differentiate

phase phase phase

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 Exercise 2B Use a MathScript RT node

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 Communications Design in LabVIEW
Modulation Toolkit

• Analog and Digital modulation formats

• AM, FM, PM
• ASK, FSK, MSK, GMSK, PAM, PSK, QAM
• Custom
• Visualization
• 2D and 3D Eye, Trellis, Constellation
• Modulation Analysis
• BER, MER, EVM, burst timing,
frequency deviation, ρ (rho)
• Impairments
• Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN)
• DC offset, Quadrature skew, IQ gain
imbalance, phase noise
• Equalization, Channel Coding, Channel
Models

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 Exercise 2C Use Use Prebuilt IP

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 Digital Communications
Explore a digital communications system
Open and run a digital communications reference design
Identify the part of a more advanced LabVIEW block diagram
Overview of the modulation & demodulation process

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ni.com
Source Coding
Downconversion

Channel Coding

Demodulation

Modulation
Channel Decoding
Communications Channel
Digital Communication System

Upconversion
Source Decoding
 Digital Communication System
NI Modulation Toolkit

NI Modulation Toolkit

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 Digital Communication System
NI Modulation Toolkit

NI USRP

NI Modulation Toolkit

NI USRP

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 Communications Design in LabVIEW
Modulation Toolkit

• Analog and Digital modulation formats

• AM, FM, PM
• ASK, FSK, MSK, GMSK, PAM, PSK, QAM
• Custom
• Visualization
• 2D and 3D Eye, Trellis, Constellation
• Modulation Analysis
• BER, MER, EVM, burst timing,
frequency deviation, ρ (rho)
• Impairments
• Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN)
• DC offset, Quadrature skew, IQ gain
imbalance, phase noise
• Equalization, Channel Coding, Channel
Models

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 Advanced Digital Communications Topics

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Packet-based Communication Link System Setup
RF Signal
Center Frequency: 915MHz
Modulation Format: PSK packets
Bit Rate: 100kbps

NI USRP-
USRP-2920 NI USRP-
USRP-2920
Transmitter Receiver

• USRP control (Tx & Rx)

• Modulate Tx signal
• Demodulate Rx signal
• Reconstruct message

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 Packet-based Communication with LabVIEW

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 Packet Structure

GUARD SYNC PCKT

BAND SEQ NUM DATA PAD

Field Length Description

[bits]
Guard Band 30 Allow initialization of Rx PLL, filters, etc

Sync Sequence 20 Frame and Symbol Synchronization

Packet Number 8 Range: 0-255 Used for reordering of
packets and detection of missing packets

Data 64 - 256 Variable length data field. Length

detected dynamically at Rx end
Pad 20 Allows for filter edge effects.

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 Transmitter Block Diagram

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 The Received Signal

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 Receiver Block Diagram

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 Receiver: Pipelined Shift Register Architecture

Acquire

Energy Detector
& Packet Slicer

Resample and
Demodulate

Packet Sync &

Decode

Reconstruct
Data
Convert Bits
to ASCII

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 Receiver: Pipelined Shift Register Architecture

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 Exercise 3 Packet Based Transceiver

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 NI SDR User Solutions
Wireless Comms Education
Record and Playback
Cognitive Radio
Physical Layer Prototyping
Compensating for RF nonlinearities with DSP
8x8 MIMO
Direction Finding

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Digital Communications Bundle
Bundle Contents Target Courses
• Two NI USRP-2920 + Toolkits • Communication Systems
• MIMO Cable • Digital & Wireless
• Digital Comm Lab Manual Communications
• Software Defined Radio (SDR)

Key Benefits
• Affordable
• Accessible
• NI Supported
• TX & RX Real RF Signals
• Scales to Research

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 RF Record & Playback
• Record and play back up to 20 MHz of bandwidth
• Repeatable testing of algorithms / devices on realistic dataset
• Supplement a PXI lab with low-cost playback at your desk
Record
Playback

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 NI USRP Research Case Study:
Cognitive Radio & Whitespace
Large Scale Cognitive Radio Testbed
• Prototyping cognitive radio in LabVIEW
• Spectral sensing with blind detection
• Database driven geo-location with GPS
• Deployed in Munich, Germany

“LabVIEW software and the NI USRP hardware are key

components of this research project, allowing the team
to rapidly prototype and successfully deploy the first
cognitive radio test bed of this kind.” Dr. Paulo
Marques, COGEU Aveiro, Portugal

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 NI USRP Research Case Study:
Physical Layer Prototyping
Dr. Murat Torlak

• Continuously monitoring Demodulate Descramble

multiple WiFi channels
• Demodulation and
descrambling of 802.11b
beacon signals
• Identification of hotspots,
tracking relative power
levels

802.11b SSID Decoding

Frequency
Demodulation Interpret the
Carrier Offset
& frame for
Detection Estimation &
Descrambling SSID
Correction

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 NI USRP Research Case Study: Dr. Robert Heath
Director WNCG
NI USRP 8x8 MIMO Testbed Ref in
University of Texas at Austin

External
• Adaptable from 2x2 to 8x8 Clock PPS in Transmit
USRP USRP
• Algorithm design in MathScript RT TX 1 MIMO
Cable
TX 2

• 128 subcarrier OFDM, 4 QAM, spatial USRP

TX 3 MIMO Cable
USRP
TX 4
Network
diversity Cable
USRP USRP
• Independently clocked, phase TX 5 MIMO
Cable
TX 6

coherent Tx & Rx Host

Compute
USRP USRP
TX 7 MIMO TX 8
r Cable
Gigabit
Ethernet
Network Switch
Cable
Receive
USRP USRP
Rx 1 MIMO Rx 2
Cable

USRP USRP
Rx 3 MIMO Cable Rx 4
Network
Cable
USRP USRP
Rx 5 MIMO Rx 6
Cable

USRP USRP
Rx 7 MIMO Rx 8
Cable
External
Clock
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 6x6 MIMO Testbed

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 NI USRP Research Case Study: Prof. Athanassios Manikas
Comm & Array Processing Chair
Position Detection & Localization Imperial College, London

• Testing MUSIC direction finding

algorithm
• Rapid prototyping in LabVIEW with
MathScript RT External USRP
RX 1
• Synchronized up to12 USRP devices Clock
Ref in PPS
• Reference provides continuous phase in

alignment compensation USRP

RX 2

Direction Finding (uniform linear array)

Network
USRP
Cable RX 3

Host USRP
Computer
RX 4

Gigabit
Ethernet USRP
Network
Cable
Switch TX Calibration
Signal

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 Research: Downloadable Reference Designs

8x8 MIMO-
MIMO-OFDM GPS Simulation
ni.com/usrp
Tx

RF Direction Finding &

RF Record & Playback Localization

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 NI Platforms for RF/Communications

Graphical System Design Platform

NI RF
USRP for Generator, RF NI RF 6 GHz
LabVIEW Analyzer NI FlexRIO P2P VST

Host FPGA
Embedded, PC RIO

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SDR S/W Development Challenge
Tools Targets
Math (.m file script) Host Control (C, C++, .NET)
Simulation (Hybrid) DSP (Fxd pt C, Assembly)
User Interface (HTML) H/W Driver (C, Assembly)
Multicore
FPGA (VHDL, Verilog) System Debug FPGAs
Processors

• SDR development requires multiple S/W tools

• Parallel processing increases system complexity
• S/W tools don’t address system design

Long learning curves

Increased costs
Limited reuse
Need for “specialists”
Increased time-
time-to-
to-result

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Parallel Programming with LabVIEW

Task Parallelism Data Parallelism Pipelining

Multicore
Processors FPGAs

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 FlexRIO based SDR Prototyping:
End-to-end Realtime LTE-like Wireless HD Video Link
• Completed in 4 weeks (6 man-months)
• MPEG-4, 720p video streaming and playback over UDP at 1.5 Mbps
• 7.68MS/s IQ Rate, modeled after LTE framing
• Tx/Rx physical layer in LabVIEW FPGA with FlexRIO and 5791 RF Transceiver
• DSP prototyping in LabVIEW DSP Design Module with high-performance IP
developed in LabVIEW FPGA IP Builder

LabVIEW DSP Design Module

NI 5791 (RF FAM) PXIe-

PXIe-7695R (FlexRIO
(FlexRIO)
FlexRIO)
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 Summary
•LabVIEW offers a graphical approach, shortening the
design process, and tight hardware/software integration
that allows for seamless transition from design to test

•NI provides a full spectrum of RF / Communications

solutions: RF Test, Research and Education

•LabVIEW and NI USRP is an accessible, easy-to-use

software defined radio platform

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 Next Steps

• Learn more about NI SDR and RF platforms

• Visit ni.com/sdr
ni.com/sdr
• Download references from the Code sharing community”

• Learn more about LabVIEW

• Complete LabVIEW tips and tricks (Exercise 4)
• Visit LabVIEW 101 for videos and more
• Join the ni.com discussion forums

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