FPGA? [scanned]

Robert Michel openmoko at robertmichel.de
Wed Dec 6 18:49:23 CET 2006


Salve Ole!

On Wed, 06 Dec 2006, Ole Tange wrote:
> >> On Wednesday 06 December 2006 11:44, Ole Tange wrote:
> >> > If (and that is a big if) the FPGA can work as a software radio on the
> >> > protocols mentioned, then FIC will not have to put in GSM, WiFi,
> >> > Bluetooth, and GPS. These will all be covered by the software radio.
> 
> >Isn't there a way to use a multi-frequency tranceiver and the FPGA
> >to controll/emulate the protocoll specific part (Bluetooth, Wi-fi,
> >DECT,...)?
> 
> That is exactly what the software radio is about.

This would be very fine and you would be allowed to programm it when you
have an radio amateur licence but then you are allowed to broadcast only
on frequencies of radio amateurs (without encryption). And normal
Bluetooth or Wi-Fi you are not allowed to use with self soldered
hardware - so I think also not allowed to use with self programmed
software radio.

To not hurt radio laws it could become necessary that there is some
logic between software radio and multi-frequency tranceiver so 
FIC could publish software radio config files (for different countries)
that the owner could use - but this data would be encrypted or just
protected with an digital signature. The close source logic would check
if the config data has a valid signature.

But nice things would become possible with such hardware:
- exact delay measuring to calculate the distance between e.g. two Neos
- accact sync with the receiver and data transmition by micro delays
  (hidden information..)
- agreement with the receiver device when the next communication will
  take part - power saving sleeping inbetween
but also some bad hacks that could disturb other people communication.

So the question would be, how much must of the system must be sealed off
to stay a legal device?

The close source logic between user open FPGA and the multi-frequency 
tranceiver could have a digtal log written into flash memory with date 
and hash of the config file - so when some authorities will sue you to 
have used a not legal radio configuration, this chip could be read and
shows what config you have used.

I'm not keen to have such logs and restrictions, but I can't imagine
to use a software radio with open source without it.

Such a system would give FIC the power to sell some frequency use
separatly - you want to use DECT? 20 Euro. Bluetooth? 10 Euro.
Both 25 Euro.

Ideas?

rob










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