Date: 28/02/2012

TI's silicon and Aricent's software component integrated for small-cell design

Texas Instruments and Aricent are collaborating on a small cell protocol stack optimized for TI's KeyStone-based multicore System-on-Chips (SoCs).

TI's KeyStone architecture elements for layers 2, 3 and transport processing are integrated with Aricent's software components to design smallcell base stations.

"The combination of TI's industry-leading KeyStone multicore DSPs and Aricent's proven software frameworks creates powerful, reliable, and cost-efficient base station solutions for operators," said Rakesh Vij, vice president of business development, Aricent Group. "Our small cell protocol stack has been chosen by several leading OEM vendors and is in advanced trials or production systems today. This collaboration further cements our leadership in providing world-class LTE software. Our software together with our product engineering services help OEMs to introduce innovative new solutions to the market quickly and efficiently."

TI's scalable KeyStone architecture includes support for both TMS320C66x digital signal processors (DSP) generation cores and multiple cache coherent quad ARM Cortex-A15 clusters, for a mixture of up to 32 DSP and RISC cores. In addition, TI's KeyStone architecture includes fully offloaded, flexible packet and security coprocessors and capacity expansion for SoC structural elements such as TeraNet, Multicore Navigator and Multicore Shared Memory Controller (MSMC).

"With our scalable KeyStone architecture and Aricent's field-proven technology, we are able to deliver the most complete small cell solution today," said Sameer Wasson, business manager, wireless base station infrastructure, Texas Instruments. "TI and Aricent provide equipment manufacturers with everything they need to quickly develop highly differentiated and cost-efficient high performance base stations."

The small cell protocol stack from TI and Aricent will be available in second half of 2012. For more information please visit www.ti.com/multicore or www.aricent.com.

TI is showcasing this tech at at MWC at Booth 8A84 (Hall 8).