RF Design
Plextek's extensive RF design skills are key to many of our product
developments. A large proportion of our projects are radio developments
and require a detailed understanding of RF electronics. Our design skills
encompass all aspects of RF product and system
design including the detailed component level RF circuit design
and RF PCB design. Our experience ranges from baseband electronics to
RF design, microwave
design and mm-wave design. We employ a
full time staff of 25 professional RF design engineers from a variety
of commercial backgrounds ranging from high-volume, low-cost, commercial
RF product development to high performance component and system design
for defence and aerospace applications. We
have a well-equipped laboratory, shown in the photograph to the right,
and comprehensive RF CAD facilities.
Modern wireless communications systems
rely on digital signal processing to achieve the required functionality.
An RF engineer's considerations can no longer stop at IF or baseband,
the performance of the complete radio design is paramount, baseband
and RF working together. Plextek understands this very well, and integrating
the RF circuitry with the baseband is an activity in which we have considerable
experience. We're obviously also adept at the detailed design of RF
functions such as low noise synthesisers (PLL and direct digital), VCOs,
LNAs, PAs, mixers, filters and switches. Previous RF product designs
that Plextek has undertaken, include:
- GSM/GPRS digital cellular products
- Multimedia handsets
- 802.11 a/b/g WLAN equipment
- Bluetooth PC cards
- Bluetooth hands-free car kit
- Tracker in-car vehicular security equipment
- 3G test equipment
- Cellular repeaters
- Fast switching, low noise synthesisers
We have a strong focus on Design
For Manufacture and this is considered as a key element of the design
process in all of our product developments. Plextek has also been involved
in the development of a number of complete communications
systems, from conception through equipment design and manufacture to successful
deployment. These include:
The photograph above right shows one of the low-cost subscriber units
for the remote utility meter reading system. A trial of 50,000 users
is currently underway using this system.
The photograph to the bottom right shows a narrow band telemetry
unit currently in high volume production.
The photograph top left shows the RF board of the Formula
One telemetry product. It is a high performance RO4003/FR4 laminate
PCB and makes extensive use of components from high volume commercial
systems.
We also have experience of System
Integration where a product includes a number of different systems
that must be able to operate in harmony side by side.
Other specific areas where Plextek has proven expertise include: defence
electronics, RF IC design, mm-wave
design, LTCC and propagation
studies.
