802.11 a b and g IEEE Standard - Wireless LAN

Overview

The MAC core for Wireless LAN is compatible with 802.11 a b and g IEEE Standards. It is designed to handle packetized DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) and OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) data transmissions; the software implementation supports all data rates. The MAC management or control functionality is implemented in firmware while the time critical functionality is implemented in hardware.

IEEE 802.11a and IEEE 802.11b and IEEE 802.11g are "High Rate" standard Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) operates in the 2.4 GHz / 5GHz unlicensed Radio Frequency (RF) band and can transmit up to 54 Mbps and 11 Mbps respectively. This specification describes the functions and services required by an IEEE 802.11 compliant device to operate within ad hoc and infrastructure networks as well as the station mobility within those networks.

SI24WLAN11 is designed to use at higher speeds providing maximum performance with minimum power consumption, without draining the device batteries. It plays active role to save power when there is no frame to transmit or there is no intended frame to receive. This module also indicates about power management status to other modules. It can be used in PCs, Laptop computers, high end PDAs and other devices.

Protocol Firmware is fully compliant with SME (Station Management Entity) and MLME (MAC Sublayer Management Entity) of IEEE 802.11 Standard. It handles complete interrupt handling and event processing for the hardware.

Product Specifications :

  • Fully Synthesizable Register Transfer Level (RTL) VHDL.
  • Test Bench Environment : VHDL.
  • Targeted to Altera Excalibur EP 20K with Embedded 922T ARM Processor at 200 MIPS
  • Clock - 24 MHz for FPGA (Standard : 11 MHz).

 

SI24WLAN11 MAC based on SoC design, supports ARM922T processor for management level functionality to address the needs of complex design system, low power consumption and high performance. A shared RAM shall be used for the management operations done by the ARM processor. The AMBA AHB architecture is used for transferring management operations to the ARM processor and the data to the Host layer through PCI - AMBA Bridge.

Key Features

  • Fully Compliant with IEEE 802.11a IEEE 802.11b and IEEE 802.11g MAC layer functions and frames.
  • Customize to work with all the PHY's (IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b and IEEE 802.11g)
  • Supports the role of Station (STA).
  • STA operates in both Infrastructures BSS as well as in Independent BSS (IBSS).
  • Data rates up to 11 Mbit / sec (802.11b) and 54 Mbit / sec (802.11a and 802.11g)
  • Performs CSMA / CA algorithm to sense the medium.
  • AHB Bus Interface
  • Includes WEP based 64 bt Encryption / Decryption algorithm
  • Supports both Active and Passive scanning mode
  • PHY Interface module handles different clock domains between MAC and PHY
  • Optimum hardware - software partitioning for reduced gate count as well as lower MIPS requirements
  • Software configurable.
  • Synthesizable RTL code for Hardware Component and C source code for MAC firmware.

Benefits

  • designed to use at higher speeds providing maximum performance with minimum power consumption, without draining the device batteries.
  • plays active role to save power when there is no frame to transmit or there is no intended frame to receive.
  • Indicates about power management status to other modules.

Block Diagram

802.11 a b and g IEEE Standard - Wireless LAN Block Diagram

Applications

  • Wireless Home Networking Devices
  • Wireless Audio, Video, Consumer Electronics
  • Wireless LAN Adapter
  • Wireless LAN STA terminal, e.g. laptop PC

Deliverables

  • Synthesizable RTL code for Hardware Component and C source code for MAC firmware
  • Fully Synthesizable Register Transfer Level (RTL) VHDL.
  • Test Bench Environment: VHDL

Technical Specifications

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