Imagine the Complexity

Radio - Hardware - Software - Firmware - Linux - 5G - Management - Testing

This work is MicroCode home base
Developing Embedded Software
for the High-Tech industry

Mobile 5G Radio Unit

O-RAN

The 5G Radio Unit is more advanced than a full 4G base station. It can be used indoors to create a private network for applications like industrial automation.Data is transferred as 10 Gbps IQ samples. This signal passes through a Linux system, over a PCI bus, to an SDR modem, and finally to the Radio Unit. This complex transfer chain involves a massive amount of software.Our extensive software development efforts have produced a robust, end-to-end solution. Key areas of focus include:Radio and Motherboard Development:
We developed and integrated drivers for radio and motherboard components, including bare-metal and Linux drivers for chips like DDR, PCI, I2C, and Ethernet. We also created testing utilities to ensure seamless integration and functionality.O-RAN Application: We built a core O-RAN application that manages traffic flow from Ethernet to the modem and RF. This includes decoding and encoding the eCPRI protocol and extracting PTP timing. The application provides a user-friendly, Cisco-like CLI for management.Netconf and Software Management: We integrated the standard Netconf protocol to manage hundreds of system parameters over the network. Our team also designed a comprehensive software update system that creates download packages, manages multiple firmware images on eMMC, and provides a "back to factory default" recovery option.Modem and OS Integration: We integrated a third-party C source code for the modem, which primarily handles Fast Fourier Transforms (FFT), into a dedicated ALU. The main processor runs a customized version of Debian, where we’ve added our own kernel and driver modifications. We also provide real-time support using FreeRTOS on an external CPU.

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MicroProcessors

We have completed numerous projects over the years, using a wide range of chip vendors. Our experience is built on these foundational technologies, including:

You can boost your project with a powerful real-time inexpensive ARM processor. For as little as $10, you can get a processor with a complete, royalty-free software stack, including a real-time OS, networking, USB, and more. We can turn this affordability into a competitive advantage for your project.We recently completed a major project using the NXP Layerscape LS1046A. This powerful processor, with its hardware-accelerated support for 10G traffic and IP routing, was the foundation for our custom Linux-based system.

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New Projects

We handle complete project delivery from start to finish. Think of us as your on-demand development team .With our deep experience in the full software development lifecycle, we manage everything from gathering requirements and writing documentation to conducting feasibility studies, building simulations, and creating testing tools.Our role typically fits one of these scenarios:

From initial requirements to final completion, we take full responsibility and lead the entire process.

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Project Enhancement

Need a temporary boost for your project? We're here to help.Whether you're facing an unexpected staff shortage, a tight deadline, or a new requirement, we can quickly integrate into your daily workflow.Our ramp-up time is swift, and we become fully productive fast. We understand development culture and communicate effectively with team members.You get the benefit of our experience without changing your team's existing hierarchy or task assignments.Here are few exaples:

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Technology Integration

Adopting new software technology is more complex than it appears.Whether a package is open-source or purchased, it's always in its own development phase and rarely works as expected. A lot of time is often wasted chasing phantom issues and false behaviors.Once you commit to a package, there's no turning back —you have to see it through, no matter the obstacles. Failure at this stage can put the entire project at risk.We are accustomed to this process and have extensive experience with large-scale packages. We quickly master the technology and communicate effectively with its creators.We don't just import and verify the software; we also integrate it into your existing infrastructure so it feels like it was always there .Some of our imports include:

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Empower with SBC

Single-board computers (SBCs) are perfect for prototyping and low-volume projects. They let you start with a working project from day one.

Even though SBCs are fully functional, significant embedded software work remains.

In a recent project, we integrated an industrial BeagleBone into a medical CT device. Our customer quickly rebranded their device and brought a competitive product to market.

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Software Leadership

Team performance and code quality can degrade over time.We provide expert software leadership to counter this, implementing proven methodologies and best practices to your development process. Our approach is guided by the principle that great software is simple. We help your developers focus on building reusable components, rather than just building a final application.We identify your team's strengths and weaknesses, providing the leadership needed to reinforce software integrity and strengthen the group.We emphasize the importance of clean code delivery. An error injected at this stage can cost 100 times more to fix than one caught during development.We bring the science of software management to your team. This simplifies your work, reduces errors, and makes the entire development process faster and more efficient.

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Board Bring-up

Hardware upgrades are a constant reality, driven by the need for newer designs, components, and features.While changing the hardware may seem straightforward, adapting the software to run on a new board can be a significant and time-consuming challenge.We provide a comprehensive Board Support Package (BSP) to bridge this gap. We get your new hardware up and running with a new bootloader and a new operating system (like Linux), ensuring it can run your existing application.This service allows your software team to stay focused on their current development schedule, as their work remains completely uninterrupted.

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