USRP-2901

Features

2023-06-10
 USRP-2901 Features

Contents
USRP-2901 Block Diagram. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

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 USRP-2901 Features

USRP-2901 Block Diagram

Signals received by the USRP-2901 are amplified, downconverted, filtered, digitized,
and decimated before being passed to the host computer. Signals transmitted by
the USRP-2901 are upsampled, reconstructed, filtered, upconverted, and amplified
before being transmitted.

Mixer Filter 61.44 MS/s

Transmit

USB2 / USB3
Transmit Control
Amplifier DAC DUC
RF Switch
RX1
0
TX1 90
Filter 61.44 MS/s
DAC DUC
PLL VCO SCO
STO
Mixer Filter 61.44 MS/s CFO
ADC DDC

Receive Control
RX2 0
90
Low Noise Drive Filter 61.44 MS/s
Amplifier Amplifier ADC DDC
Packet Routing
REF IN
PLL VCO USB
Internal
Oscillator
Transmit
Amplifier Filter 61.44 MS/s
RX1
Transmit Control

DAC DUC
TX1

Filter 61.44 MS/s

DAC DUC

RX2
Filter 61.44 MS/s
Low Noise Drive ADC
Receive Control

DDC
Amplifier Amplifier

Filter 61.44 MS/s

ADC DDC
Legend
Hardware
Data Note: The two RX channels share a single oscillator, and the two TX channels share a single oscillator.

Note The RF switch allows transmit and receive operations to occur on

the same shared antenna. On this device, one antenna is designated
receive-only.

The following lists describe the individual blocks:

© National Instruments 3
 USRP-2901 Features

Receive Path:

■ The low-noise amplifier and drive amplifier amplify the incoming signal.
■ The phase-locked loop (PLL) controls the voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO)
so that the device clocks and local oscillator (LO) can be frequency-locked to a
reference signal.
■ The mixer downconverts the signals to the baseband in-phase (I) and
quadrature-phase (Q) components.
■ The bandpass filter reduces noise and high frequency components in the
signal.
■ The analog-to-digital converter (ADC) digitizes the I and Q data.
■ The digital downconverter (DDC) mixes, filters, and decimates the signal to a
user-specified rate.
■ The downconverted samples are passed to the host computer over a
USB 3.0 or USB 2.0 connection.
Transmit Path:

■ The host computer synthesizes baseband I/Q signals and transmits the
signals to the device over a USB 3.0 or USB 2.0 connection.
■ The digital upconverter (DUC) mixes, filters, and interpolates the signal to
61.44 MS/s.
■ The digital-to-analog converter (DAC) converts the signal to analog.
■ The bandpass filter reduces noise and high frequency components in the
signal.
■ The mixer upconverts the signals to a user-specified RF frequency.
■ The PLL controls the VCO so that the device clocks and LO can be frequency-
locked to a reference signal.
■ The transmit amplifier amplifies the signal and transmits the signal through
the antenna.

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