As radio access network (RAN) infrastructure becomes increasingly software-driven, there is a growing need to access crucial signal data in the RAN’s physical (PHY) layer to enable new radio frequency (RF) applications for improved performance. By tapping into the PHY layer, network operators will be empowered to accelerate open, secure and interoperable Open RAN CU/DU implementations, scaling open source AI-RAN innovation across the radio network.
Building on ISCO’s expertise in interference cancellation, ISCO worked with SRS to implement a set of requirements designed to make the uplink IQ data available for processing by external applications running in the O-RAN DU. These requirements were implemented by SRS as “PHY TAP” in the OCUDU open source project. The PHY TAP allows an external application running in the OCUDU open source project to access the Layer 1 uplink IQ stream, modify the IQ data and then inject the modified IQ stream back into the Layer 1 processing of the 5G NR stack.
With the implementation of the PHY TAP, software applications running on the DU will now have direct access to the uplink IQ Data stream to support innovative, real-time functions. ISCO’s new Interference Management and Cancellation (IMC) software application that detects and cancels jammers will be the first to use the capabilities of the PHY TAP in the OCUDU open source project.
The contribution to the development of the PHY TAP is a material step towards enabling dApps in the OCUDU open source project. For reference, the architecture of ISCO’s IMC software module is structured in a form of a dApp using the PHY TAP interfaces to access and modify the IQ Data stream in real-time within O-RAN latency specifications.
“We are pleased to contribute our experience and expertise to the OCUDU open source project that will help pave the way for new software solutions that use the IQ Data stream,” said Gordon Reichard, CEO of ISCO International. “The PHY TAP functionality will enable development of dApp and dApp types of applications such as our IMC jammer cancellation solution that will be available for OCUDU based wireless networks.”
For more information about IMC jammer cancellation please contact info@iscointl.com. For more information about the PHY TAP, review the PHY TAP Plug-in Example found at: https://gitlab.com/ocudu/plugin_examples/phy_tap_plugin_example/ . For more information on the OCUDU open source project, please visit the OCUDU open source project wiki page or main website.