Purpose of extra two bits sent to FX2 chip with data samples

GNU Radio
1

The FPGA on USRP1 sends an extra two bits of data with each 16-bit word
(to the FX2 chip). If I’m not mistaken, the first bit is set when
accompanying a sample from rx channel 0, and the second bit is set when
accompanying an inphase (as opposed to quadrature) sample (presumably
from channels 0, 2, 4, or 6).

  • What significance do these two bits have in the handling of the data
    after the FPGA?

I’m trying to figure out how best to set these bits in the case of
packed samples at lower quantization levels.

Thanks,
Paul

2

On Sun, Feb 01, 2009 at 12:30:58AM -0500, Paul C. wrote:

packed samples at lower quantization levels.

Thanks,
Paul

Uhh, what two extra bits? The GPIF bus is 16-bits wide…

The FPGA does report two status bits (independent of the data bits)
that indicate whether (1) it has room for a new packet from the FX2
and (2) if it has a packet available for the FX2. I don’t think
anything you’re doing should have anything to do with how those flags
are generated.

Did this help?

Eric

3

Eric B. wrote:

that indicate whether (1) it has room for a new packet from the FX2
and (2) if it has a packet available for the FX2. I don’t think
anything you’re doing should have anything to do with how those flags
are generated.

Did this help?

Eric

Hmm… no, I don’t think we’re talking about the same thing. I’m,
looking at usrp/fpga/sdr_lib/rx_buffer.v, lines 90 and 97. Here’s an
excerpt:

88 fifo_4k_18 rxfifo
89 ( // DSP Write Side
90 .data ( {ch0_in, phase[0], fifodata} ),
91 .wrreq (~rx_full & (phase != 0)),
92 .wrclk ( rxclk ),
93 .wrfull ( rx_full ),
94 .wrempty ( ),
95 .wrusedw ( ),
96 // USB Read Side
97 .q ( {ch0_out,iq_out,usbdata} ),
98 .rdreq ( RD & ~read_count[8] ),
99 .rdclk ( ~usbclk ),
100 .rdfull ( ),
101 .rdempty ( ),
102 .rdusedw ( rxfifolevel ),
103 // Async, shared
104 .aclr ( reset ) );

This is the port mapping for the receive fifo. The fifo is 18 bits
wide, and “ch0_in” and “phase[0]” are concatenated with the 16-bit data
word to form the input to the fifo.

–Paul

4

we have a problem with the 2 bits mentioned in the post before , we are
using fft core in our project and we think that this 2 bits are the
headers of the data sent which will allow us to differentiate between
the real receiving band and the fft output , can any one help us ???