SDR based Radio Broadcast Data System (RBDS) decoder

2015 Engineering Design Project (MZ06)

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Faculty Lab Coordinator

M. Zeytinoglu

Faculty Advisor

Same as FLC

Topic Category

Communication, DSP

Preamble

Radio Data System (RDS) is a communications protocol standard to embed program related information formatted as digital data into FM radio broadcast signals. RDS signals transmit information that may include time, station identification and program details.

RDS signals carry data at approximately 1.1 kbps on a 57 kHZ subcarrier. Current generation FM receivers have built in receivers to demodulate the RDS data stream, which is in turn displayed as user information. There are readily available FM RDS data receiver ICs that allow engineers to implement RDS decoder subsystems as part of a larger FM receiver design. More recently, several software RDS decoders have become available that operate on signals extracted by Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP) front-end of various Software Defined Radio (SDR) systems.

Objective

The objective of this project is to design and implement an RDS data decoder that operates on the FM MPX signal extracted from the FM broadcast signal using a SDR-USRP. The information obtained from the RDS data decoder will ten be displayed in a user friendly format.

Partial Specifications

The proposed RDS data decoder must be capable of:
* operating on the FM MPX signal extracted from the FM broadcast signal using a SDR-USRP;
* identifying FM broadcast radio stations which transmit RDS data;
* decoding RDS data using appropriate digital receiver/demodulator/decoder techniques;
* displaying decoded RDS data in a user friendly format.

Suggested Approach

* Study RDS data transmission characteristics.
* Study Matlab/Simulink FM receiver models based on RTL-SDR and Ettus Research SDR USRP devices.
* Study design of digital data receivers applicable to the decoding RDS data.
* Design and implement digital RDS data decoder on Matlab/Simulink.

Group Responsibilities

This is a 3-person group/team project. In consultation with the FLC, group members must identify tasks of individual team members. All team members must participate in the analysis of RDS data, digital data receiver/decoder design and Matlab/Simulink implementation. The entire team will be responsible of the design choices, project management and reporting requirements.

Student A Responsibilities

TBD

Student B Responsibilities

TBD

Student C Responsibilities

TBD

Course Co-requisites

ELE 745