Introduction

• The Customer A global tier one manufacturer of infotainment devices, mainly Head Units for the Automotive market. The customer's uncompromising quest for quality and perfection has earned it a well-deserved reputation for top-value products and brought them numerous international awards at major competitions all over the globe.

• The Challenge: Flexible design for easy adaptation to future developments in the dynamic Digital Radio scene (the introduction of DAB+ is such an example), given the automotive design cycle and other automotive related constrains. The optimal solution would use the existing customer's DSP infrastructure to enable fast, low-risk development, and enable the use of the same existing low-cost general-purpose single DSP chip for both the Digital Radio and the customer's applications to enable a cost-efficient end product.

• The Solution: EtherWaves' ClearSignal Digital Radio solution was selected for integration into the customer's Head Unit. The optimal use of the existing customer's hardware infrastructure and resources (DSP and memory), as well as and performance were a perfect fit for the customer. EtherWaves' reputation as a leader in Digital Radio solutions for the automotive market also helped to influence the decision, and combined to the company's flexibility in adapting its solution to the customer's requirements it became a deciding factor.
   

• The project start - a 2-days planning session phase by a Customer–EtherWaves joint team, dedicated to:
• Analysing and designing the specifications
• Working with and assisting the Customer in end-product hardware design
• Establishing milestone schedules
• Defining the work breakdown structure

• Phase1: EtherWaves prepared the API Interface & protocol design
• In parallel, the Customers prepared 3 hardware platforms, to be used by EtherWaves during the development

• Phase 2: EtherWaves developed the Alpha version
• Provides basic functionality
• Includes special software for Customer (i.e. hardware drivers)
• Includes customization of ClearSignal on the hardware platform samples

• Phase 3: EtherWaves completed the Beta version
• Provides full functionality

• Phase 4: Customer prepared the final hardware
• Sent 3 boards to EtherWaves

• Phase 5: EtherWaves performed Integration on the final hardware
• Product documentation sent to the Customer
• Testing documentation and samples sent to the Customer
• EtherWaves performed the Lab testing

• Phase 6: Final Integration and field testing
• On Customer’s premises
• Assisted by EtherWaves engineers

• Phase 7: EtherWaves continued to provide support to the Customer
• Bug fixes
• Software upgrades for adapting to standards changes and enhancements

The Result

The customer incorporated ClearSignal Digital Radio into their car Head Unit. This has helped the customer to design and build a modern, high quality infotainment system.


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