Time accurate control of RF over a digrf interface

A method of generating a control process for controlling a radio frequency (RF) subsystem by a baseband (BB) subsystem over a digital interface, said method comprising:

• initiating said control process in response to a time event (TxStartValue, RxStartValue) from said BB subsystem;
• assigning a time reference by a timer block in said RF subsystem to a continuous stream of data samples towards and from said BB subsystem;
• aligning a counter in said BB subsystem with said time reference based on a relation between a timer value (n) provided by said timer block and a number (k) of said data samples counted by said counter;
• and
• controlling, by said BB subsystem, reception and transmission of said stream of data samples by said RF subsystem by providing said time reference across a digital interface between said BB subsystem and RF subsystem, such that delays introduced by said digital interface are accounted for by said time value (n) and number (k) relation.

A communication device for use in a wireless communication network, the device comprising:

• a Radio Frequency (RF) unit operable to convert a data burst into a continuous stream of data samples at a transmit (TX) chain and to convert a continuous stream into a data burst of data samples at a receive (RX) chain, respectively;
• a Baseband (BB) unit;
• and
• a digital interface adapted to allow the RF unit and the BB unit to communicate;
• wherein the BB unit comprises at least:
• a controller operable to define a time event;
• and
• a counter unit operable to count a number (k) of data samples at a converter in the RF unit, the counter unit aligned with a time reference of the continuous stream of data samples based on a relation between a timer value (n) maintained in the RF unit and the number (K), said relation accounting for delays introduced by said digital interface.