NEWS BRIEFS

4timing.com, April 2002

Bluetooth/802.11 Second-generation Bluetooth Platform

Silicon Wave announces its second-generation Bluetooth components along with its connected solutions program, development tools and baseband IP licensing program. This second generation includes the SiW1701 radio modem and the SiW1750 and SiW1760 baseband processors. All of the ICs were designed to reduce power consumption, system cost and size, while allowing flexibility for implementing end-user products. The development tools include a wireless development system and a radio modem evaluation system. Additionally, the Baseband IP licensing program provides customers with a fast path to integrating Bluetooth baseband functionality into their system-on-chip ASIC designs.

Signal Processing Family of DACs for Multiple Platforms

Analog Devices introduces a family of octal eight-, 10- and 12-bit buffered voltage-output DACs that operate from a single 2.5 to 5.5 VDC power supply and consume 1.4 mA (max.) at 3 VDC. The eight-bit AD5308, 10-bit AD5318 and 12-bit AD5328 use a three-wire serial interface that operates at clock rates as high as 30 MHz and is compatible with standard interfaces. Integrating eight DACs on one chip, these converters are designed for space-constrained applications in optical networking, automatic test equipment, mobile communications, industrial process control and portable, battery-powered instruments. A power-down feature reduces the current consumption to 400 nA at 5 VDC (120 nA at 3 VDC).

Wi-Fi-certified Products Increase in Number and Type

The Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA) announced in March that 260 Wi-Fi product certifications have been awarded to 70 WECA member companies' products since March of 2000. The interoperability assurance will become even more important as the number of Wi-Fi-certified product types increase. Products awarded the Wi-Fi logo have undergone strict, rigorous and independent testing at Agilent's Interoperability Certification Labs (ICL). Testing usually takes two to four days per product to complete.

Electrically Conductive Adhesives

Electrically conductive adhesives have been used for over 40 years in typical applications such as bonding of non-metallic materials and temperature-sensitive components. More recently, Conductive Surface Mount Adhesives (CSMAs) became an environmentally friendly alternative for traditional solders used to assemble printed circuit boards. Other attractive technical advantages over conventional Sn/Pb include low temperature processing, fine pitch capability and better resistance to thermal cycling. Recently, Emerson & Cuming has developed some new and unique formulas that exhibit exceptional contact resistance stability on solder surfaces. Emerson & Cuming offers a wide range of one and two component, mainly epoxy based, electrically conductive adhesives (nickel or silver filled) that are ideal for a broad range of applications.

New Flip-Top BGA Socket Maximizes PCB Space

The True BGA Socket line of BGA sockets from Advanced Interconnections, the Flip-Top BGA socket, dramatically reduces PC board space for BGA and LGA device socketing in development, test, and production applications. The compact design features exclusive eutectic solder ball terminals and patented True BGA Socket design. The Flip-Top BGA socket is available in virtually any 1.27 mm pitch footprint and features gold plated terminals and contacts with an integral, finned heatsink or coin screw retention clamp. The unit requires no external retention or soldering and it is only 3 mm wider and 10 mm longer than the BGA device. Approximate height without heat sink is 17 mm from PC Board.

PLC Modem

Samsung has developed a high-speed power line communication (PLC) modem capable of receiving and transmitting data via ordinary electric power lines. The equipment supports a maximum transmission rate of 14 Mbps for high-speed Internet connections and video/audio streaming services. The device uses Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) technology, which allows the use of frequency non-selective narrow-band channels and 84 multi-carriers simultaneously for data transmission. The modem is installed in the Gateway PC, in a home or SOHO environment and then it is connected to a Broadband Internet Access Network via ADSL, cable modem or Ethernet. All the other PCs connected to the same local electric power system can be linked through the power line and can connect with high speed Broadband Internet Access Network through the Gateway PC.

Motorola and Nortel Team Up to Deliver VoIP Solutions for Broadband-Cable Market

Motorola and Nortel Networks have agreed to create and deliver an integrated Voice over IP (VoIP) solution for the broadband-cable market. This non-exclusive agreement is intended to help simplify deployment of VoIP equipment by broadband network operators worldwide and speed delivery of new services to their subscribers. The agreement brings together Motorola's IP cable access network experience and Nortel's expertise in deployment of large, reliable networks for delivery of voice and data services.

Highly Integrated Microprocessor for New Computing Platforms

Transmeta Corp. has introduced its Crusoe™ TM6000, which is a highly integrated system-on-a-chip designed for emerging computing platforms that place a premium on low power, space efficiency and cost savings. The Crusoe TM6000 takes about one-third the board space and uses less power than current Crusoe microprocessor solutions, important factors with the proliferation of smaller, thinner and lighter computer products. This product integrates on a single chip the function of a typical three- or four-chip x86 microprocessor solution requiring a separate chipset and graphics. With its level of integration, the Crusoe TM6000 is more power efficient than the Crusoe TM5800, as LongRun™ power management extends to the integrated features of the chip, including Northbridge, Southbridge and graphics.

Miniature High Precision VCXO Clock Generator IC

Telephonics Corp. has introduced the T277, a miniature, high precision Voltage Controlled Crystal Oscillator (VCXO) Clock Generator IC, available from the company's IC subsidiary, TLSI Inc. The T277's small size, low cost and stable clock reference make this device ideally suited for state-of-the-art handsets, routers, hubs, PCs, telephony and/or cable modems, set-top boxes and numerous other data transmission devices where cost, size and power need to be minimized and accuracy optimized. The device was designed to exhibit extremely low jitter and low phase noise performance (less than -140 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz offset from Fc). The integrated circuit utilizes a fundamental crystal to generate output frequencies from 8 MHz to 100 MHz. The T277 incorporates a programmable divider that also allows users to select output frequencies lower than the crystal frequency while maintaining 50 percent output symmetry. Additional features of the product include: operating supply voltage 3 V to 5.5 V, operating temperature range -40°C to +85°C, power less than 150 mW, and start-up time less than 5 mS. The T277 is currently available in die as well as 8-pin or 14-pin SOIC packages.

GSM Chipset Enables Next Generation of Tri-Band Mobile Phones

National Semiconductor has introduced a GSM chipset that integrates a transceiver, power management chip, and analog and digital basebands. It is designed for the next generation of tri-band GSM mobile phones that include features such as enhanced messaging service, a chat function and WAP. The chipset utilizes advanced design techniques such as a distributed DSP architecture in the baseband to significantly reduce the processor power required. In addition, voltage and frequency scaling allow the power to be optimized depending on the task the phone is performing. The analog systems are highly integrated, incorporating complete audio systems and all the power support for the battery fuel gauge and charging, display backlight and vibrating alert drive. The chipset's small form factor and high level of integration enable manufacturers to produce a phone that is approximately the length and width of a credit card.