NEWS BRIEFS

4timing.com, September 2001

SiGe Semiconductor awarded Bluetooth Contract from CSR

Cambridge Silicon Radio (CSR) has selected SiGe Semiconductor’s PA2423MB power amplifier for integration on CSR's BlueCore01 modules. The modules are designed to provide a complete, efficient, and low-power solution that accelerates time-to-market for Class 1 Bluetooth-enabled PCs, workstations and PCMCIA cards.

RF Micro Devices Opens China Facility

RF Micro Devices, Greensboro, NC intends to open a facility in the Beijing Xingwang Industrial Park, which is located in the Beijing Economic Technological Development Area. The Beijing Xingwang Industrial Park was established in May 2000 by Nokia in conjunction with the Chinese state governments, the Beijing municipal government and representatives of the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area.

LCD Shipments Reach 2.9 Mil Units in 2nd Quarter 2001

World - LCD monitor shipments were up by 23% to 2.9 mil units in 2nd-qtr 2001 vs. 1st-qtr 2001 and were up by 131% vs. 2nd-qtr 2000, according to Display Search. LCD monitor shipments now make up 12.4% of the desktop monitor market by units. A total of 4 mil units are forecast to be shipped in 3rd-qtr 2001, generating a revenue up 12% to USD$2.7 billion.

The World's First System-on-Chip Combining Bluetooth and Ethernet

Spirea, AB has claimed a world first in Bluetooth networking technology with its new BlueBoc product, a direct encapsulation of Ethernet over Bluetooth. BlueBoC implements the Bluetooth PAN profile making Bluetooth directly accessible to TCP/IP applications without the use of intermediate protocols for serial line emulation, thus providing efficient networking utilizing Bluetooth wireless devices. It is a highly integrated CMOS implementation of Bluetooth and Ethernet and is part of Spirea's family of Bluetooth devices. BlueBoC, together with BlueTraC and BlueAmp, forms Spirea's all CMOS Class 1/2/3 Bluetooth radio chipset, which is a complete solution for TCP/IP, enabled Bluetooth access points. BlueBoC can also be easily integrated in broadband modems and set top boxes due to the standard Ethernet connection and use of TCP/IP protocols.

The open interface of BlueBoC provides a platform for easy implementation of customer applications directly on top of the TCP/IP, making BlueBoC an ideal device for access point providers who need an efficient hardware platform that also enables system level differentiation. BlueBoC is also designed with access point scalability in mind. Several units can be combined into one system to increase capacity and number of users. Development boards can be ordered now. The first devices are scheduled to be available beginning 2002.

Fujitsu Enhances DSL Capacity with STM-4c Market First

Fujitsu Telecommunications Europe continues to set new standards for DSL performance, introducing the market's first STM-4c Network Interface, for operation with Fujitsu's multi-service FDX DSL Access Concentrator DSLAM platform. Currently providing the highest achievable density within the most cost-efficient package, Fujitsu's DSL design philosophy provides operators with a flexible, scalable and efficient means of meeting customer demand for increased DSL bandwidth, as fuelled by DSL-delivered television programming, video-on-demand and lease line services. With the availability of the STM-4c Network Interface, Fujitsu's FDX solution offers improved support for fast Internet connections and Voice-over-DSL services using multiple voice channels. Video applications, as well as point-to-point 2Mbps lease-line services, benefit from the increased network capacity offered by the STM-4c interface, enabling fast and economic deployment.

Infineon Enters Fast Growing "Smart Label" Market with New ICs

Marking it's entry into the market for Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) solutions compliant with the global standard for Vicinity Cards and Smart Label applications (ISO 15693), Infineon Technologies has introduced "my-d", the first chips in the IdentSystem product family. The chips have the capability to support a new paradigm in the implementation of RFID systems, which Infineon calls the "Chip Sharing Approach". The concept uses secure memory sectors on a single chip to enable different stakeholders to handle data that is accessible only in compliance with defined access rules. Because this approach enables manufacturers, logistics service companies and retailers to use my-d for multiple purposes, it dramatically improves the potential economic benefit of the technology.

The Identsystem IC family and the "Chip sharing approach" arises from Infineon's experience in design and production of high security and large memory capacity smart card ICs. The my-d IC is a 13.56 MHz RF device with a unique ID code and up to 10 Kilobit of secure, writable memory that can be divided into multiple sectors for different users, including sectors protected by cryptographic keys. A my-d chip can be attached to physical goods in a variety of form factors and, when accessed by a standard compliant reader device, the chip memory provides data about that specific object or asset.

Cisco's First 10 Gigabit Ethernet Modules for Catalyst 6500 Switch

Furthering its leadership in Gigabit Ethernet technology, Cisco Systems, Inc. introduced its first 10 Gigabit Ethernet modules for the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series switch. The addition of 10 Gigabit Ethernet for the Catalyst 6500 offers increased scalability in performance and intelligent network services to meet the needs of today's fast-growing enterprise and service-provider networks. Building upon the scalable Catalyst 6500 architecture, the new 10 Gigabit Ethernet modules extend Ethernet technology from the local area network (LAN) to the metropolitan area network (MAN). Providing customers with increased bandwidth, increased network reach and intelligent network services while protecting existing investments in their fiber infrastructure and in the Catalyst 6500 platform. By supporting high-bandwidth connections over extended distances, the Catalyst 6500 10 Gigabit Ethernet modules enable customers to implement new applications such as server-less buildings, data-central remote mirroring, disaster recovery, E-learning, imaging/3D modeling, as well as high bandwidth inter-POP (Point of Presence) connections.

New ASDL Application Converter from Alcatel

Alcatel Converters has just launched a family of DC/DC converters designed to power ASDL/XDSL chip sets for line card applications. These highly reliable converters use (patented) self-synchronous rectification technology to offer more than 87% efficiency at full load, drawing power from a standard 48V nominal input. The 22W AC524 provides DC output voltages of +3.2V and ± 11.8V, and the 20 W AC593 provides output voltages of +3.2V, +1.8V and ± 11V. The converters are compatible with most chip sets found on the market place. These converters allow manufacturers to meet customers' demand for multimedia content such as video-on-demand and super fast Internet access using standard copper telephone lines, whilst powering multiple subscribers from a single line card. The AC524 powers 4 XDSL subscriber lines and the AC593 powers 12, with a minimum use of system space, power consumption and heat generation. This leads to more reliable operation with lower installation and service costs per subscriber.

RAD Introduces Product Solution to Lower Cost of Ethernet Access to E3/T3 Services

RAD Data Communications has announced the introduction of a pair of interface converters that reduce the cost of connecting routers and switches to E3 and T3 services. The RIC-E3/ETH and RIC-T3/ETH converters support LAN connection over SDH/SONET networks for both enterprise and carrier/ISP applications. The growth in demand for LAN access to E3 and T3 services is driving many organizations to look for cost-effective means to connect their routers and switches to the broadband networks. A common method used by carriers to extend their networks to areas lacking wire line infrastructure is the use of wireless E3/T3 links. The new interface converters offer carriers a simple, low-cost solution for transporting LAN traffic over wireless E3/T3 links between POPs, instead of installing expensive ATM access devices between the LAN and the radio link. In addition, RAD's new converters can also help Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to cut costs of expensive equipment, such as high volume router interfaces, in their POPs. The RIC-E3/ETH and RIC-T3/ETH converters allow connection to the router's Ethernet port rather than an expensive E3/T3 port, resulting in substantial cost savings across the ISP's network.

Broadcom Introduces CMOS Bluetooth Chip For 3G Phones

Broadcom Corp. introduced what it claims is the first all-CMOS Bluetooth radio device for CDMA and 3G mobile phones. The radio chip, dubbed the BCM2002, provides full Bluetooth functionality when used alongside the Bluetooth baseband and protocol stack. Broadcom said this approach allows the lowest added bill of materials cost for a complete Bluetooth product. The chip’s radio component has already been qualified for use in phones using the Qualcomm CDMA Technologies (QCT) mobile station modem series of chipsets. The chip uses a linear design to eliminate RF filtering to receive stronger signals from other Bluetooth devices, the company said. It features fractional-N frequency generation technology, which allows the chips to use a number of different reference frequencies.

Intel Launches 2GHz Workstation Chip

Intel Corp. today has introduced a 2GHz Xeon processor for dual processor workstations. The chip represents a speed bump of 300MHz and Intel believes it will yield a 10 percent performance boost over its predecessor, a 1.7GHz Xeon. An Intel official said the product release is in line with the company’s server chip roadmap. The chip will be marketed toward builders of high-end to medium range workstations. Several companies plan to introduce systems with the 2GHz Xeon, including Compaq, Dell, Fujitsu-Siemens, Hewlett Packard, IBM and NEC, according to Intel. Some of these manufacturers could start shipping systems with 2GHz processors as soon as October 2001. During the last three years, Santa Clara, Calif.-based Intel has made significant inroads into the workstation market with chips based on its line of popular processors for PCs. According to Intel, market researcher IDC of Framingham, Mass., said Intel-based workstations accounted for 68 percent of all workstation shipments in the second quarter of 2001. The Xeon line is based on Intel’s NetBurst micro architecture, which is also used in the company’s Pentium 4 line for PCs. The 2GHz Xeon comes from Intel’s Foster family and is based on 0.18-micron technology. The chip can be paired with Intel’s 860 chipset for dual processor workstations.

Set-Top Box Deployment Study Identifies Market Leaders
According to a new marketing study by TRACE Strategies, Motorola and Scientific-Atlanta appear poised to claim a combined 88.7 percent share of the North American digital cable set-top box (STB) market this year. However, Pace, Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, and Sony are expected to ship a total of 932,000 by year-end 2002 to cable operators such as AT&T Broadband, Cablevision, Cox Communications, and Time Warner Cable.

Pace To Use Conexant Chipset In 3G Cable Home Gateways
Conexant Systems Inc. announced Pace Micro Technology has chosen to use Conexant’s MPEG decoder chipset for its third-generation European cable home gateway. According to Conexant, England-based Pace is the largest dedicated developer of digital home gateway technology. The company has selected Conexant’s CX22490 interactive TV MPEG decoder chipset for use in its Di4000 home gateway. The device allows cable operators to provide interactive TV services such as e-mail, Internet access, as well as providing high-speed data to external PCs.