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Maintaining Low Power Consumption on Chips is Critical to Drive Wireless Internet on a Chip Technology
4 January 2006 The challenge for wireless device manufacturers lies in developing handheld devices that offer an array of services while maintaining power-efficiency and offering high-performance.
"Convergence of computing capabilities and communication protocols has resulted in the development of devices with enhanced functionalities and capabilities. Providing a range of functions at a low cost while maintaining the reliability and compatibility of existing systems and devices is a major challenge today," says Technical Insights (http://technicalinsights.frost.com ) Research Analyst Ms Vedavalli Rangan. "As devices become more complex with numerous features, it is of prime importance to find out ways to extract more power from the batteries."
Moreover, the circuit complexity that comes with the use of isolated application specific chips, as found in traditional systems, is compelling chip manufacturers to focus on curbing power dissipation right at the design stage. The emergence of wireless communications with embedded intelligence is playing an important role in reducing power consumption.
The elimination of delays due to the absence of buses for interchip communications as seen in System on Chip (SoC) designs considerably improve device performance.
The SoC design that follows the Moore's Law consists of the microprocessor, the digital signal processor that runs the embedded software, the memories and application specific chips, and other peripherals, all in one single chip.
SoC basically allows chip manufacturers to reduce the extra cost incurred in the design and fabrication of application-specific chips by integrating the entire system functionality on a single chip along with the core processor components.
Firstpass Semiconductor AB, based in Stockholm, and :S-based Firstpass Technologies Inc. have developed a single chip wireless Internet phone using CMOS Technology. Based on voice over wireless local area network (VoWLAN), this technology provides solutions to SoC integration of radio, mixed signal and DSP on the same chip for high-volume low-end products.
Most importantly, the chip supports several low-power operations. It also includes an analog interface for connection to devices such as a MIC, speaker and ring, serial interface for keyboards and displays, data and address interface for external memory, and RF front-end component interface.
Despite the many benefits of SoC, it involves various design level challenges due to the lack of specific standards for implementation. There is a need for tools that can perform system-level verification in a virtual environment before entering the actual manufacturing cycle.
Manufacturers are now working towards developing energy efficient chips by increasing the speed. Instead of SoC solutions, System-in-Package (SiP) solutions that come with necessary software are expected to gain in popularity as they eliminate problems relating to vendor interoperability.
The semiconductor division of Netherlands-based Royal Philips Electronics has developed a SiP solution that enables multimedia content delivery. Philips SiP solutions deliver an entire range of functionalities of 802.11g that give end users faster access to rich multimedia content and data through WLAN.
The 802.11g SiP operates using the lowest standby power. Moreover since it has the capability to operate at power levels lesser than that possessed by GSM in standby mode, it is ideal for power management schemes. In conjunction with bluetooth wireless, it is a robust solution for portable applications.
"It contains an integrated ARM 7 processor, 1.25 MB SRAM, 256 KB read only memory (ROM) with the integrated hardware and software routines for managing power," observes Ms. Rangan. "This implementation addresses the critical issues such as power consumption, battery life and size in mobile phones and other portable consumer applications."
If you are interested in further information about wireless Internet on a chip, please send an e-mail to Janina Hillgrub, Corporate Communications, at Janina.Hillgrub@frost.com, with the following information: your full name, company name, title, telephone number, e-mail address, city, state and country. We will send you the information via e-mail upon receipt of the above information.
Title: Wireless Internet on a Chip
Code: D484
About Frost & Sullivan
Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company's industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community, by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics.
Technical Insights is an international technology analysis business that produces a variety of technical news alerts, newsletters and research services.
Media Contacts:
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Janina Hillgrub
Corporate Communications
P: +49(0)69-770-33-11
E: Janina.Hillgrub@frost.com
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Mireya Castilla
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P: +1-210-247-3830
E: mireya.castilla@frost.com
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Sarah Lourdes
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P: +603-6204-5878
E: sarah.lourdes@frost.com
India:
Surbhi Dedhia
Corporate Communications
P: +91-22-2832-4705 Ext: 131
E: sdedhia@frost.com
Australia:
Sharmin Jassal
Corporate Communications
P: +61-2-8247-8900
E: sjassal@frost.com
Keywords in the release: wireless, Internet on a chip, System on Chip, SoC, microprocessor, digital signal processor, application specific chips, System-in-Package, SiP, Firstpass Semiconductor AB, Firstpass Technologies Inc, voice over wireless local area network, VoWLAN, Royal Philips Electronics, 802.11g SiP, bluetooth wireless
List of key industry participants: Intel Corporation, Texas Instruments Inc, Philips Semiconductors, Neomagic Corporation, Zensys, :bicom Inc, Sychip Inc, TeleCIS Wireless, Wipro Technologies, Freescale Semiconductors, Pixelworks Inc, Firstpass Semiconductors, Broadcom Corporation, Connect One Ltd, ST Microelectronics, CEVA Inc, Renesas technology, Flextronics Semiconductors, Winedge and Wireless Pte Ltd
Source: prnewswire
All trademarks and copyrighted information contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
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