Wireless Design & Development articles from January 2007

Wireless Design & Development archives from January 2007

Correction.(Correction notice)
January 1, 2007... On page 15 of the December supplement "A Year in Wireless" the company listed after David Donovan's name was incorrect. David works for Analog Devices, not RF Micro Devices. We regret this error and any confusion it may have caused.

Equity for all.(U.S. Representatives, Senators and FCC Commissioners debate on telecommunications future)
January 1, 2007... The debate about America's telecommunications future will continue in 2007. U.S. Representatives, Senators and FCC Commissioners will take another look at the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and laws governing communications services, including...

Transform products into trusted devices.
January 1, 2007... nCipher plc announces the availability of its miniHSM, an embedded hardware security module (HSM). Designed to provide OEMs with a simple, secure, drop-in solution for data encryption, digital signing and strong authentication. The device...

Chipset for mobile WiMAX standard.
January 1, 2007... Beceem Communications introduces a baseband and RF chipset that supports all features of the Mobile WiMAX Wave 2 Profile. The BCS200 chipset includes advanced smart antenna technologies plus Beceem's CMOS direct conversion radio. Features...

RF vector signal generator for EVM.
January 1, 2007... PrecisionWave Corporation announces the release of the p1511A, a low-cost RF Vector Signal Generator. The p1511A generates digitally modulated and CW signals in the 800 to 1000 MHz and 1700 to 2200 MHz cellular bands for developers and testers...

Multi-channel modules.
January 1, 2007... The LMT2 and LMR2 from Radiometrix Ltd. offer OEMs a multi-channel, power-conservative data link. This transmitter and receiver pair are appropriate for low-power applications where existing wideband modules lack the necessary range, or where...

MLCCs double capacitance ratings.
January 1, 2007... Taiyo Yuden's WK series of multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) employ "reverse geometry" terminations and other design improvements to provide impressive performance relative to device size. The series maximum capacitance values are,...

No need for complex processors.
January 1, 2007... A development tool from Quickfilter Technologies, Inc. simplifies the task of adding precision digital filtering to designs based on the Texas Instruments MSP430 microcontrollers. The MSP-Mojo enables quick and easy implementation of precision...

Chip meets v2.0+EDR specification.
January 1, 2007... CSR announces the qualification of a Class 1 Bluetooth single-chip solution. Available in 4 x 4 mm WLCSP or 6 x 6 mm VFBGA packages, BlueCore5-FM features a connectivity of up to 3 Mb/s and output power of +10 dBM. This allows the device to...

Ultrawideband mobile solutions.
January 1, 2007... Alereon, Inc. and Stonestreet One, Inc. announce a wireless USB solution for Microsoft Windows Mobile and Windows CE embedded platforms. The solution consists of the Alereon AL4000 Wireless USB chipset, including the newly introduced AL4300...

Ultra-thin cell phones.(Samsung Electronics Company Ltd. launched new phones)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Samsung Electronics has delivered to market what is believed to be the thinnest cell phone ever made. Incorporating Agere Systems' innovative chip packaging design, Samsung could make Ultra Edition 6.9 (X820 bar design) and Ultra Edition 9.9...

Send messages at voice speed.(Pacific DataVision Inc. launched internet voice messaging platform)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Pacific DataVision, a leader in instant voice Internet messaging platforms, empowers field workers and mobile executives with its NextMail[R] Push to Talk service as part of its advanced Internet-based voice messaging platform. This next...

Internet radios boast a sub-$15 BOM.(Cambridge Consultants launched platform design for portable radios)(bill-of-materials)
January 1, 2007... Cambridge Consultants has released a platform design which rewrites the economics of the emerging Internet radio market. Based on two ICs, the Iona Wi-Fi portable radio can be built with an electronic bill-of-materials (eBOM) costing less than...

Notification service offers both 2-way SMS and PIN-to-PIN messaging.(Send Word Now, short messaging service)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Send Word Now, a provider of on-demand alerting and response services, has added Priority 2-way SMS (Short Message Service) and BlackBerry[R] PIN-to-PIN messaging to its Smart Notification Service[R] increasing available mobile messaging...

Explore the effect of MIMO integration in WiMAX systems: EDA software and the Mobile WiMAX Wireless Library help MIMO/WiMAX designers meet performance specifications.(multiple-input multiple-output )
January 1, 2007... The IEEE 802.16e-2005 Wireless Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) mode (mobile WiMAX) is based on the concept of scalable OFDMA (S-OFDMA). S-OFDMA supports a wide range of bandwidth set to...

Power management solutions: choosing the right one now pays dividends later: paying attention to power management prolongs battery life and increases performance by minimizing ripple/noise in the system.(Cover story)
January 1, 2007... Wireless technology implies the freedom to physically move around while still remaining virtually connected. No longer attached to a wall outlet, electronic wireless handset systems are forced to run off batteries. Regardless of chemistry type,...

Improving power amplifier efficiency in CDMA & WiMAX systems: efficient design and implementation of crest factor reduction and PA linearization solutions.(code-division multiple-access, Worldwide lnteroperability for Microwave Access)
January 1, 2007... WiMAX is an acronym for Worldwide lnteroperability for Microwave Access, a certification mark for products that pass conformity and interoperability tests for the IEEE 802.16 standards. The WiMAX Forum, formed in 2001, describes WiMAX as "a...

Overcoming the logistical challenges of testing mobile and cellular handsets: adaptive test case technology accommodates the rapid and inevitable changes and modifications that will arise in networks and handsets.(AUTOMATED & REMOTE TESTING)
January 1, 2007... Creating a robust platform upon which to deliver mobile and cellular services and applications presents a myriad of implementation challenges across the entire chain. From a handset manufacturer's standpoint, handsets must be able to...

Power amp for WCDMA applications.(PRODUCT FOCUS: AMPLIFIERS)
January 1, 2007... WJ Communications, Inc. announces the release of its AP622, a 4W power amplifier module for WCDMA infrastructure systems. The AP622 is appropriate for the pre-driver and driver stages in WCDMA base stations and power amplifier modules, and the...

Broadband GaN RF amplifier.
January 1, 2007... Aethercomm's Model Number SSPA 0.1-1.0-100 is a high power, broadband, gallium nitride (GaN) RF amplifier that operates from 100 to 1000 MHz. This PA is appropriate for broadband military platforms as well as commercial applications because it...

Driver amp offers on-chip ESD.
January 1, 2007... Mimix Broadband, Inc. announces the release of a 5 to 14 GHz GaAs monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) driver amplifier, packaged in a RoHS compliant QFN package. This device is processed in a highly repeatable, 0.25 micron optical...

Sinqle, high-speed rail to rail amp.
January 1, 2007... Fairchild Semiconductor's FHP3130 (single), FHP3230 (dual) and FHP3430 (quad) are low-cost, high-performance, voltage feedback amplifiers that consume 2.5 mA of supply current per channel, while providing [+ or -] 100 mA of output current....

Selectable-gain amplifiers.
January 1, 2007... Microchip Technology Inc. has added a family of 900 kHz, selectable-gain amplifiers to its product line of programmable amplifiers. The MCP6G01, MCP6G02, MCP6G03 and MCP6G04 (MCP6G0x) feature a gain-select pin in place of a negative-input-pin,...

LNA targets ISM band applications.
January 1, 2007... Designers of antenna modules for satellite radio receivers will be interested in NEC's newest InGaP LNA MMIC. The UPG2310TK provides high gain (27 dB), low noise figure (1.8 dB) and high intercept point, all in a compact 1.5 x 1.3 X 0.55 mm...

RRIO op amp.
January 1, 2007... National Semiconductor Corporation introduces a high-bandwidth, IV, rail-to-rail input and output (RRIO) CMOS operational amplifier. The LMV951 's combination of bandwidth and low power make it suited for cell phones, handheld devices, portable...

Connectorized drive amplifier.
January 1, 2007... Hittite Microwave Corporation announces the release of a connectorized wideband driver amplifier module, which is appropriate for EW, ECM, radar, space and test equipment applications from 2 to 35 GHz. The HMC-C038 is a GaAs MMIC Distributed...

Bus transceiver.
January 1, 2007... Austriamicrosystems introduces its automotive-qualified high-speed bus-transceiver for future generations of automotive networks. The AS8221 bus transceiver IC is suited for extreme automotive environments and provides good network stability...

Radio Transceivers.
January 1, 2007... Micrel introduces the MICRF405, which is the latest in Micrel's family of low-power RadioWire [R] radio solutions. The compact device is designed to cover all geographic regions and is targeted at high-end, remote keyless entry, automatic meter...

RF Vector Signal Generator.
January 1, 2007... PrecisionWave Corporation introduces its p1411A high-performance RF Vector Signal Generator. The instrument delivers suitable phase noise performance, wide power range and fast electronic switching. The source includes an exclusive spectrum...

Interchangeable Virtual Instrument drivers.
January 1, 2007... Acqiris introduces a range of class-compliant Interchangeable Virtual instrument (IVI) drivers that support the company's full range of digitizers. The IVI drivers provide a set of standard commands for a given class of instruments that...

Charge-management controllers.
January 1, 2007... Microchip Technology Inc. announces the MCP73833 and MCP73834 (MCP73833/4) single-cell, high current (1 A), Li-IoN/Li-Polymer linear charge-management controllers. These fully integrated charge-management controllers combine several key,...

RoHs-compliant Line of microcontrollers.
January 1, 2007... Imsys announces the availability of a RollS-compliant line of microcontrollers based on its TINI-compatible SNAP module. The product is used in medical devices, industrial terminals, security systems and many other networked applications where...

Protection devices.
January 1, 2007... Semtech Corp. announces the RClamp [R]0524P and RClamp [R] 0522P, two 5 V protection devices that are solid-state devices that reach 0.3pF in capacitance to meet the needs of High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) 1.3 and other high-speed...

Energy management unit.
January 1, 2007... National Semiconductor Corporation announces its second-generation, digitally-programmable LP5552 PowerWise [R] energy management unit; including its advanced power controller (APC2) intellectual property (IP) package for reducing power...

One-port midspan.
January 1, 2007... Phihong introduces the 30 W one-port midspan, which is being implemented into high power applications that incorporate IEEE's 802.11N standard. Designated the POE30U Series, the midspan is designed to power wireless and WiMAX access points that...

ower inductors.
January 1, 2007... Cooper Bussmann Electronic Technologies announces the Coiltronics[R] HCFI305-R Series power inductors. Higher speed switch mode applications requiring low voltage and high current can be achieved. These low profile, surface mount inductors have...

8-bit microcontroller.
January 1, 2007... Microchip Technology Inc. announces the four-member PIC 18F4321 8-bit microcontroller family with advanced peripherals, low pin count, small-footprint package options and low power consumption via nanoWatt technology. This family offers...

Digtial signal processors.
January 1, 2007... Texas Instruments Incorporated announces the lowest power addition to its line of low-power programmable digital signal processors (DSPs). The TMS320C5506 DSP requires 0.12 mW of power in standby mode and includes other power-efficient features...

Circuit Simulator.(Ansoft Corporation launched Nexxim 3.5)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Ansoft Corporation announces the release of Nexxim [R] v3.5, the lasest version of Ansoft's circuit simulator. Nexxim v3.5 continues its emphasis on simulation speed, capacity and accuracy, while introducing additional analyses and Verilog A...

Visual system simulator.(Applied Wave Research Inc. launched Wireless communications software)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Applied Wave Research announces another addition of the Mobile WiMAX solution for its Visual System Simulator [TM] (VSS) design suite. The software meets the specification defined in the wireless metropolitan area network (WirelessMAN)...

Hetero-junction FET.
January 1, 2007... California Eastern Laboratories announces the availability of a low noise 20 GHz Hetero-Junction FET from NEC. The NE3514S02 is a suitable choice for DBS LNB modules or as a first stage LNA in a variety of receiver applications. With...

Power amplifier modules.
January 1, 2007... Hittite Microwave Corporation announces the release of two MMIC based connectorized power amplifier modules which are suitable for broadband instrumentation, test equipment and communications applications from 10 MHz to 15 GHz. The HMC-C037 is...

Directional antenna.
January 1, 2007... Astron Wireless Technologies, Inc. announces the 5.8 GHz, 8 dBd omni-directional antenna. This V5808 can be deployed indoors or outdoors and utilizes a micro strip collinear patch array technology that assures gain stability across the...

Reactive power splitters.
January 1, 2007... Microlab/FXR announces a 2, 3 and 4 way wideband reactive power splitters. They are 60% lighter than the series they replace yet retain the established reliability and exceptional bandwidth of 380 to 2,500 MHz, thus including Tetra, SMR/PMR and...

Die cast enclosure antenna.
January 1, 2007... Pacific Wireless announces the release of the 2400 to 2700 MHz 12 dBi directional weatherproof die cast enclosure antenna. The DCEANT2412 is suitable for wireless client, base station, mesh network or repeater/backhaul applications. A variety...

High-electron mobility transistor.
January 1, 2007... Cree Inc. announces its 15 W packaged gallium nitride (GaN) high electron mobility transistor (HEMT), the CGH27015. Optimized for high efficiency, high gain and wide bandwidth, Cree's CGH27015 is designed to provide desirable linear power and...

MOSFETs for automotive applications.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
January 1, 2007... Fairchild Semiconductor announces its expansion on its portfolio of AEC-Q 101-qualified 30 and 40 V MOSFETs to include 11 more devices. These low-voltage PowerTrench [R] MOSFETs are designed to optimize efficiency, performance and board space...

RoHS-compliant switch.
January 1, 2007... M/A-COM, announces a RoHS-compliant SP4T switch, which is well suited for antenna switch module applications. The MASW-007813 includes lead-free, power quad flat, leadless (PQFN) package to maximize system linearity performance, while...

RF SAW filters.
January 1, 2007... Temex announces the launch of a RF SAW filter for GPS receivers suited to marine navigation, automotive and recreational applications. One of the most critical and essential elements of GPS receiver design is filtering at the RF stage. RF...

Ceramic frequency mixers.
January 1, 2007... Mini-Circuits introduces MCA1, a series of very broadband, low temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) frequency mixers. With level 7, 10 and 13 (LO) models available for 300 MHz to 6 GHz designs, these double balanced mixers have insertion loss...

Active mixers.
January 1, 2007... Skyworks Solutions announces the dynamic range of active mixers for mobile radio systems targeted at infrastructure, medical, scientific and industrial applications. These new broad frequency range solutions, which are part of Skyworks' Linear...

GaAs INGaP.
January 1, 2007... Hittite Microwave Corporation announces an addition of GaAs InGaP HBT MMIC VCO's with half frequency and divide-by-4 outputs, providing continuous frequency coverage from 8.45 to 13.9 GHz and complementing a line of existing MMIC VCO's. The...

Crystal oscillator circuit.
January 1, 2007... EM Microelectronic introduces the EM7604, a low-power CMOS crystal oscillator circuit. The EM7604 is intended to be used with a 32.768 kHz tuning fork crystal as a low frequency clock oscillator--with no other external components required. The...

Military grade temperature oscillator.
January 1, 2007... MMD Components introduces a series of military-grade temperature-compensated crystal oscillators (TCXOs) that have been tested and screened per MIL-PRF-55310 and MIL-STD-883 Class B standards. For radiation tolerance, the TCXOs are rad-hardened...

Non-molded power resistor.
January 1, 2007... BI Technologies SMT Division announces a nonmolded power resistor rated up to 75 W. Designated the BHP75 Series, the resistor is housed in a TO-220 opened screened substrate package and features an insulated tapered venturi bonded to the...

Ceramic capacitor.
January 1, 2007... AVX announces a ceramic capacitor that virtually eliminates the risk of short-circuit failure. Terminated with the FLEXITERM[TM] technology introduced last year, FLEXISAFE[TM] capacitors absorb shock and prevent internal cracking due to board...

Coated wirewound resistors.
January 1, 2007... TT electronics IRC Wire and Film Technologies Division announces a series of molded and conformally coated wirewound resistors and combination resistor/fuses. Designated the SP and SPP Series resistors, the product family consists of the SP20F...

Hands free kit.
January 1, 2007... Texas Instruments Inc. announces the availability of a complete Hands Free Kit (HFK) Reference Design for use with the TMS320C54HFK digital signal processor (DSP). This complete small form-factor reference design from Lyrtech provides original...

Process design kit.
January 1, 2007... Applied Wave Research announces the availability of a process design kit (PDK) that enables radio-frequency (RF), microwave and millimeter wave designers to access the DuPont[TM]GreenTape[TM] low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) technology...

CompactFlash cards.
January 1, 2007... WinSystems introduces its 4 GB and 8 GB RoHS-compatible CompactFlash (CF) cards. These devices operate from -40[degrees] to +85[degrees] C and are designed to work with single board computers (SBCs), instruments, cameras or computer systems...

ACG and Wireless Dynamics deploy NFC/RFID SD Cards.(ACG Identification Technologies signs a partner agreement with Wireless Dynamics Inc.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... ACG Identification Technologies, a leading component and technology supplier in the smart card and RFID markets, signs a partner agreement with Wireless Dynamics Inc. (WDI), a leading provider of NFC and RFID SD (Secure Digital) products. NFC...

WiMAX Networks across Nothern and Eastern India.(Alvarion Ltd. contracts with Aircel Business Solutions)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Alvarion Ltd. the world's leading provider of wireless broadband solutions announces that Aircel Business Solutions (ABS), a subsidiary of leading Indian cellular service provider Aircel, is expanding its current network and planning to use...

Alereon announces $4 million strategic investment.(from Samsung Ventures Investment Corp.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Alereon, Inc., announces it has received a $4 million investment from Samsung Ventures strategic technologies investment fund. Alereon is the first company to go into production with a registered and manufacturing worthy PHY solution and most...

Tech Mahindra sign five year contract with BT Group.(NEWS / BUSINESS / CONTRACTS)
January 1, 2007... Tech Mahindra announces the signing of a five year deal to provide BT with strategic sourcing services. This contract is expected to create new revenue for Tech Mahindra in excess of US $1 Billion over this period. Tech Mahindra will support...

ZTE wins WDM backbone project for China Netcom.(wave division multiplexing trunk lines)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... ZTE has exclusively won a contract to build five national WDM trunk lines for China Netcom as part of the operator's 2006 long-haul transmission network improvements. This agreement follows the successful construction of five national trunk...

Wavecom ships Millonoth unit in the Americas.(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Wavecom, Inc. ships its millionth unit in the Americas region--a milestone signifying the company's leadership in North and South America, just seven months after its purchase of Sony Ericsson's M2M division. Wavecom acquired the Sony Ericsson...

LeCroy partners with Microchip Technology.(NEWS / BUSINESS / CONTRACTS)
January 1, 2007... Microchip Technology Inc. a provider of microcontroller and analog semiconductors and LeCroy Corporation, a worldwide leader in serial data test solutions, announces that the companies have established an ongoing joint collaboration for LeCroy...

Oscilloscope-based DDR2 test application.(Agilent Technologies Inc.)
January 1, 2007... Agilent Technologies Inc. announces an oscilloscope-based DDR2 compliance test application suited for engineers working in the computer, data storage, electronic data processing and consumer electronics industries. The Agilent N5413A DDR2 test...

Mobile protocol test system.
January 1, 2007... Aeroflex, Inc. announces its 6401 AIME 3G mobile protocol test system. The device integrates RF-based radio channel emulation methods by integrating them at baseband. Applying the time varying radio channel characteristics digitally,...

RF Signal Generator.
January 1, 2007... Agilent Technologies, Inc. announces its N9310A RF Signal Generator. It covers ranges from 9 kHz to 3 GHz and a full range of modulation types including AM, FM, phase modulation, pulse modulations and an optional IQ modulator. With an external...

Test Center.
January 1, 2007... Spirent Communications announces its Spirent TestCenter that delivers Layer 2 to 7 testing capabilities up to 10 GbE speeds. It supports concurrent testing of routers, switches, access and Layer 4 to 7 devices on a single GbE module. It also...

Audio power amplifiers.
January 1, 2007... ON Semiconductor introduces its NCP2892 and NCP2990 1.3 W audio amplifiers that feature fast turn-on time and minimal power consumption. They are designed for portable communication devices requiring quality audio. The NCP2892 is optimized to...

Stepper driver promotes flexibility.
January 1, 2007... Nyden Corporation announces its DIN-rail mountable GTS500 5-phase driver, a compact and modular unit that is built to be fully compatible with the company's high-torque and Nano-speed 5-phase stepper motor line. This driver has fully-functional...

Power management unit.(POWER)
January 1, 2007... National Semiconductor Corporation introduces its flexible power management unit (PMU) with an integrated buck-boost converter. Well suited for energy-sensitive portable media applications, the LP3910 PMU includes a dual-source battery charger...

Power dividers.
January 1, 2007... XMA Corporation introduces its line of coaxial dividers/combiners that are offered in 2-, 3-, 4-, 6- and 8-way configurations. They come standard with SMA connectors (type "N"), and they are available in three frequency bands from 1,000 to...

Hot-swap front-end power supply.
January 1, 2007... Power-One, Inc. introduces its SFP450-12BG, a 450 W, hot-swap, AC/DC front-end. This 12 C compatible power supply uses advanced topologies and thermal management techniques to deliver 12 VDC at 36.6 A with efficiencies exceeding 89% and a power...

Pager Interference Notch Filter.
January 1, 2007... K&L Microwave Inc. releases its model WSN-00256, a 941 MHz Pager Interference Notch Filter that mitigates signal interference caused by co-location of paging and cellular systems in buildings and businesses of all types. It minimizes this...

Cavity filter.
January 1, 2007... Trilithic's RF and Microwave Components division releases its CFB7-800 series filters. Model CFB7-800 is designed to address the interference mitigation requirements for the public safety and SMR markets. It features a passband of 794 to 806...

Dual Down Converter RFIC.
January 1, 2007... Hittite Microwave Corporation introduces its integrated, High IP3 Dual Down Converter RFIC which is designed for use in wireless infrastructure applications from 800 to 960 MHz, including those based on CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, GPRS and EDGE...

Plastic EMC filters.
January 1, 2007... Schaffner EMC introduces its EMC filters with modern plastic housings. Because of their design, these low-leakage, three-phase EMC filters are compact, lightweight and they offer a high level of functionality. They feature electrical...

IP-enabled chipsets.
January 1, 2007... Connect One[TM] announces its iChipSec[TM] CO2128, a secure Internet Protocol (IP) communication controller chip that enables the design of IP-enabled point-of-sale (POS) terminals. The chip also includes hardware enhancements that ensure...

Highly-integrated GaAs Ics.
January 1, 2007... TriQuint Semiconductor introduces three high performance gallium arsenide (GaAs) integrated circuits (ICs) for point-to-point radio and satellite communications. These products address OEM needs for frequency upconversion in the transmit (Tx)...

IC offers power saving features.(SEMICONDUCTORS)
January 1, 2007... Micrel introduces the MIC5232, a 10 mA LDO, offering power saving features for extending battery life. The IC is suited to provide stand-by power to memory and real time clocks used in high-end mobile phones, PDAs, GPS, handheld...

Low-power A/D converters.
January 1, 2007... austriamicrosystems introduces its AS 1526/27 family of 10-bit, single-channel, low-power A/D converters. Combining ultra low-power operation at a high sampling speed of 73 ks/s with high dynamic performance in a small SOIC-8 package, this...