The revolution marches on. Here's a Texas Instruments publicity release on
the hardware end of the equation.
http://www.ti.com/sc/docs/news/2000/00123a.htm
DALLAS (September 18, 2000) -- The ability to wirelessly connect consumer
electronic equipment such as data-enabled mobile phones, Personal Digital
Assistants, home networking hubs, printers and computers will become a
reality as Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) (TI), the world leader in digital
signal processing (DSP) and analog, today announced the availability of its
complete, high-performance Bluetooth chipset. The chipset solution includes
the industry's first 0.18 Micron (um) ROM-based Bluetooth baseband with a
fully integrated Bluetooth software stack and TI's high sensitivity BiCMOS
radio frequency (RF) transceiver. With this technology, TI is able to
deliver a highly integrated, high performance solution, with the price point
required, to enable widespread adoption of Bluetooth.
"Texas Instruments is adding considerable bite to the Bluetooth revolution
by delivering what the market has been demanding for years -- a highly
integrated, high performance and high value Bluetooth solution," said
Christian Dupont. "By leveraging TI's extensive integration, system
architecture and process expertise, TI is able to provide customers with the
best technology to kick-start the long anticipated Bluetooth market.
System Integration and Advanced RF Reduces Components, Extends Performance
TI's BSN6030 offers a ROM-based Bluetooth baseband controller including a
fully integrated Bluetooth software stack up to the HCI interface. Designed
using TI's advanced 0.18 micron CMOS process, the high level of integration
enables one of the industry's smallest Bluetooth baseband footprints at 6x6
mm2, while increasing performance and cost savings by eliminating external
memory requirements. The controller provides point-to-point transmissions in
the initial release, with point-to-multipoint capabilities planned for later
releases.
The Bluetooth solution is uniquely designed to leverage TI's wireless
systems and integration expertise by combining TI's Bluetooth baseband core
with a host processor based on TI's market leading TMS320DSP. By joining the
capabilities of TI's DSP technology and its Bluetooth core, even greater
performance and wireless range will be possible, with only a single chip
Bluetooth RF component to couple to the integrated baseband. Today, the TI
TMS320 DSP(tm) powers the majority of the digital wireless handsets,
Internet audio players, digital still cameras, and broadband processors.
This integration capability offers OEMs enhanced performance, cost savings
and system effectiveness.
Further optimizing the solution, TI's 5x5 mm2 TRF 6001 Bluetooth RF
transceiver chip is the first sampling solution that offers advanced
sensitivity reception better than -86 decibells per milliWatt (dBm), 16 dB
better than the current Bluetooth specification. As a result, TI's Bluetooth
solution can offer six-times the range of a standard implementation. In
real-world conditions, this extra sensitivity allows applications to operate
more reliably at longer distances in spite of interference from intervening
objects and competing signals.
"TI's RF range and system value is at the forefront of today's Bluetooth
market," said Joyce Putscher, Director at In-Stat. "This combination of
performance and price will help to kick start the much anticipated Bluetooth
market."
TI is Well Positioned in Growing Bluetooth Market
TI is well positioned to integrate its Bluetooth solution into a wide
variety of applications across multiple industries. TI already supplies the
technology that powers more than 60 percent of today's cell phones, as well
as eight of the top ten portable digital audio players. In addition, TI has
dedicated businesses that are leading the digital revolution in broadband
access, digital speakers, printers, digital cameras and digital control
systems for automobiles and industrial applications. TI will work to offer
and integrate Bluetooth into all of these among other industries to create a
truly wireless world.
Recognizing the importance of Bluetooth, TI has extended its wireless
expertise into this market. In early 1999, TI acquired Butterfly VLSI, Ltd,
a pioneer in the development of RF and systems technology used in short
distance wireless communications. In 1998, TI became actively engaged in the
Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) as an early adopter , and became an
Associate of the SIG earlier this year.
Providing up to 1 Mbps in data transmission, Bluetooth is a leading standard
for the emerging short distance wireless market. The Cahners In-Stat Analyst
Group predicts that sales of integrated circuit solutions for Bluetooth
systems will exceed $4.9 billion by 2005. The largest areas of growth are
forecast to be wireless connections for phones and computers.
Availability, pricing and packaging
TI is sampling its complete Bluetooth chipset today, with production
availability scheduled for the fourth quarter this year. TI's Bluetooth
solution features leading edge wireless packaging capabilities with the
TRF6001 RF transceiver packaged in a 56 lead Microstar BGA Junior(tm)
package with a 5x5mm footprint. The BSN6030 Baseband Controller is offered
in several packages including a 80 pin Microstar BGA Junior with a 6x6mm
footprint.
Leveraging TI's advanced process technology, integration and manufacturing
expertise, TI is the first semiconductor supplier to announce Bluetooth
chipset units at the $5 range in volume quantity above 2 million units in
2001.
Received on Mon Sep 25 11:25:16 2000