SiGe Semiconductor Supplies Class 1 Bluetooth Power Amplifier to Cambridge Silicon Radio for BlueCore01 Modules
sige.com
SiGe meets high-volume demand with efficient, low-power solution
Ottawa, Ontario — June 5, 2001
Ottawa, Ontario – June 5, 2001 – SiGe Semiconductor today announced that the PA2423MB power amplifier has been
selected by Cambridge Silicon Radio (CSR) for integration on CSR’s BlueCore01 modules. The modules provide a
complete, efficient, and low-power solution that accelerates time-to-market for Class 1 Bluetooth-enabled PCs, workstations
and PCMCIA cards.
“We are very excited that CSR chose our PA2423 power amplifier,” said Jim Derbyshire, president and CEO, SiGe
Semiconductor. “Collaborating with a world leader to provide integrated Bluetooth solutions has fueled our success in this
market, and guaranteed our penetration into some of the first Bluetooth products to hit the streets.”
The PA2423MB, as well as the BlueCore01 module, are fully certified to the Bluetooth specification, and have been
integrated into qualified products from companies including Brain Boxes, Fujitsu, IBM and Sony.
“SiGe’s on-time delivery of volume production quantities contributed to our success in being first to market with a qualified
Class 1 Bluetooth module,” said Glen Collinson, Vice President Marketing, CSR. “We are impressed that they were able to
deliver a power amplifier that was so easy to implement, while achieving our requirements for minimized form factor and
power consumption.”
PA2423MB delivers efficient, easy to implement solution CSR chose the PA2423MB in part because it is the most efficient
power amplifier on the market. The PA2423 delivers +22.5 dBm output power with 45 percent power-added efficiency when
operated in class AB mode. This leading performance extends the transmission range, and overcomes antenna and filter
losses while meeting regulatory requirements.
This level of performance was achieved through the use of silicon germanium BiCMOS processes, which also enable high
integration and low power consumption for extended battery life. With integrated patent-pending output power control and
ramping circuitry, the PA2423MB eases implementation, and eliminates requirements for external control ICs, saving the
associated board space, cost, and power consumption.
CSR’s BlueCore01 module dramatically shortens design cycle CSR’s Class 1 Bluetooth module provides a complete, fully
qualified solution to system designers. The module is based on the company’s BlueCore01 technology, which includes the
industry’s first integrated CMOS-based radio, baseband and microcontroller. The module also includes a fully integrated
Bluetooth software stack and CSR’s CMOS radio frequency (RF) transceiver, complete with support for a USB connection
and piconets.
Cost and Availability The PA2423MB is currently in volume production, and costs $1.44 in 10K quantities.
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About SiGe Semiconductor Inc. SiGe Semiconductor Inc., is a privately held fabless semiconductor company that designs
and supplies physical layer integrated circuits to leading companies in the high-growth wireless and broadband markets.
The company’s technology is at the heart of the next-generation of wireless and broadband communications products.
SiGe’s low phase noise and low power consumption products benefit from in-house expertise in IC design, packaging, test,
semiconductor process and state-of-the-art CAD tools and laboratory equipment. For more information on SiGe
Semiconductor, visit the SiGe website at sige.com. The company has headquarters in Ottawa, Canada and has
operations in Cambridge, United Kingdom, and in San Jose, California, United States.
About CSR CSR (Cambridge Silicon Radio) specialises in providing single chip radio devices to the global market for short
range radio communications, including Bluetooth. The company’s mission is to create the most highly integrated radio
devices available, fabricated using standard CMOS technology, to provide its customers with the low cost of ownership of
high quality digital radio.
CSR was the first company to offer a fully integrated 2.4GHz radio, baseband and microcontroller Bluetooth solution on one
CMOS chip, with its BlueCore™01. CSR’s BlueCore01 is the world’s first true single chip Bluetooth solution. Together with
the Flash ROM containing the CSR Bluetooth software stack, it provides a fully compliant Bluetooth solution for data and
voice communications. The design is optimised to require very few external RF components which facilitates a rapid design
of the motherboard, and can therefore decrease time to market and lower overall cost.
More information about CSR can be found on the web site at www.csr.com |
