another milestone
LSI Logic Introduces Programmable Single-Chip CDMA Baseband Processor Architecture for Wireless Handsets
CDMA Baseband Processor Architecture Reduces Component Count, Board Size,
Power Consumption and Overall System Costs
MILPITAS, Calif., April 6 /PRNewswire/ -- LSI Logic Corporation, the leading developer of system-on-a-chip technology, today announced a programmable single chip CDMA baseband processor architecture that performs the key baseband functions necessary to communicate with advanced CDMA networks. Developed using LSI Logic's leading G11(TM) CMOS process technology and CoreWare(R) design program, the CDMA baseband processor architecture provides a level of integration and differentiation unavailable in the CDMA market until now, enabling manufacturers to build next-generation wireless telephone and data handsets that use nearly 40% less power and offer increased functionality.
"The growth of the CDMA market has been handicapped largely because wireless handset equipment manufacturers have been very limited in their choice and flexibility of currently available CDMA processors," said Giuseppe Staffaroni, vice president and general manager of the Communications Products Division at LSI Logic. "LSI Logic's architecture will provide an alternative solution that allows the integration of functions that previously were discrete, but also with the added flexibility of customer specific differentiation, if desired. This level of integration, reduced cost and shrinking power consumption, will allow wireless handset manufacturers to offer consumers the features they care about, such as increased talk and standby time, and ultimately reduced terminal price."
A Complete Solution for Handset Manufacturers
LSI Logic's CDMA baseband processor architecture is a complete, low-risk solution for wireless telephone handset manufacturers who want to bring leading edge products to market quickly and have a platform for future enhancement. It provides both digital and analog cores on the same chip, including an ARM 7 Thumb microprocessor, dual OakDSPCore(R) digital signal processors (DSPs), DSP ROM and RAM, voice codec, transmit and receive filters, ADCs, DACs, PLLs, memories and peripheral interfaces. By combining these multiple functions into a single chip architecture, the CDMA baseband processor reduces the number of individual components and the amount of board space required within a CDMA handset.
By integrating an increased number of functions onto a single CDMA baseband processor, handsets using LSI Logic's solution are also smaller in size, shrinking the baseband printed circuit board by as much as 75%, and because of optimized on-chip power management techniques, will consume up to 38% less power than currently available multi-chip baseband solutions. The programmability of the solution enables low risk and rapid time-to-market by allowing handset designers to customize the design in a RAM-based single-chip architecture. This flexibility allows the integration and validation of specialized intellectual property and product features into CDMA-based applications before volume production commences in a pin-and-package compatible, ROM-based chip.
In addition to surpassing the performance of current CDMA ASIC solutions with regard to integration and power consumption, LSI Logic's CDMA baseband processor provides customers with greater signal reception sensitivity. LSI Logic's open architecture utilizing licensable cores and flexible design methodology realized through the CoreWare design program, ensure that customers can easily understand interface requirements and customize their digital cellular and PCS handset to take full advantage of the CDMA baseband processor. Examples of these solutions include on-chip PDA capability, data management hardware, voice recognition software and the ability to support many types of displays including video and touch screens.
LSI Logic's commitment to the wireless communications market is very strong," said Staffaroni. "We have established a Wireless Design Center in San Diego with more than 200 man-years of wireless system engineering expertise. Additionally, we have created a dedicated wireless application engineering and product marketing organization that is focused on adding value for manufacturers of handsets, wireless local loop, and wireless LAN equipment."
The single chip CDMA baseband processor architecture will sample in Q4 '98 with volume production set for Q1 '99. |
