Pulse-Link, which has a UWB technology called C-Wave capable of delivering 1Gbit/s data rates over coax, wireless, twisted pair and powerline simultaneously, is preparing a second generation chip which doubles the data-rate. It is also offering its technology for licensing.
“We have developed a second generation part, we’re going to double the data rate on it,” John Santhoff, co-founder of Pulse-Link, told EW. “It’s very simple. Moving from BPSK coding to QPSK we double our data rate. RF is the simple part, it’s the baseband which is tough.”
“We’ve done it in the lab with discrete prototypes,” added Santhoff. “The next phase is to put it into silicon. We’ll have engineering samples at the end of 2007, and next year it will be a reality in the marketplace.”
Pulse-Link is talking to chip firms about licensing its technology. Not only is it prepared to license its PHY and MAC ICs as IP cores, it is prepared to license the RTL which allows licensees to build the chips for themselves and add on whatever it is they are doing.
“What you want is everyone doing it, so you want to supply it to everyone you can,” said Bruce Watkins, president of Pulse-Link. “We have to accept a dilution of our market position but, if we get three or even one per cent of the market, the company will still be a huge success.”
Pulse-Link is taking a different route from many UWB companies which have joined the Wimedia Alliance for standards-setting and interoperability testing.
“Pulse-Link looks at it a different way,” said Watkins. “The best way is to make it work, build it and prove it works.” Pulse-Link is not engaged in interoperability tests.