Holy Grails are two a penny in the chip business from the the universal memory chip to the universal translator processor, but one Holy Grail, the single chip mobile phone with software defined radios putting a dozen standards and numerous frequencies on a handset, could be with us next year.
The second half of 2008 looks like being a watershed for the mobile phone industry with formidably versatile hand-sets based on software defined radio becoming a reality.
NXP is planning an integrated chip supporting all the cellular standards up to LTE, and all the legacy standards, plus Wimax, in the second half of next year. What makes it cost-effective is 45nm.
The 2008, 45nm chip will have 2G, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, 3G, 3.5G, TD-SCDMA, HSDPA, HSUPA, LTE, Bluetooth, FM radio and Wimax.
An internal NXP debate is on which other data connectivity standards, WiFi, Zigbee, UWB etc, to add in as well.
De Vries reckons the chip will need only two radios. “I think, conceptually that could be done. The broadband would be the LTE and the Wimax, and all the other guys are more narrow band.”
While NXP has some definite ideas on how the front end could be done, the front end is not a priority.
Is there a possibility of a collaboration on that? “Yes that is a likely way forward”, replies de Vries, “the front end is not about components, it’s about modules and there are a few big module-makers in the industry. More than likely the key to SDR is the combination between the module makers and the more CMOS-oriented baseband companies.”
One such is BitWave of Boston which has an alpha product using software to control analogue RF channels configurable from 700MHz to 4.2GHz for protocols with bandwidths from 25kHz to 20MHz. Beta product is due for Q2 2008. BitWave’s front end is not committed to anyone’s baseband, and the company is working with various companies on collaborative solutions.
One such is BitWave of Boston which has an alpha product using software to control analogue RF channels configurable from 700MHz to 4.2GHz for protocols with bandwidths from 25kHz to 20MHz. BitWave’s front end is not committed to anyone’s baseband, and the company is working with various companies on collaborative solutions.
BitWave’s Beta product is due for Q2 2008.
It looks as if the second half of next year is going to be a very interesting time for mobile telephone chips.
TOMORROW MORNING: TOP TEN R&D SPENDERS
Leave a comment