Artimi Inc., a fabless semiconductor company developing
Ultra Wideband (UWB) silicon solutions, announced that it is demonstrating its patented dual-mode UWB semiconductor technology in a UWB over powerline demonstration in their suite during the 2005 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las
Vegas this week.
Artimi further announced that the patented dual-mode wireless and powerline capability will be delivered in the industry's first single monolithic chip UWB device, the RTMI-100, in 0.18 micron silicon germanium (SiGe) BiCMOS. The digital portion of the device is implemented in CMOS and the high frequency section is implemented in SiGe. Samples of this product will be available Q2 2005.
The RTMI-100 can be used in either wireless or powerline systems. Artimi has developed low cost reference antennas for wireless applications. Artimi has also developed an innovative system whereby UWB pulses are coupled onto wiring such as mains power cables using a low cost patented coupling device.
Artimi's UWB over Powerline Demonstrator System shows the capabilities of this technology using a specially
designed demonstrator platform. The digital sections of the RTMI 100 have been implemented in an FPGA on a PCI board. The high frequency section of Artimi's RTMI-100 has been implemented using discrete components on a second PCI board. Both boards are mounted in a PC such that powerline communication can
be established between two of these PCs using a pair of 4-way mains power cable blocks. Artimi has
developed standard windows networking drivers for use with the RTMI-100 solution, and these are implemented on this demonstrator system without modification.
Gillian Ewers, Director Product Marketing, Artimi said, "Our demonstration system is a complete discrete implementation of the RTMI-100 chip. The RTMI-100 will be capable of transmission at up to 800Mb/s with complete conformance to the FCC emission regulations. We believe this will be the first single chip complete UWB solution, delivering unrivalled cost and performance. Our patented UWB over powerline technology allows access to places that other technologies can't reach, such as through foil lined walls. Applications include video and data transmission in the home, office and industrial applications."
About Ultra Wideband
Ultra Wideband (UWB) is a method of sending information using high frequency low energy pulses. UWB has the potential of orders of magnitude greater spatial capacity compared to other current or emerging technologies, allowing much faster and denser wireless networks.
UWB is a wireless communication technology fundamentally different from all other radio frequency communications. It is unique in that it achieves wireless communications without using an RF carrier. Instead it uses modulated pulses of energy less than one nanosecond in duration.
Source:
Artimi Inc.
Related stories:
Companies Demonstrate Distribution of Multi-Stream High-Definition Content via HomePlug Powerline and UWB Networks
Intellon Corporation, the world leader in powerline communications, today announced that Samsung Electronics Company is using Intellon's HomePlug AV powerline technology together with Freescale Semiconductor's Ultra-Wideband (UWB) wireless technology to demonstrate the distribution of multiple high-definition (HD) content streams throughout the home. The combination of HomePlug AV and UWB networking technologies enables consumers to easily connect all of their digital entertainment devices and distribute the content anywhere in the home with the added freedom of mobility. The demonstrations will take place in the Intellon and Freescale booths at the International Consumer Electronics Show.
Intellon Corporation Announces HomePlug 1.0 Compliant 85 Mbps Powerline Networking Chipset
Intellon Corporation, the world leader in powerline
communications, today announced the introduction of its next generation powerline networking chipset. The INT5500CS, an 85Mbps powerline networking chipset, is fully compliant with the 14 Mbps HomePlug 1.0 specification and offers the higher bandwidth performance necessary to drive next-generation home entertainment applications such as standard definition video and whole house audio.
Europe takes leading role in developing chip design tools for next-generation wireless applications
Philips Electronics, austriamicrosystems, MAGWEL, IMEC and the universities of Lisbon, Bucharest and Delft today announced that they have joined forces in the 'CHAMELEON-RF' project - a European Union IST (Information Society Technologies) 6th Framework Program project targeted at producing better tools for designing the complex nano-scale silicon chips at the heart of next-generation wireless communication products.
Watch out iPod, Mobile TV is under way
Portable television may have just gotten a lot easier, now that the wireless industry is checking into mobile TV. A new alliance of wireless and technology companies are jumping on the bandwagon to do just that, including Intel, Motorola, Modeo, Nokia and Texas Instruments.
Wireless World: Sensors detect icy bridges
A suspension bridge is perilously close to collapse, but secret federal agents learn about the pending disaster on their Palm Pilots and dash to the site and are able to stop the catastrophe just in time. The real hero here, though? Miniature wireless sensors.
Briefs: Broadband expands in-car entertainment
Car video entertainment is taking steps toward becoming ubiquitous through the use of wireless broadband technologies on display in Las Vegas this week.
Freescale launches 'Cable-Free USB' initiative for wireless connectivity
Creating a new wireless path for Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 devices, Freescale Semiconductor, along with leading manufacturers, has launched a Cable-Free USB initiative. Powered by Freescale's Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology, this initiative is aimed at enabling true USB 2.0 functionality with a wireless connection and marks the release of the first UWB-enabled consumer products for the U.S. market.
Riding the ultra wideband communications wave
Ultra wideband usually refers to a radio communications technique based on transmitting very-short-duration pulses, down to nanoseconds (billionths of a second) or picoseconds (trillionths). The occupied bandwidth can take up very large frequency ranges.