Antenna is ready for UWB consumer developments

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Jan 17, 2007

Surface-mounting polymeric antenna is optimised for the WiMedia Alliance UWB BandGroup 1 (BG1 3.1-4.9GHz) frequency band.

Omron Corp has released a new surface-mounting polymeric antenna, the WXA-N2SL, the third model in its lineup of polymeric antennas for UWB communications.

In anticipation of the first wave of UWB-enabled consumer electronics, which will function exclusively in the WiMedia Alliance UWB BandGroup 1 (BG1 3.1-4.9GHz) frequency band, the new antenna is optimised specifically for this bandwidth.

Additionally, the antenna's ability to suppress out-of-band noise by 50% or more enables high-quality communications between wireless USB dongles, hubs, personal computers, mobile equipment and digital home appliances even under adverse, noisy real-world conditions.

The WXA-N2SL antenna will be manufactured at Omron's Kusatsu Factory in Shiga prefecture, Japan, and is available for sale immediately in mass production volumes.

UWB communications provide a convenient means of rapidly transmitting large volumes of data over short distances with low power consumption.

As a result, this technology has attracted considerable attention as a solution to meet growing consumer demand for wireless integration of multiple entertainment devices in the home.

The first WiMedia Alliance-certified UWB products are expected to operate in the 3.1 to 4.9GHz frequency range.

Until now, a separate filter circuit was required to suppress interference from other electronic appliances and unwanted radiation outside the UWB range.

However, the WXA-N2SL has been developed with a "filter-assist" function allowing it to independently suppress this out-of-band noise.

The WXA-N2SL antenna has already been selected for use in California-based UWB chipset vendor Sigma Designs' Windeo UWB chipset with Intelligent Array Radio.

"Wireless high-definition A/V streaming is a real-time application that requires high performance radio and antenna to seamlessly deliver content without interference over an extended range", said Hung Nguyen, General Manager and Vice President of Sigma Designs' Wireless Products Division.

"To that end, Omron's WXA-N2SL antennas are designed to offer the ability to leverage Sigma Designs' Intelligent Array Radio technology with multiple radios".

"Radio and antenna choices are critical factors that determine the robustness of the end product".

The Omron WXA-N2SL antenna was successfully demonstrated with Sigma Design's Windeo reference boards in a private suite at CES 2007.