Core cuts cost and complexity of Bluetooth SoCs

The DesignWare BlueIQ core is a complete solution enabling designers to quickly add Bluetooth capability to SoC designs.

The DesignWare BlueIQ core is a complete solution enabling designers to quickly add Bluetooth capability to SoC designs.

DesignWare BlueIQ offloads the host CPU of all real-time Bluetooth activity by providing an intelligent integrated subsystem that includes baseband controller hardware, as well as the link manager software running on an included industry-standard microcontroller.

Targeted at high-volume consumer applications, the BlueIQ architecture optimally partitions the application and Bluetooth processing, leading to significantly reduced application cost and power.

The DesignWare BlueIQ Core provides a complete environment for SoC designers, including both VHDL and Verilog RTL source code for the baseband, as well as C-language source code for the link manager firmware that can reside in RAM, ROM or Flash memory.

Also provided is a complete verification environment, including powerful bus functional models and test suites for fast and easy SoC integration.

The BlueIQ Core connects to the host CPU via a standard UART interface and is compatible with any qualified Bluetooth high-level stack and application profiles.

The BlueIQ Core is optimised to connect directly to the Silicon Wave SiW1701 radio modem and can be connected with other radio modems on request.

Synopsys partitioned its Bluetooth solution to offer advantages that scale with semiconductor technology improvements.

The digital portion of the Bluetooth system can be accommodated in the latest low-cost, low-power semiconductor processes, while specialised Bluetooth RF functionality is implemented in the radio modem, providing optimal RF performance and cost.

Baseband processing is performed by an included embedded 6811-compatible 8bit microcontroller that handles all real-time Bluetooth activity, reducing the load and power consumption of the host CPU, which is often a higher power 32bit processor running at a higher frequency.

In addition, the BlueIQ Core optimises power consumption by placing the baseband controller and radio modem into a "sleep mode" during periods of inactivity.

Additional digital logic power savings of up to 40% are achieved through the use of Synopsys synthesis tools that automatically provide fine-grain clock-gated physical implementations.

The DesignWare BlueIQ core accelerates the trend toward increasingly low cost and low power integrated circuit solutions that are driving Bluetooth wireless technology forward as a pervasive standard for personal area networks.

With $5 chipset solutions on the market today, the qualified BlueIQ product drops the silicon cost to $4 and sets the market for chipset solutions in the $3 range by mid-2003.

The DesignWare Bluetooth development kit, also available from Synopsys, consists of a silicon implementation of the BlueIQ Core, a Silicon Wave SiW1701 radio modem chip, and a demonstration version of Bluetooth software from Mezoe.

Synopsys worked closely with two Bluetooth industry leaders - Silicon Wave and Mezoe - to further reduce power and ease integration.

Synopsys optimised its DesignWare BlueIQ Core to take full advantage of the Silicon Wave SiW1701 radio modem's ultra low power features.

The SiW1701 is a fully integrated, direct-conversion radio modem designed for low system cost, ultra-low power consumption and superior RF performance over an extended temperature range.

"The combination of our low-power, low-cost radio with Synopsys' BlueIQ Core delivers the ideal solution for high volume, cost-sensitive consumer products", said Jarvis Tou, vice president of marketing and product management at Silicon Wave.

"By optimising each area of the design for Bluetooth applications, we can ensure that designers get a high-performance product to market on schedule".

Synopsys worked closely with Mezoe, a division of Cambridge Consultants, on an optimal integration of its link manager software, which is incorporated in the BlueIQ core.

Mezoe's software is currently used in the majority of all Bluetooth designs.

The BlueIQ core used together with Mezoe's high-level Bluetooth stack, profiles and application examples ensure complete interoperability and easy integration.

Bundled with Synopsys' Bluetooth development kit, Mezoe's Interface Express including BlueStack, a powerful and easy-to-use software suite, allows users to quickly develop and test Bluetooth applications.

"By joining forces with Synopsys under their DesignWare Star IP programme, we can ensure easy integration to engineers who want to use Bluetooth technology in their designs", said Paul Williams, operations manager at Mezoe.

"This qualified Bluetooth package will enable users to add wireless technology to their designs, regardless of their level of Bluetooth experience".

"Working with Bluetooth industry leaders, we have been able to optimise the overall Bluetooth solution to reduce system cost, power, and integration time", said Phil Dworsky, director of marketing and applications, IP and Systems Group at Synopsys.

"The DesignWare BlueIQ Core, combined with Silicon Wave's radio modem and Mezoe's Bluetooth software, offers our mutual customers everything they need to quickly create low-cost, low-power Bluetooth applications".

The complete Synopsys DesignWare BlueIQ core is available immediately.

DesignWare licensees wanting to evaluate the DesignWare BlueIQ core may download the design view (complete verification environment, simulation models, including a model of the SiW1701 radio modem, timing models and documentation) at no additional charge by visiting the Synopsys website.

The implementation view containing source code necessary for implementing the core is licensed separately by Synopsys.

The DesignWare Bluetooth development kit is also available immediately from Synopsys and is priced at $2500.

(This was Electronicstalk's Top Story on 17 September 2002).

Back to top