Product category:
Reference Designs
News Release from: Texas Instruments (April 2001-March 2006) | Subject: Optical Wireless Solutions reference design
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 25 April 2001
Reference design for wireless optical
comms
A new technology from Texas Instruments dramatically cuts the cost and complexity of bringing the high-speed datarates of optical networking to end users.
A new technology from Texas Instruments dramatically cuts the cost and complexity of bringing the high-speed datarates of optical networking to end users Combining its leadership in digital signal processors and analogue with micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), TI has announced the immediate availability of its Optical Wireless Solutions reference design that allows system developers to wirelessly deploy dedicated 100Mbit/s 802.3 compliant Ethernet connections - 100 times greater than currently available wireless systems
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 8 Nov 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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In addition to wireless 100Mbit/s full-duplex, point-to-point secure communications, TI's Optical Wireless Solutions reference design brings new levels of flexibility, manageability and ease-of-installation to local area network system design.
TI's solution uses a packet-based transmission scheme compatible with comprehensive network management software, giving administrators the ability to implement fully managed systems.
Each smart unit can seek, acquire, track and hold its counterpart in the network and is capable of being managed remotely.
"TI's Optical Wireless Solutions will enable network managers to choose a wireless format as a direct alternative to Cat 5 wiring in 100Mbit/s switched networks with no degradation in performance.
With nearly one billion Ethernet ports on the planet, the opportunities for this reference design are real", said Jose Melendez, Worldwide Manager, Analogue MEMS Networking Products, TI.
"This solution expands TI's portfolio of high-speed broadband options and enhances our existing portfolio of optical networking technologies".
At the heart of the Optical Wireless Solutions reference design are TI's analogue MEMS mirror, optical transceiver, mixed-signal, analogue and DSP components.
The two-axis, gimballed MEMS mirror reflects light with virtually no loss in optical power.
The DSP, coupled with extensive control algorithms, steers the mirror with precision to a fraction of a micron, allowing switching speeds of less than 5ms.
In addition, TI's high-speed data convertors, operational amplifiers and power management ICs combine to offer the performance required to meet the overall system needs.
Finally, by offering a programmable, flexible platform, customers and third parties can develop valuable network management software and enhanced feature sets that address their specific needs.
The Optical Wireless Solutions reference design is the first product based on TI's Analogue Light Processing platform, which is made up of TI's analogue micromirror, DSP, analogue ICs and software.
LAN systems are the first of many networking and data transmission products that will benefit from this platform.
TI's Analogue Light Processing platform's ability to intelligently direct light across distances, independent of protocol and with unlimited datarates, makes it ideal for a variety of applications, including metro-free-space optics, last mile residential connections, photonic switching and optical networking.
TI's Optical Wireless Solutions reference design is available now.
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