RF platform brings three radios together

Texas Instruments has developed the industry's first solution that integrates mobile WLAN (mWLAN), Bluetooth and FM stereo audio all in a space-saving platform for mobile phones.

Texas Instruments has developed the industry's first solution that integrates mobile WLAN (mWLAN), Bluetooth and FM stereo audio all in a space-saving platform for mobile phones.

As the fifth generation of TI's mWLAN platform, the WiLink 5.0 solution provides a quick time to market for handset manufacturers and caters to evolving consumer tastes for rapid data access, mobile entertainment and seamless connectivity between the WLAN and cellular networks.

"The market for mobile WLAN is maturing, and manufacturers need optimised solutions that address tighter synergy and system operation between WLAN and Bluetooth, as well as adequate support to keep up with the evolution of fixed mobile convergence", said Marc Cetto, General Manager of TI's Mobile Connectivity Solutions Business.

"With the WiLink 5.0 platform, TI addresses these requirements by leveraging its core product portfolio, proven experience and deployment in the cellular market, WLAN, Bluetooth and digital radio domains".

TI brings seamless cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity to consumers with VoWLAN functionality, optimised on TI's OMAP-Vox and WiLink solutions, enabling UMA on the handset across multiple operating systems such as Symbian, Microsoft Windows Mobile, Linux and low level operating systems.

UMA provides consumers on-the-go voice access over WLAN or the cellular network using their mobile phones, and will transition to IMS as the fixed mobile convergence market matures.

The WiLink 5.0 platform integrates TI's recently announced BlueLink 6.0 solution, which combines the industry's best performance Bluetooth with high fidelity FM stereo and mono performance on a single chip.

The combination of mWLAN, Bluetooth and FM functionality allows users to perform a variety of simultaneous tasks, such as listening to the radio music on a Bluetooth headset while checking e-mail via Wi-Fi.

Manufactured in TI's innovative DRP technology at the 90nm node, the WiLink 5.0 device cuts both solution size and power consumption by up to 20% over competitive solutions, in critical modes of operation.

With three colocated radios, efficient management of RF is required for simultaneous operation of WLAN, Bluetooth and FM applications.

The WiLink 5.0 platform takes advantage of TI's expertise from the company's four previous generations of mobile WLAN solutions, which are being shipped in more than 25 mobile handset devices and cellular convergence products today.

The platform uses the second generation of TI's Bluetooth/WLAN hardware and software coexistence package, enabling re-use of existing systems, quick time to market and antenna sharing, reducing the bill of materials (BOM) for manufacturers.

TI will demonstrate its Bluetooth/802.11 coexistence package for mobile devices this week at CTIA Wireless 2006 in Central Hall - Booth 1039.

The coexistence demo runs a VoWLAN call routed to a Bluetooth headset over a shared antenna with no additional components, using TI's WiLink 4.0 mWLAN solution and BlueLink 5.0 Bluetooth single-chip solution, powered by an OMAP1710 applications processor.

Availability TI is currently sampling WiLink 5.0 solutions to select customers.

TI will provide multiple package options, including onboard and module solutions.

Wide sample availability of WiLink 5.0 solutions are expected to be available in late 2006.

Handsets using the WiLink 5.0 platform are expected to be on the market in early 2007.

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