Processing .....please wait.. 
The article has been forwarded.... 
News >> Technology >>
Infineon launches single-chip for mobile phones
By siliconindia
|
Wednesday, 09 February 2005, 20:30 IST
BANGALORE: Infineon Technologies AG today announced the launch of its E-GOLDradio(tm) chip, a GSM/GPRS single-chip which combines a quadband radio transceiver part with a base band processor. The E-GOLDradio enables the base band and RF functionality to be realized on a board space of less than 4 square centimeters which is about 30 percent less than the area previously occupied by two-chip solutions. Featuring E-GOLDradio, Infineon is able to provide the word's most integrated platform. The new BP3 platform comprises all hardware and software components necessary to design a mobile phone, such as power management, filter, power amplifier, memory as well as a GSM/GPRS protocol stack and application framework (APOXI) with a reference man-machine interface.
Furthermore, the E-GOLDradio reduces the bill of material by about 30 percent through the elimination of external components, such as capacitors and discrete components, which were necessary in a two-chip solution for the communication between RF and base band logic within a mobile phone. Particularly designers of clamshell or slider mobile phones are expected to significantly benefit from higher design flexibility due to the chip's high-integration and exceptionally small foot print of only 9 mm x 9 mm. The E-GOLDradio chip is especially suited for use in cost-driven mid-range and low-range mobile phones where it supports numerous functionalities without the necessity of an additional companion chip, such as camera, dual display, polyphonic ringer and MP3 playback.
"Infineon ranks first in overcoming the technical challenges of monolithic integration of GSM/GPRS ICs thus, again, reinforcing its leading position in the wireless semiconductors space, as we did before, being the first in the world to offer a two-chip GSM/GPRS solution and a single-chip Bluetooth product," said Kin Wah Loh, Member of the Management Board, and head of the Communications business group at Infineon Technologies. "With the introduction of the E-GOLDradio, and the platform BP3, we enable our customers to achieve a faster time-to-market through the provision of a complete solution. The BP3 comprises a very attractive form factor hardware reference design featuring the E-GOLDradio and all necessary software. The Infineon software suite has been proven in more than 30 million phones."