Bluetooth Modules target notebooks, Netbooks, and UMPCs.
June 12, 2009 -
Combining Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips in half mini-card, InConcert® BCM94312HMGB, BCM943225HMB, and BCM943224HMB Modules enable PC manufacturers to add wireless features to notebooks, Netbooks, and ultra-mobile PCs. All modules utilize BCM2070 Bluetooth 3.0 + High Speed transceiver and feature coexistence algorithms to maximize Wi-Fi and Bluetooth throughput when both radios are operating concurrently. Single antenna system is used for both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth transmissions.
Broadcom Delivers World's First Bluetooth® + Wi-Fi® Combo Solution for Notebooks, Netbooks and Ultra-Mobile PCs
Broadcom's InConcert(R) Combo Modules Offer Big Performance Advantages in a Tiny Package to Improve the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Experience in Even the Smallest PCs
TAIPEI, Taiwan, June 2 /-- Computex 2009 -- Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ:BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced three new Bluetooth(R) + Wi-Fi(R) modules designed to bring best-in-class wireless capabilities to notebook PCs and Netbooks. The new Broadcom(R) InConcert(R) modules are the industry's only solutions to combine standards-compliant Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips in the smallest form factor available (the half mini-card). Broadcom's highly-integrated modules enable PC manufacturers to add more wireless features to increasingly smaller designs, and offer unique coexistence technologies to ensure the best possible user experience.
The new InConcert modules expand Broadcom's industry-leading family of wireless combination products that are driving Bluetooth, GPS, Wi-Fi and FM into an array of handheld devices. Although notebooks typically have more board space to accommodate discrete Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips on separate modules, the growing demand for smaller Netbooks and ultra-mobile PCs (UMPCs) has created the need for more integrated wireless solutions. By combining two of its most popular Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chips onto a half mini-card, Broadcom can help PC vendors seize this opportunity by offering proven wireless performance in smaller, more cost-effective platforms.
"Having shipped millions of single-chip combo products, it's not a stretch to apply those lessons to create a better solution for PCs," said Michael Hurlston, Vice President and General Manager of Broadcom's Home and Wireless business unit. "Most notebook designs can benefit from better wireless performance and fewer components, but the sweet spot for InConcert modules is Netbooks and UMPCs. Several of our PC customers are using these modules in their next designs to provide the functionality, style and trouble-free user experience that today's consumers demand."
According to ABI Research, Netbooks and UMPCs now represent a significant portion of the PC market, with annual sales expected to top 120 million units by 2012. Both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are standard features in these new platforms because they enable the connectivity and flexibility that consumers want from a mobile computer. Bluetooth can be used to eliminate cords between keyboards and mice, synchronize/transfer data and photos from mobile phones, and listen to music and make VoIP calls over a wireless headset. Meanwhile, Wi-Fi offers greater bandwidth for Web surfing, downloading and streaming media content, and transferring large data files across a network.
"Bluetooth and Wi-Fi provide the wireless freedom and enable the mobile applications that Netbook customers want - from fast Internet surfing, to multimedia streaming, to convenient connections with peripheral devices," said Campbell Kan, Vice President of Acer's Mobile Computing business unit. "Equipped with Broadcom's new wireless solutions, our next generation of Aspire One Netbooks will go even further to keep people connected with style and simplicity."
Improving the Wireless Experience for PC Users
As manufacturers pack more wireless features in smaller computers, multi-radio coexistence is increasingly important because there is less space to separate various radios and antennas. When the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi radios are used at the same time, interference may cause latency problems with Bluetooth mice and keyboards, lead to poor audio quality for Bluetooth headsets, and slow down or even drop the Wi-Fi connection. Coexistence technologies are even more critical in products that use the new Bluetooth 3.0 + High Speed (HS) standard, which enables high-speed, point-to-point transmissions by using the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi radios at the same time.
To ensure the best possible wireless experience for PC users, the new InConcert modules have been designed to mitigate interference with very little radio separation. Broadcom's unique coexistence algorithms intelligently manage Bluetooth and Wi-Fi traffic, and are more effective than the standard based 3-wire approach used by other vendors. Better coexistence techniques maximize Wi-Fi and Bluetooth throughput when both radios are operating concurrently, which provides faster Web surfing, smooth mouse operation and flawless audio quality for PC users. Further, Broadcom's coexistence interface is self-sufficient and does not need platform modification, which facilitates easy integration into PC platforms.
Technical Information
Broadcom offers three InConcert modules (BCM94312HMGB, the BCM943225HMB, BCM943224HMB) that deliver different levels of Wi-Fi performance to enable products with varied usage models and price points. All of the modules feature Broadcom's BCM2070 Bluetooth 3.0 + High Speed (HS) transceiver, which leverages a superior radio architecture to provide strong Bluetooth connections over greater distances than other implementations.
The BCM2070 can be combined with one of Broadcom's single-chip Wi-Fi solutions to meet a manufacturer's cost and performance goals. The resulting modules include:
-- the BCM94312HMGB - combines Bluetooth 3.0 and 802.11g to offer proven, yet cost-effective wireless features;
-- the BCM943225HMB - combines Bluetooth 3.0 and 802.11n to provide robust wireless connectivity to support the most demanding multimedia applications in the 2.4 GHz band; or
-- the BCM943224HMB - combines Bluetooth 3.0 and dual-band 802.11n to offer the same superior performance and provides additional capacity in the 5 GHz band for applications that require dedicated bandwidth.
InConcert modules also streamline the development and manufacturing of notebooks, Netbooks and UMPCs. The modules use a single antenna system for both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth transmissions, which simplifies product design and reduces the combined rest of bill of materials (RBOM) cost by up to 25 percent. Broadcom also offers an extensive library of Bluetooth profiles to enable the widest array of Bluetooth applications on a PC, and provide the best user experience for Windows(R) or Linux(R) based systems. Additionally, InConcert modules include Broadcom's OneDriver(TM) software, which provides the performance, security and features for which its industry-leading Wi-Fi solutions are known.
Availability
Broadcom is now sampling the BCM94312HMGB, BCM943225HMB and BCM943224HMB modules and expects to begin shipping production volumes in the third quarter of 2009.
About Broadcom
Broadcom Corporation is a major technology innovator and global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications. Broadcom(R) products enable the delivery of voice, video, data and multimedia to and throughout the home, the office and the mobile environment. We provide the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art system-on-a-chip and software solutions to manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices. These solutions support our core mission: Connecting everything(R).
Broadcom is one of the world's largest fabless semiconductor companies, with 2008 revenue of $4.66 billion, and holds over 3,300 U.S. and over 1,300 foreign patents, more than 7,500 additional pending patent applications, and one of the broadest intellectual property portfolios addressing both wired and wireless transmission of voice, video, data and multimedia.
A FORTUNE 500(R) company, Broadcom is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and has offices and research facilities in North America, Asia and Europe. Broadcom may be contacted at +1.949.926.5000 or at www.broadcom.com.
Broadcom(R), the pulse logo, Connecting everything(R), the Connecting everything logo and InConcert(R) are among the trademarks of Broadcom Corporation and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU. Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.
Web Site: http://www.broadcom.com/ Company Information: Name: Broadcom Corp. Address: 16215 Alton Pkwy. City: Irvine State: CA ZIP: 92618 Country: USA Phone: 949-450-8700 FAX: 949-450-8710 http://www.broadcom.com
News provided by ThomasNet News® (TNN). TNN is a comprehensive source
of new and timely product information in the industrial marketplace. TNN supplies new product
information to the web sites, e-marketplaces and print publications that serve the
industrial marketplace. For press release submissions please go to
http://news.thomasnet.com/submitpr.html.
BY ACCESSING, BROWSING AND/OR USING THIS WEB SITE AND/OR ANY WEB SITES PROVIDED BY
ProductNews.com, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF USE
AGREEMENT.
del.icio.us
DIGG
Facebook
Reddit
StumbleUpon
Twitter
![[Get Copyright Permissions]](http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif){kind=small}
