Wipro, TI to offer xStream DSP platform

BANGALORE: Texas Instruments Inc. is partnering with Wipro Technologies to

offer its xStream DSP platform for advanced printing applications to imaging

original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

TI's xStream DSP Technology Platform, which has won the EDN Innovation of the

Year Award for the year 1999-2000, simplifies the design of high-speed DSP based

printers. This is made possible by offering a completely programmable reference

solution that enables OEMs to launch new products quickly and with minimum risk.

The software is available to any imaging OEM designing products that range from

simple desktop inkjet printers to networked color laser printers, copiers,

faxes, scanners and emerging high-speed imaging applications.

"TI's xStream DSP Technology is redefining the printing paradigm,

bringing quality, speed and connectivity that were previously unavailable to a

wide range of printing applications," said, DSP manager, Eric Braddom,

Imaging, Texas Instruments Inc. "By offering our software free of cost,

we are driving down the system cost, risk and learning curve that OEMs face

while undertaking a DSP-based printer design," he added.

Vivek Paul, CEO of Wipro Technologies, said, "Wipro, with its vast

experience in software development for embedded systems and

multi-function-peripherals is uniquely positioned to offer system design and

customization services based on TI's xStream DSP Technology."

The free software provides a complete end-to-end printer imaging backbone,

including TI's RealTIme RIP (raster image processing) subsystem. Functionality

includes network and local connectivity, page definition language (PDL)

interpretation, page rendering, compression/decompression and screening. The

software is downloadable from TI's Web site, making it useful both as a learning

vehicle and a launching platform for the creation of DSP-based printing

applications. The third party software and integration services will be provided

through Wipro.

The Raster Image Processing Group at Texas Instruments' R&D facility at

Bangalore is the primary R&D group responsible for the development of this

technology. With expertise in the areas of PDL, image processing and graphics,

networking software, DSP programming, real time systems and ASIC design, the

team has been instrumental in the development of the complete reference system

for this emerging end equipment business. The team also has over 40 patents

ranging from the complete system architecture to specific algorithms in the

areas of compression, screening, image processing and graphics.

TI's TMS320C6000 family of DSPs provides outstanding performance for the math

intensive calculations used in the next generation hard copy appliances running

advanced imaging applications. TI's revolutionary xStream DSP technology

provides embedded control hardware and software that enables color laser

printers for the first time to operate at their True Page Per Minute (Tue PPM)

ratings.