Analog intros RF-to-baseband WiMAX transceivers

NORWOOD, MA: Analog Devices, Inc. introduced RF-to-digital baseband transceivers designed to enable broadband connectivity in mobile communications terminals, such as cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and handheld multimedia devices, using WiMAX. As WiMAX evolves from a fixed-line protocol to one that increasingly serves portable communications applications, device manufacturers are requiring smaller, more energy-efficient solutions that deliver IEEE 802.16d/e mobile WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) standard compatibility within the cost, space, and power budgets of mobile communications terminals.

According to research firm, In-Stat, the global market for WiMAX chipsets is expected to increase to 21 million units in 2011, up from three million in 2006—with much of that coming from growth in the Mobile WiMAX sector. Already, wireless service carriers, including Sprint Nextel and Clearwire Corp., are planning Mobile WiMAX deployment in the U.S. in conjunction with device manufacturers such as Motorola, Nokia, and Samsung. Plans for worldwide networks in Europe, Africa and Asia-Pacific are similarly spurring demand for RF transceivers capable of supporting the 2.3- to 2.7-GHz and 3.3- to 3.8-GHz Mobile WiMAX spectrum.

Building on ADI's AD9352 and AD9353 family of integrated WiMAX transceiver components introduced in 2006, the AD9354 and AD9355 components consume less power than other transceivers in their class and are available in a 20 percent smaller package, while adding an additional receiver path for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) support. The power and space savings of the AD9354 and AD9355 components enable manufacturers to incorporate WiMAX functionality into handsets, thumb drives or PCMCIA cards. By integrating ADCs, DACs and real-time control and calibration loops, the transceiver components repartition the signal chain, combining all analog and RF functionality on the AD9354 or AD9355 components.

"As a high bandwidth technology capable of reaching across several kilometers, WiMAX is proving to be an ideal communications medium for mobile devices," said J. Pierre Lamoureux, vice president and chief technology officer for Wavesat Inc., a leading fabless semiconductor developer of WiMAX baseband chips and development tools. "Analog Devices recognized this potential early on. ADI's design efforts and 'smart partitioning' of the analog and digital blocks have yielded transceivers with the sensitivity and linearity that helps companies like Wavesat accelerate mobile WiMAX deployment."