SMIC, ASTRI to develop dual mode UWB MAC ASIC

SHANGHAI, CHINA: Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., one of the leading semiconductor foundries in the world, and the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) jointly announced their partnership to provide the world’s first dual mode UWB MAC IC using SMIC’s 0.13um mix-mode CMOS technology.

SMIC’s RF group provides design supports and mixed-signal RFIC open lab services in Shanghai to advance mixed-signal RFIC development on 0.18um, 0.13um, and more advanced technologies. ASTRI and SMIC share the goal of offering wideband IPs to foster the development of advanced wireless RFICs in China.

This UWB MAC ASIC is a WiMedia Compliant UWB MAC IC supporting both Wireless Link Protocol - (WLP/WiNET), and Information Group Resource Sharing - (IGRS) standard networking applications. Included in this ASIC design are advanced multi-hop connectivity and Video/Audio Quality of Service (QoS) features.

This ASIC targets Wireless Personal Area Networking applications, enabling electronic manufacturers to create innovative, high speed, intelligent, and seamlessly connected wireless multimedia consumer products. This MAC ASIC supports UWB wireless data transmitting and receiving at rates of 53.3Mb/s, 80Mb/s, 106.67Mb/s, 160Mb/s, 200Mb/s, 320Mb/s, 400Mb/s, and 480Mb/s. It also provides a 32-bit direct Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) 2.2 host bus interface.

The MAC ASIC is fabricated using SMIC’s 0.13um CMOS process and is available in fpBGA-144 Package, with drivers and APIs supporting both Windows and Linux. The ASIC Product Development Kit comes with a Mini-PCI Card Reference Design and Soft IP Core including RTL and Software/Firmware source code.

“As UWB technology advances and related protocols and industry standards mature, the introduction of this UWB MAC ASIC will enable IP-based high speed wireless digital electronics applications for consumer electronics markets,” said Mr. Peter Diu, Vice President of Wireless Multimedia Technologies Group, ASTRI.

“UWB technology will be deployed in different market segments, including Wireless USB and IP based applications. ASTRI will give its contribution to partners to adopt IP- based WLP/WiNET and IGRS-UWB technologies for personal wireless communications and consumer electronics applications for Home Video/Audio entertainment, Personal Computer, Intelligent IPTV, Wireless Media Server Center, as well as Wireless Mass Storage device products,” added Diu.

“The booming wireless communication market drives fabless companies to develop ICs for various applications,” said Dr. Lee Yang, SMIC senior research fellow. “The success of the development of the wireless ICs depends a lot on advanced mixed-signal and RF processes and foundry’s design support. With the success of ASTRI’s WiSMAC IC, we are confident that more wireless IC companies will benefit from SMIC’s advanced mixed-signal and RF processes.”