Ottawa, OntarioSiGe Semiconductor, Inc. announced the industry's first completely integrated WLAN RF front-end modules optimized for cellular handsets. Featuring industry-leading performance, integration and low current consumption, the RangeCharger SE2551A and SE2557A enable cellular handset manufacturers to support WLAN capability without impacting handset form factor, cellular performance, or battery life.
The devices are based on the company's proven, integrated 2.4GHz RF front-end architecture, with each device incorporating a linear three-stage power amplifier, power detector, digital enable circuitry, transmit and receive filtering and a receive balun in a 6mm x 5mm x 1.4mm chip-scale package. The two variants provide flexibility in meeting individual transceiver requirements, providing designers with a choice of a differential receive output with the SE2551A, or a single-ended receive output with the SE2557A.
The new RF front-end modules are designed specifically for high performance and low power consumption. Featuring high power output as well as excellent rejection and isolation, the SE2551A and SE2557A each allow simultaneous transmission and reception of WLAN and cellular signals. Operating in 802.11g mode, the devices consume just 120mA, ensuring that WLAN capability can be added to cellular phones with minimal impact to battery life.
The new RF front-ends feature typical rejection of 35dB in all four GSM bands, in both transmit and receive mode. This reduces interference, thereby enhancing signal integrity and improving overall system performance.
Designed for high linearity, the devices are capable of +15dBm output power with an error vector magnitude (EVM) of less than 3% while operating in 802.11g mode, or +17dBm in 802.11b mode while meeting all ACPR requirements. The high linearity improves packet error rates for optimal data throughput and transmission range. This ensures that Wi-Fi products can maintain reliable, high-performance connections over longer distances. An integrated on-chip power detector minimizes mismatch to only 1.5 dB of variation over a 2:1 antenna mismatch.
The SE2551A and SE2557A are sampling now, and production is scheduled for Q3 2005. The devices are each priced at US $2.29 in quantities of 10,000 units.
SiGe Semiconductor, +1 613 820 9244, www.sige.com .