Modules extend battery life in low power mobile devices

Agere Systems has announced that its Wi-Fi networking chip set is being used by original design manufacturer Universal Scientific Industrial Co. Ltd. (USI) for an integrated wireless module targeting handheld consumer devices. This module is claimed as the first of its kind to combine 802.11b wireless networking with Bluetooth wireless technology, offering the seamless connectivity, small size and low power necessary for portable wireless products such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), smartphones, digital cameras, camcorders and printers.

Agere is providing USI with its complete WaveLAN chip set-including digital baseband, direct-down conversion radio, media access controller (MAC), power management chips and software drivers-for empowering robust and secure wireless connectivity at speeds of up to 11Mbps. USI is incorporating Agere's solution in both a small-form-factor Wi-Fi/Bluetooth module and a Wi-Fi-only module. With battery drain a critical issue in handheld devices, these modules balance high performance with low power consumption.

The combination Wi-Fi/Bluetooth module enables portable devices to roam seamlessly among multiple access points and Wi-Fi hotspots, while simultaneously offering Bluetooth-enabled short-range, peer-to-peer connectivity for information sharing among separate communications equipment. USI will be using Bluetooth technology provided by Cambridge Silicon Radio for this module.

The Wi-Fi/Bluetooth and Wi-Fi-only embedded wireless modules can replace compact flash cards by offering a direct solderless board-to-board connection for handheld device makers, saving valuable manufacturing time-to-market and cost. Both modules measure 22329mm.

Agere Systems
Fax 1-610-712-4106
www.agere.com

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