NEW YORK-Oki Semiconductor, Sunnyvale, Calif., will make commercially available in September its new module, compatible with version 1.1 of the Bluetooth standard for short-range wireless applications.
The Bluetooth module, which measures 18-by-38 millimeters, incorporates a Bluetooth RF and baseband controller, which has met Bluetooth Qualification Body specifications, Bluetooth software, an antenna and a 2.4-GHz transceiver.
“This means OEM (original equipment manufacturer) customers can go straight to production instead of having to lay out the circuit board,” said Eric Nguyen, senior marketing manager of telecom products for Oki Semiconductor’s Silicon Solutions Division.
“That is faster than the SDK option, but they can also use our systems development kit, which also reduces design time because it lets you evaluate the chipset quickly.”
The RF transceiver, ML7050LA, is a highly integrated, systems-based integrated circuit, which is designed to operate in the Industrial, Scientific and Medical bands.
The baseband controller, ML70511LA, incorporates ARM75DMI as the central processing unit and can be expanded and adapted for multiple applications. Oki Semiconductor licenses ARM 7 and 9, said Alain Dangerfield, public relations manager.
ARM, or Asynchronous Response Mode, involves communications from one primary source and at least one secondary source, any of which can initiate transmission.
Oki designed its Bluetooth chipset using the complementary metal oxide semiconductor process, which is costs less and uses less power than either silicon germanium or gallium arsenide, Nguyen said. The CMOS process “also provides an easy migration path to a one-chip solution,” he added.
The Bluetooth chipset, which comprises RF and baseband functions, became available for sale July 23 at a price of less than $15 each when purchased in large quantities.
The Bluetooth module will be commercially available in September at a price of less than $35 apiece when purchased in volume.
“Oki is one of the few suppliers to offer both the chipset and the module, and this improves customer flexibility,” Dangerfield commented.
