SAN FRANCISCO-Intel Corp. has announced plans to unveil a platform for the ultra-wideband wireless technology and joined an initiative with other players to promote a common USB standard.
The chip bellwether said it is working with members of the multiband OFDM Alliance to develop a standard UWB radio platform, which will consist of the radio layer and convergence layer.
MBOA disagrees with the Motorola-led single-band initiative in defining a UWB standard.
“As the convergence of computing, communications and consumer electronics becomes more prevalent in people’s lives, there is a need for high-speed, interoperable wireless communications between devices that also bring the benefits of volume economics to users,” said Pat Gelsinger, Intel vice president and chief technology officer.
UWB enables data transmission between electronic devices within a short range.
Intel said it has worked with other companies to form the Wireless USB Promoter Group to advance standards for high-speed interconnects for multimedia consumer electronics, PC peripherals and mobile devices. The companies include Agere Systems Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co., Microsoft Corp., NEC Corp., Philips Semiconductors and Samsung Electronics.
The spec will be based on UWB radio efforts of the OBOA and WiMedia Alliance, said Intel.
“The promoter group has already begun defining the wireless USB specification with a targeted bandwidth of 480 Mbps that maintains the same usage and architecture as wired USB Mbps as a high-speed host-to-device connection,” said Intel.
