60GHz LAN chips take off

Startups and partnerships to drive 60GHz networks

By Nick Flaherty www.flaherty.co.uk

The development of chips for 60GHz networking is taking off, with UK startup Blu Wireless already developing a radio and baseband digital signal processing, and US WiFi chip maker Atheros joining with Wilocity for a 60GHz chipset.
The driver for this is the establishment of the WiGig Wireless Gigabit Alliance specification for networking, distinct from the WirelessHD 60GHz format for wireless HDMI short range links. This avoids the problems of multiple competing standards that killed UltraWideband (UWB), and the leader in 60GHz WirelessHD, SiBeam, is also developing parts for WiGig.
Blu Wireless has developed a 60GHz RF chip in 40nm and is now working on the underlying DSP, with 2Gbit/s and 4Gbit/s chips in a 10 x 10mm package due next year, volume production in 2012 and a target price of $10 in 2013. My story from the Wireless2.0 conference is here. 
At the same time, Wilocity, a leading Israeli developer of 60 GHz multi-gigabit wireless chipsets for the mobile computing, consumer electronics and peripheral markets, and WiFi chip maker Atheros Communications are collaborating to build tri-band wireless solutions that combine the ubiquity and coverage of Wi-Fi with the multi-gigabit performance of WiGig. Such “tri-band” capabilities will enhance the performance and functionality of wireless devices to enable a variety of new computing and entertainment applications.
Many devices and networks use dual-band 802.11n, which operates in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, to share broadband connections, videos, music, photos and other content throughout a home or enterprise. Advanced 60 GHz technologies offer multi-gigabit speeds to complement existing Wi-Fi capabilities and enable new cutting-edge wireless applications. Tri-band devices that leverage all three bands will also maintain compatibility with the hundreds of millions of Wi-Fi products in use today, ensuring a seamless and simple user experience.
Atheros and Wilocity are jointly developing tri-band solutions based on both the IEEE 802.11n standard and the new WiGig multi-gigabit wireless specification. By integrating and optimizing Wi-Fi and WiGig solutions, the two companies aim to accelerate the design of tri-band wireless products and enable the next-generation wireless ecosystem.
Atheros serves on the board of directors for both the WiGig Alliance and Wi-Fi Alliance; Wilocity serves on the WiGig board and chairs its Marketing Work Group.

Related articles

• Atheros and Wilocity embrace 'tri-band' wireless wares, 60GHz wireless PCIe (engadget.com)
• Wireless Gigabit Spec Published, Gains Cisco Support (pcworld.com)
• Wi-Fi, WiGig To Deliver 60 GHz Wireless (informationweek.com)
• Wireless Gigabit set to become next-gen Wi-Fi? (go.theregister.com)
• Wi-Fi, WirelessHD Cozy up to WiGig Standard (pcworld.com)
• WiGig promise 7 Gbps wireless with WiFi b/g/n compatibility (slashgear.com)

SiBeam launches IP licensing for 60GHz consumer and PC products with WirelessHD

SiBeam Gen 2 Chipsets and IP Licensing for 60GHz WirelessHD at CES

60GHz wireless chip and system developer SiBeam has entered mass production with its second generation chipsets as well as launching an IP licensing program to address increased demand for embedded 60GHz solutions in new market segments within the CE and PC industries.
 SiBEAM already powers wireless high definition consumer electronics products available worldwide from Best Buy, Gefen, LG Electronics, Monster, Panasonic, Samsung and Sony, and has also announced a strategic partnership with Best Buy, the largest consumer electronics outlet in the United States.
SiBEAM’s second generation chipsets consists of low cost, low power transmitter and receiver chipsets, each including an RF IC and network processor. The SB9220 Network Processor and the SB9210 RF Transmitter may be designed into devices such as A/V receivers, home theatre-in-a-box systems, Blu-ray players, set-top boxes and media centre PCs. The SB9221 Network Processor and the SB9211 RF Receiver chipset may be used in digital televisions, monitors and front projectors. SiBEAM’s second generation chipsets include all the features of the first generation plus the following advanced features:

• Low cost, mass adoption price points
• Lowest total power consumption for multi-gigabit wireless - ideal for CE systems via the elimination of the need for active cooling
• Smaller form factor - suitable for inclusion in super slim DTV panels and smaller profile devices, such as Blu-ray players and notebook PCs
• 3D video support
• Integrated HDMI and LVDS
• The only solution that offers support for both HDCP 2.0 and DTCP
• Worldwide regulatory approvals
• Backchannel (LR)-audio for enhanced surround sound capability

Newly Launched IP Licensing To Power Increased WirelessHD Growth
Building momentum to expand SiBEAM application areas with its second generation chipsets, SiBEAM launched an IP Licensing program to kick-start the development of embedded designs with WirelessHD technology. Through this program, SiBEAM will partner with industry leaders and provide incentives for the development of both fixed and portable WirelessHD A/V applications. SiBEAM will provide program participants with access to its full SB9220 chipset IP core that includes the MAC, PHY and embedded beam steering algorithms, WirelessHD SB9220 technical training, the SB921x WirelessHD RF Transceiver interface, verification environment and IP documentation

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Ofcom specification opens up 60GHz for wireless gigabit Ethernet

Image via Wikipedia

In a move that has crept under the radar (!) the UK regulator Ofcom has opened up the 60GHz band for unlicensed operation.
It is to open the spectrum in the 59 – 64 GHz band for Fixed Wireless Systems (FWS) and to combine this with the existing 57 – 59 GHz band under one overall licence exempt authorisation approach for FWS. This creates one contiguous and flexible block of spectrum providing 6.8 GHz of available bandwidth (57.1 – 63.9 GHz) taking into account two 100 MHz guard bands.
The large bandwidth available makes the new 57.1 – 63.9 GHz band (the “60 GHz band”) suitable for very high capacity, short hop FWS (e.g. 100MBit/s ~ 1GBit/s Ethernet systems). In addition the technical conditions that will be implemented along with the high propagation attenuation around 60 GHz will allow sharing between a wide range of applications (e.g. FWS, ITS, Wireless HD and others).
The various technical characteristics of the systems to be deployed, along with the high gaseous absorption propagation attenuation around 60GHz (see chart) implies that sharing should be possible between the various applications (Fixed, ITS, wireless HD & other) with a very low probability of interference.
Ofcom has also decided to incorporate a minimum antenna gain of 30 dBi into the technical conditions to
ensure that narrow beam antennas are employed. This decision will also bring the technical conditions into line with the new ECC recommendation ECC/REC/ (09)01 that replaces ERC/REC/12-09.
Specification:

The publication of the Final Regulatory Statement on licence exemption and exemption regulations come into force in the summer of 2010.