By Telecom
Lead Team: Texas Instruments has launched the WiLink 8.0 product family, a
collection of 45-nanometer single-chip solutions that integrate up to five
different radios.

The new chip
is expected to set the stage for next-generation mobile Wi-Fi, GNSS, NFC, Bluetooth
and FM transmit/receive applications.

The WiLink
8.0 architecture allows for customized solutions to address the needs and price
points of all mobile markets. Each chip variant comes in a compact WSP package
that can be mounted directly on a PCB, and includes all required RF front ends,
a complete power management system, and comprehensive coexistence mechanisms.

With annual
shipments of more than three billion connected mobile devices expected by 2015,
manufacturers demand semiconductor solutions that not only fuel the best user
experiences, but scale to address distinct product platforms. One size does not
fit all: Applications have different size, power consumption and performance
requirements,” said Mark Hung, research director, Gartner.

The WiLink
8.0 family includes highly integrated, five-radio WL189x solutions, tailored
for smartphones, tablets, eBooks, ultrathin computing devices and other
feature-rich mobile products. The WL187x, WL185x and WL183x solutions provide
additional options for higher to mid-tier devices, while the WL180x solutions
address lower-cost mobile markets. The product family includes integrated RF
front ends for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz.

TI’s new
WiLink single-chip solutions will trigger new innovations in design of portable
platforms,” said Juergen Spaenkuch, vice president and general manager Platform
Security of the Chip Card & Security Division at Infineon Technologies.

 

Available technology options	WL189x solutions	WL187x solutions	WL185x solutions	WL183x solutions	WL180x solutions
Dual-band 2×2 MIMO mobile	WL1897	WL1877	WL1857	WL1837	WL1807
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n	WL1893	WL1873	WL1853	WL1833	WL1803
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n	WL1891	WL1871	WL1851	WL1831	WL1801
Wi-Fi SS 40MHz (HT40)	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
GNSS	Y	Y
Bluetooth technology	Y	Y	Y	Y
Bluetooth low energy technology	Y	Y	Y	Y
ANT+â„¢	Y	Y	Y	Y
NFC	Y		Y
FM receive/transmit	Y	Y	Y	Y

 

Bringing a
highly integrated, five-in-one radio chip like WiLink 8.0 to market 
requires the careful development of complex wireless technologies with
co-existence and low-power mechanisms, among other things. This level of
expertise is one that TI has mastered over the past decade,” said Haviv Ilan,
vice president and general manager, Wireless Connectivity Solutions, TI.

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