Redpine pushes 11ac fast Wi-Fi into handsets
Its latest Quali-Fi technology can be licensed to integrate with app processors or combo chips in tablets and phones
Published: 14 December, 2011
READ MORE: Semiconductor | Standards | Wi-Fi
The next major iteration of the Wi-Fi standard will be 802.11ac, which will support 80MHz channels in the 5GHz band to achieve up to gigabit speeds for applications like HD video transmission. The race is on to support the new standard, even before it is finalized. Last month we saw wireless video start-up Quantenna being first to sample 11ac silicon, while the giants of the field, Qualcomm Atheros and Broadcom, are poised to strike soon in the new year. And now Redpine Signals has jumped into the fray with an implementation designed for integration into smartphone app processors or connectivity chipsets.
While Quantenna and the others are focusing on home media networks, Redpine is concentrating on the smartphone or tablet and so majors on low power. Its technology, Quali-Fi, will boost the incorporation of 11ac into mobile products at an early stage, the firm argues, and while handsets may not really need the peak speeds promised by the standard, tablets - with their rising role in the home, multiscreen TV experience - could be a prime target.
"Our Quali-Fi technology leverages proven low power innovations spanning over 10 years and provides an optimal solution for integration into smartphone application processors and mobile combo chips," said CEO Venkat Mattela.
The licensable technology includes extensive hooks, says the company, for enabling coexistence with the other standards found in mobile devices, such as Bluetooth, GPS, 3G and so on. It also offers legacy 802.11abgn support, and simultaneous dual-band operation. Other features include advanced beamforming, multiuser MIMO, LDPC, and flexible use of non-contiguous channels to boost bandwidth. Quali-Fi is accompanied by Redpine's software framework which includes an access point, Wi-Fi certified client and Wi-Fi Direct functionality.
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