First multi-vendor end-to-end host to device demonstration using the Certified Wireless USB specification
Wireless USB Developers Conference, Tokyo, Japan, September 28, 2005 – Alereon, a leading fabless semiconductor company developing wireless solutions for the Ultrawideband (UWB) and Wireless USB markets, in coordination with Philips announced today a joint demonstration based on the Certified Wireless USB technology from the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF). The three companies have combined their solutions – all supporting the Certified Wireless USB 1.0 specification – to create one of the world's first multi-vendor demonstrations of a host communicating with a device using Certified Wireless USB.
The host system is based on Intel's Peripheral Development Kit (PDK) for Certified Wireless USB connected to the new Alereon AL4400 – EVB PHY Evaluation Board. The Philips device, also using the Alereon AL 4400, is an FPGA design that has been engineered to the Certified Wireless USB 1.0 specification and has been tested and debugged at Intel's Ultra-Wideband/Certified Wireless USB Peripheral Integration Lab. The demonstration will feature both a transfer of mass storage as well as streaming media.
The demonstration showcases Alereon and Philips' innovative technologies. The Intel PDK, in combination with the Alereon AL44400, provides a complete host-side solution that developers can use to create Certified Wireless USB solutions. The Philips platform, based on the WiMedia Alliance UWB Common Radio Platform, will allow select customers to begin application development for Certified Wireless USB device-side applications. Alereon's AL 4400 – EVB PHY Evaluation Board is a complete, WiMedia-based, ultra-wideband physical layer on a compact PC-Card Form Factor Module. The Alereon technology is now available.
"This collaborative work shows the industry strength of both the WiMedia Alliance and USB Implementers Forum; by demonstrating a wireless communication between host and device said Paul Marino, vice president and general manager, Connectivity, Philips Semiconductors. "Philips has consistently provided leadership solutions for USB, and we look forward to expanding our product capabilities into the wireless space."
"This is a significant step for the wireless industry and for consumers who want to use products based on Certified Wireless USB," said Jeff Ravencraft, chairman and president of the USB-IF and Technology Strategist for Intel. "We're looking forward to even more developers creating products based on the fastest, most secure, easy-to-use and backward compatible wireless interconnect technology for consumers worldwide."
"Important to any standard is interoperability among multiple companies products," said Eric Broockman, CEO of Alereon. "Today's announcement is evidence of Alereon's standards leadership and demonstrates achievement of an important milestone with interoperability between a host and device using Certified Wireless USB."
Certified Wireless USB from the USB-IF has been architected from the ground up to work on a wireless medium. It has been optimized to deliver the best-in-class performance in the following areas: data throughput, bandwidth allocation/isochronous support, power management, security and association and class driver reuse. The protocol has been optimized to work with the WiMedia Alliance UWB Common Radio Platform. The USB-IF will provide a compliance certification and logo program to communicate the brand promise of Certified Wireless USB to the consumer.
Certified Wireless USB from the USB-IF has a targeted bandwidth of up to 480 Mbps at launch, which is comparable to the current wired USB 2.0 standard, and will feature wireless high-data throughput with low power consumption for distances of less than 10 meters. The Certified Wireless USB interface will deliver the benefits of high-speed wireless connectivity, security, ease-of-use and backward compatibility to customers.
About Alereon, Inc.
Alereon, Inc. is a fabless semiconductor company providing complete solutions for Certified Wireless USB and WiMedia ultra-wideband (UWB) applications. A technology pioneer, Alereon was first to demonstrate a WiMedia PHY running at 480Mbps in October of 2004. Alereon's products promise to replace the complex tangle of wiring used to interconnect today's consumer electronics, computer peripheral, and mobile devices with high-bandwidth, low-power, low-cost wireless links. Further information is available on the company's website: www.alereon.com.
