IBM and MediaTek announced that they will combine their expertise in millimeter wave (mmWave)
radio technology ( the highest frequency portion of the radio spectrum
where massive amounts of information can be sent quickly) and digital
chipsets to create revolutionary multimedia wireless products.
The large
bandwidth for data transmission available at the mmWave frequency band
enables at least 100 times higher data rates than current Wi-Fi standards.
mmWave wireless technology can be widely used at home and office for
applications such as multimedia content downloads or uncompressed HDTV
streaming from your DVD player.
Development of this technology is expected to take at least three years.
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<div class="storysubhead">Companies Will Leverage the Made in IBM Labs Millimeter Wave Technology to Build Ultra Fast Wireless Chipsets</div> <div class="storytimestamp"><br /></div>
IBM (NYSE: IBM) and MediaTek Inc.
today launch a joint initiative to develop ultra fast chipsets that can
wirelessly transmit a full-length high definition movie to and from a home
PC, hand-held device, retail kiosk or television set nearly as fast as a
viewer can push their remote control.
The new technology will allow consumers to rid their homes of the
cumbersome wires needed to connect their HD-TVs to set top boxes and allow
the placement of devices anywhere that is convenient, instead of having to
organize furniture and other accessories around technology.
Both companies will combine their expertise in millimeter wave (mmWave)
radio technology — the highest frequency portion of the radio spectrum
where massive amounts of information can be sent quickly — and digital
chipsets to create revolutionary multimedia wireless products. The large
bandwidth for data transmission available at the mmWave frequency band
enables at least 100 times higher data rates than current Wi-Fi standards.
For example, you could upload a 10 gigabyte file in five seconds with the
new technology versus 10 minutes using current Wi-Fi technology.
mmWave wireless technology can be widely used at home and office for
applications such as multimedia content downloads or uncompressed HDTV
streaming from your DVD player. You could wirelessly download and
synchronize iPod-like devices with music and videos in seconds.
“This collaborative effort will enable consumers to wirelessly transfer
large multimedia data files around their home and/or offices in seconds,”
said Dr. T.C. Chen, vice president, Science & Technology, IBM Research.
“This will enable a world where you can have your entertainment when you
want and where you want it.”
“MediaTek has constantly provided its customers with the most advanced
features and capabilities to enable the best communication as well as
entertainment experience,” stated Mingto Yu, spokesperson of MediaTek Inc.
“This joint effort has made it possible to take advantage of millimeter
wave (mmWave) radio technology.”
The parties will collaborate to integrate IBM’s new mmWave radio chips,
antenna, and package technology with MediaTek’s expertise in digital
baseband and video processing chips as well as leverage MediaTek’s
influence in the consumer electronics market.
IBM Research has been engaged in mmWave technology research and development
for the last four years. In collaboration with IBM’s TJ Watson Research
Center and IBM’s Tokyo Research Lab, IBM demonstrated a prototype packaged
chipset as small as a dime to wirelessly transmit uncompressed HD Video in
February 2006. IBM used their 0.13-micron silicon germanium BiCMOS process
to manufacture the chips.
For more information about mmWave, visit
http://www.research.ibm.com/mmwave.
For more information about MediaTek, visit http://www.mtk.com.tw.
About the IBM Research Division
IBM Research is the world’s largest information technology research
organization, with about 3,000 scientists and engineers in eight labs in
six countries. IBM has produced more research breakthroughs than any other
company in the IT industry. For more information on IBM Research, visit
http://www.research.ibm.com.
About MediaTek Inc.
MediaTek Inc. is a leading fabless semiconductor company for wireless
communications and digital media solutions. The company is a market leader
which pioneers in the technology of leading-edge SOC system solutions for
wireless communications, high-definition digital TV, optical storage, and
high-definition DVD products. Founded in 1997 and listed on Taiwan Stock
Exchange under the code “2454,” MediaTek is headquartered in Taiwan and has
sales and research subsidiaries in Mainland China, India, U.S., Korea and
Singapore. For more information, please visit MediaTek’s website at
www.mtk.com.tw.
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