RF Micro Devices®, Inc. (Nasdaq: RFMD), a leading provider of proprietary radio frequency integrated circuits (RFICs) for wireless communications applications, today announced production shipments of the RF8900. The RF8900 is the industry’s first sole-source “converged” Bluetooth®/Global Positioning System (GPS) solution. Through its unique ability to integrate both Bluetooth communication and GPS technology into a complete system solution, RFMD’s RF8900 enables a 20% reduction in size and a 25% reduction in cost, versus competitive solutions. The RF8900 is shipping today to a leading provider of GPS accessory products.
RFMD’s RF8900 is the enabling technology for “puck-style” devices that transmit location information wirelessly, enabling location-based services to be received by any handheld device with Bluetooth technology and associated mapping software. The RF8900 includes a host processor that performs both the GPS navigation and Bluetooth communication functions. By comparison, competitive solutions require a more costly architecture, utilizing separate processors for both Bluetooth communication and GPS. In addition, the RF8900 includes all system integration functions customized for high-volume applications.
Frank Morese, vice president, wireless connectivity business unit, RF Micro Devices, said, “We are pleased to announce production shipments of the industry’s first “converged” Bluetooth/GPS solution. The RF8900 is an extremely compelling and competitive solution that provides exceptional performance, ease of use and low-cost implementation in a very small form factor. Given these key customer benefits, as well as our ability to simplify our customers’ supply chains and speed their time to market, we are receiving significant customer interest. We anticipate continued momentum as GPS and Bluetooth technologies increasingly populate next-generation wireless handheld devices.”
About RFMD’s RF8900 Bluetooth/GPS Solution
The RF8900 is a highly integrated system solution incorporating Bluetooth wireless technology and GPS navigation technology with superior signal sensitivity (-155 dBm). The signal sensitivity of the RF8900 is 5 dBm better than competing solutions, enabling the RF8900 to track GPS signals down to -155 dBm, while maintaining a one-second position update rate. High signal sensitivity allows the end user to locate their position virtually anywhere, including areas where GPS signals are weak, fading or obstructed, such as light indoor environments and outdoor areas where there is foliage, tall buildings or mountains.
This unique solution is offered to customers with a reference design that includes all required software, filtering, memory, reference frequencies and antennas for a complete Bluetooth/GPS system solution. Accessories enabled by the RF8900 provide GPS data (position, velocity and time) to handheld devices over a Bluetooth link. The solution is designed to interface with Bluetooth-enabled PDAs, cell phones and personal computers.