SAN JOSE, California, September 26 /PRNewswire/ --
-- Transparent Internal Calibration Improves Performance without Disrupting Operation and Cuts Cost by Eliminating the Need for External Calibration Circuitry or Calibration Software
Atmel(R) Corporation (Nasdaq: ATML) announced today the third of its MAX-Link(TM) series of transceivers designed specifically for WiMAX applications. AT86RF525B and its predecessor, the AT86RF535B, use a proprietary internal calibration algorithm eliminating the need for an external calibration circuit or calibration software. The MAX-Link(TM) transceivers are the only WiMAX specific transceivers on the market today with internal calibration. Initial startup calibration captures mismatch effects resulting in lower local oscillator leakage and improved image rejection. Changes in temperature, supply voltage, or frequency during operation will cause RF performance degradation and necessitates recalibration. The calibration routine is continuously performed between transmit and receive data frames, totally independent from the baseband and media access control (MAC) processor, to optimize the image rejection and LO leakage performance characteristics.
Along with enhanced WiMAX system functionality, the AT86RF525B enables one of the lowest component costs of any RF reference design on the market today. This frequency-agile, single-chip transceiver operates at 2.5GHz with multiple bandwidth options addressing the requirements of WiMAX base stations and subscriber equipment. Internal configuration and control registers can be programmed to integrate with new and existing baseband devices from different vendors. All of the MAX-Link transceivers provide excellent RF performance with low current consumption, low cost, and only a minimum of external components for the RF design.
On-chip integration techniques combine a low-noise amplifier, power amplifier driver, receive/transmit mixer, receive/transmit filters, voltage-controlled oscillator, synthesizer, receive gain control, and transmit power control all completely digitally controlled. The fully differential design of the transceiver can be configured for either low-IF or zero-IF applications and requires no external filters. The RF reference design incorporates a power amplifier including antenna diversity in a footprint of 40 mm x 35 mm on a 4-layer PCB with components on only one side.
The fractional-N synthesizer in the AT86RF525B utilizes a unique phase interpolation divider (PID) rather than the more conventional modulus divider architecture. The PID allows for very good frequency resolution and fast tuning speed. The calibrated voltage control oscillator (VCO) can be tuned in less than 10 us to support 100 MHz hybrid frequency division duplexing (HFDD) operations. The synthesizer has the speed and power advantages of an asynchronous divider and is fully programmable within the frequency range of the radio.
Availability and Pricing
The AT86RF525B is available now. Pricing starts at US$14.50 in quantities of 10K. For more information please send your request to: wimax@atmel.com.
About Atmel
Atmel is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of microcontrollers, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory and radio frequency (RF) components. Leveraging one of the industry's broadest intellectual property (IP) technology portfolios, Atmel is able to provide the electronics industry with complete system solutions focused on consumer, industrial, security, communications, computing and automotive markets.
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Information
Atmel's AT86RF525B product information may be retrieved at: http://www.atmel.com/products/wimax/
Press Contacts
Vicki McCann, Director Marketing Communications - USA
Phone: +1-719-540-1724, Email: vmccann@cso.atmel.com
Helen Perlegos, Public Relations Phone: +1-408-487-2963, Email:
hperlegos@atmel.com
Web site: http://www.atmel.com
Vicki McCann, Director Marketing Communications - USA, +1-719-540-1724, vmccann@cso.atmel.com, or Helen Perlegos, Public Relations, +1-408-487-2963, hperlegos@atmel.com, both of Atmel Corporation
