Fully integrated, single-chip Bluetooth 1.2 device
enables cell phone, smart phones, and PDAs to run longer
Geneva, May 18, 2004 - STMicroelectronics (NYSE:STM) announced today
that the company is sampling its latest Bluetooth product, the STLC2500,
a single-chip product for handheld terminal applications that adds full
Bluetooth v1.2 function and capability with superior radio performance
and very low power consumption. The STLC2500 includes a highly integrated
radio, a base-band using the Ericsson Core Bluetooth Baseband Platform
Q-E1, an ARM7 microprocessor core, RAM, ROM, and patch RAM, all on the
same silicon die. Its high level of integration requires with very few
additional external components.
The STLC2500 is produced in ST's HCMOS9, 0.13 micron, low-power technology,
designed for ultra-low-leakage transistor performance. In addition, the
device supports various low-power modes. The STLC2500 is the world's most
power-efficient Bluetooth IC, using only 10.9 milliamps (mA) for audio
communication, 21.8 milliamps (mA) for symmetrical data transfer and 6
microamps ( A) in shutdown mode. These power levels set a new benchmark
for low power consumption with a Bluetooth device making it ideal for
mobile applications.
The Bluetooth radio embedded in the STLC2500 has a proven track record
for achieving superior performance. The receiver assures excellent stability
and sensitivity performance, under clean or dirty transmitter conditions,
and over the complete range of voltage and temperature. The receiver maintains
its solid performance even with a very high maximum useable input power.The
result is a very low bit error rate, enabling high throughputs. The overall
robustness of the radio results in unprecedented audio quality.
Ease of interfacing is available via the UART (Universal Asynchronous
Receiver Transmitter) and PCM (Pulse Coded Modulation), while general-purpose
I/O's are available for the implementation of a software-configurable
2, 3, or 4-wire WLAN- (wireless local area network) coexistence and collocation
hardware scheme.
Other features of the STLC2500 include:
- A complete Bluetooth v1.2 feature set, including adaptive frequency
hopping, eSCO (extended Synchronous Connection Oriented), interlaced
inquiry scan, interlaced page scan, faster connection time, improved
Quality of Service, improved scatternet functionality, and much more.
- Backwards compatibility with all v1.1 solutions and interoperability
with all current Bluetooth solutions.
- Ericsson-specific improvements, such as PPEC (Pitch Period Error
Concealment), an Ericsson-proprietary error-correction technique that
greatly enhances the audio quality, while still maintaining interoperability
with other Bluetooth solutions.
"We have achieved an unprecedented combination of superior radio performance
with the lowest power consumption available and ultra low power leakages,"
stated Jacques Wenin, Director of ST's Bluetooth Business Unit. "This
combination makes the STLC2500 ideal for cell phone, smart phone, and
PDA manufacturers looking for a single-chip footprint that they can
implement quickly and cost effectively. At the same time, we've eliminated
manufacturing risk by using a process that is proven in volume production
and ready for fast ramp up."
"ST's industry-proven expertise in designing and manufacturing wireless
silicon products have enabled them to build a very competitive Bluetooth
product that is small, power efficient, and high performing, not to
mention an impressive price," said Joyce Putscher, senior analyst at
InStat/MDR. "The STLC2500 looks to be an all-inclusive solution that
meets the needs of cell phone and PDA manufacturers worldwide."
STLC2500 is offered in an 84-ball, 6x6x1.2 mm, 0.5mm pitch TFBGA package.
Ease of RF integration on the printed-circuit board is assured through
a full-function reference design with few external components and the
fact that the STLC2500 does not require any RF calibration. This flexibility
and ease of development results in fast time-to-market for customers
designing Bluetooth applications. The STLC2500 is competitively priced
at under $3 for the total Bluetooth solution, including external components.
For further information please visit www.st.com/bluetooth
About STMicroelectronics
STMicroelectronics is a global leader in developing and delivering
semiconductor solutions across the spectrum of microelectronics applications.
An unrivalled combination of silicon and system expertise, manufacturing
strength, Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio and strategic partners
positions the Company at the forefront of System-on-Chip (SoC) technology
and its products play a key role in enabling today's convergence markets.
The Company's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange, on Euronext
Paris and on the Milan Stock Exchange. In 2003, the Company's net revenues
were $7.24 billion and net earnings were $253 million. Further information
on ST can be found at www.st.com.
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