RF MEMS in mobile phones
Sep 1, 2005
By Refugio Jones and Mark Chapman The need for multiband, multimode band switching at low insertion loss
while maintaining excellent linearity in mobile phones is driving the need for
RF MEMS-based switches. Since this switching problem gets even more acute
as new complex waveforms, such as WiMAX are added to this mix, this article
looks at the current state of development in RF MEMS switches and discusses
its impact on 3G cellular phones....
Goodbye ESN, hello MEID: MEID as a solution to ESN exhaustion
Sep 1, 2005
By Mike Keeley Electronic serial numbers have served CDMA
and other wireless technologies well, providing a mechanism to uniquely identify
each mobile device. But the impending exhaustion of available ESNs necessitates a
replacement. That replacement is the mobile equipment identifier....
Silicon Laboratories enters frequency control market
Sep 1, 2005
Silicon Laboratories Inc. has entered the frequency control market with a line of crystal oscillators (XOs) and voltage-controlled crystal oscillators...
Arbitrary/function generator combines three products into one
Aug 1, 2005
Implementing a 0.18-micron CMOS-based generator-on-a-chip ASIC device, Tektronix has readied a new family of arbitrary/function generators that establishes a new benchmark in performance and ease of use. ...
Trends in wireless technology
Aug 1, 2005
By Jeff Allen Threats posed by hackers, outlaws, terrorists and other dangers require that
systems advance quickly to stay ahead of the growing threats. Consequently,
wireless systems are playing a major role in meeting industrial, military, utility and government demands while advancing the integrity of the current systems....
Fractal geometry streamlines antenna design
Aug 1, 2005
Ashok Bindra, Editorial Director As wireless transmission and reception gets complex, so does antenna design. Lately, several technologies have emerged to address the limitations of traditional...
Passives for RF design
Aug 1, 2005
By Chris Reynolds Designers can choose from fully integrated systems or fully discrete solutions with their associated pros and cons. Both thin film and PMC are rapidly developing technologies, and a number of new devices will soon be emerging. The PMC process is ideal for integration of the passive content of the RF circuit to optimize PA or LNA performance for a given application....
Time and frequency
Aug 1, 2005
PLL clock IC ON Semiconductor has released the NB4N507A, the first in a series of fully integrated phase-locked loop (PLL) ICs designed to replace expensive...
Switched-radar scenario generation with Femtosecond jitter
Aug 1, 2005
By Roger L. Jungerman and Parmijit Samra In the simulation and testing of advanced radar systems, such as phased array, it
is often convenient to employ an arbitrary waveform generator (AWG). However,
jitter in the waveform triggering can lead to inaccuracies in the simulation. In this
article, we discuss the behavior of synchronous and asynchronous trigger inputs
in terms of the latency and repeatability of triggered waveform events....
Security Considerations for WiMAX-based Converged Network
Aug 1, 2005
By Ramana Mylavarapu With WiMAX promising to solve the bandwidth bottleneck, many carriers are looking to networking OEMs to provide robust security solutions - particularly VPNs and firewalls - in their edge devices, allowing them to securely deliver feature-rich services to subscribers, while protecting their own networks. Software original design manufacturers are now entering the fray to ensure that device vendors can provide carriers with these next-generation converged platforms, while adhering to the strict certification processes and rigid standards of quality in shorter development cycles....
Fractals' new era in military antenna design
Aug 1, 2005
By Nathan Cohen Modern military uses of antennas have presented new challenges to the antenna
designer. Only a decade ago, specific band antennas, or tall whips, met the
needs of most communications, electronic warfare (EW) and surveillance
applications. But with new needs and transceiver technologies, antennas have
new challenges: wideband; small; and agile platforms, for software-defined
radio (SDR) and modern EW, among others....
Low-power receiver architecture for interference-robust UWB radio
Aug 1, 2005
By Domine M.W. Leenaerts and Jozef R.M. Bergervoet Ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless communication promises unprecedented levels of seamless connectivity between consumer electronics devices, enabling gigabytes of data to be transmitted in seconds rather than hours without exhausting the batteries of hand-held devices. To meet the low-cost requirement of consumer product applications, the multiband-orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing system has been designed to minimize transceiver architecture complexity....
MicroMetrics acquires Knox Semiconductor
Aug 1, 2005
MicroMetrics Inc., a manufacturer of semiconductor devices for commercial and military communications, has acquired Knox Semiconductor of Rockport, Maine....
Products
Aug 1, 2005
Wideband GaAs MMIC switch Hittite Microwave Corporation has introduced a wideband GaAs MMIC switch within the company's Connectorized Module product line....
Products
Aug 1, 2005
Active Components RF power detectors National Semiconductor Corp. has introduced a family of RF power detectors. National's LMV225, LMV226 and LMV228...
Digital step attenuators offer precision and linearity
Aug 1, 2005
By Radha Krishna Setty Super RF CMOS process technology has been used to develop digital step attenuators that offer an unprecedented combination of accuracy, linearity, programmability, ESD tolerance and wide bandwidth in a miniature surface-mount package....
Is UWB moving toward standardization?
Aug 1, 2005
Ashok Bindra, Editorial Director Despite hurdles, the ultra-wideband UWB standardization process continues with supporters from both factions Multiband OFDM Alliance MBOA...
