NEC Electronics to Deliver Certified Wireless USB Chips

Apr 30, 2007 11:34 Nikkei Electronics Asia

NEC Electronics Corp of Japan has announced that the company's µPD720170 wireless USB host controller for PCI interfaces and µPD720180 wireless USB device wire adapter (DWA) are certified by the USB Implementers Forum Inc (USB-IF).

The company's USB-IF-certified host controller and DWA make it easier for designers to implement ultra wideband (UWB) wireless technology between USB peripherals and computers or consumer electronics products via a quick relay of data chunks based on certified wireless USB technology.

The µPD720170 host controller supports all eight data transfer rates -- from 53.3 up to 480Mbps. The µPD720180 DWA chip provides the functionality required by the certified wireless USB standard and also enables interoperability with current USB devices. Designers can easily implement a complete system based on certified wireless USB technology by combining the two NEC Electronics chips.

Certified wireless USB technology from the USB-IF is an extension to the current USB 2.0 standard that has been described as the next-generation interface for computers and multimedia consumer electronics. Certified wireless USB technology delivers data transfer rates up to 480Mbps, comparable to wired USB 2.0 connections, with a maximum wireless communications range of up to 10 meters. Unwiring the cable connection frees users from having to make cumbersome and unsightly wired connections to enjoy high-speed data access and allows users to connect their devices freely wherever they want to use them. Certified wireless USB technology will make it possible to expand the range of applications for computers and digital entertainment devices and encourage the discovery of new ways to enjoy digital media.

Samples of NEC Electronics' µPD720170 and µPD720180 wireless USB devices are available now starting at US$20 each in sample quantities.

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