DeviceGuru

Redpine Signals Inc. has introduced what it claims is the first handheld device-oriented single-chip controller to conform to the IEEE’s 802.11n Draft 2.0 standard. The “Lite-Fi” RS9110 consumes under 250 mW during receive operations at the maximum link rate of 65 Mbps, according to the company.

The RS9110 integrates an ultra-low-power 802.11abgn baseband and MAC processor within a single silicon component, as illustrated in the diagram below.

Redpine Lite-Fi RS9110 connection diagram
(Click to enlarge)

The RS9110 boasts “full compliance” with IEEE 802.11n Draft 2.0 in single antenna mode, and is said to use patented power-save techniques to deliver “significantly improved” battery life. 802.11n techniques such as “space time block codes” (STBC) enable the chip to offer “robust performance and extended range while being fully backward compatible with existing 802.11abg devices,” Redpine adds.

Other key features include Bluetooth coexistence, SDIO and SPI host interfaces, fixed/mobile convergence protocol assists, integrated power management, and minimized application processor support overhead.

The company offers a hardware reference design that combines the RS9110 along with an RF transceiver and power amplifier. Also available is a comprehensive software reference design with drivers for Windows CE, Windows Mobile, Windows XP, and Linux.

According to data from ABI Research, as quoted by Redpine, over 3.7 billion WiFi ICs are forecast to ship from 2008 to 2012. Of those, over 75 percent are expected to implement 802.11n.

Samples of the RS9110 are currently shipping, with full production scheduled for this quarter. For further details, visit Redpine’s website.