Wireless USB Blog

WiMedia Alliance Certifies First UltraWideband Products

October 8th, 2007 Subscribe to WUSB Blog RSS Feed Bookmark

Eight Members Obtain Official Platform Certification for WiMedia-Based Silicon

(via Press Release from WiMedia Website – October 8, 2007) San Ramon, California – The WiMedia™ Alliance today announced the first silicon products certified on its Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Common Radio Platform. A total of 12 platforms from WiMedia members Alereon, Inc., Artimi, Inc., Intel Corporation, Realtek Semiconductor Corporation, Staccato Communications, Tzero Technologies, WiQuest Communications and Wisair have successfully completed both phases of the Alliance’s compliance and interoperability testing, paving the way for the introduction of WiMedia-based end-user devices in the personal computing, consumer electronics and mobile device markets.

“This is a pivotal development for UWB,” said Stephen Wood, president of the WiMedia Alliance. “WiMedia Platform Certification ensures a high-level of interoperability among WiMedia-based applications and provides assurance to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that products incorporating WiMedia Certified platforms will operate with minimal interference from other devices, enabling a positive user experience for their customers. With certified platforms available, manufacturers can begin utilizing WiMedia UWB in their consumer products at an accelerated rate.”

Silicon certified on the WiMedia platform provides the foundation for a number of high-speed wireless protocols, including next generation Bluetooth and WUSB. Utilizing the WiMedia specifications, these applications provide low power consumption and data rates of up to 480 Mbps in the wireless personal area network (WPAN).

The WiMedia Alliance has held a series of interoperability testing events since its certification program was launched in early 2006. These events have helped ready products for advancement in the certification program, leading to the establishment of certified platforms. Successful platform certification would not have been possible without the support of WiMedia members Agilent Technologies, Inc., Ellisys, Intel Corporation, LeCroy Corporation and WiQuest Communications, who provided facilities, test equipment and skilled technical resources to the Alliance and participating vendors.

WiMedia Certified platforms undergo two phases of rigorous testing against the Alliance’s international UWB standards (ISO/IEC 26907 and 26908). In the first phase, vendors test and “register” Physical Layer implementations (PHYs) based on the WiMedia PHY specification. Registered PHYs are then combined with a Media Access Control (MAC) layer and submitted for certification as a complete platform. Platforms that successfully complete each level of the certification program are granted official platform certification. This designation ensures that certified platforms will coexist with other certified platforms, and perform as expected, according to specifications.

More information on the WiMedia Alliance and its certification program is available at
www.wimedia.org

About the WiMedia Alliance
The WiMedia Alliance is a not-for-profit open industry association that promotes and enables the rapid adoption, regulation, standardization and multi-vendor interoperability of ultrawideband (UWB) worldwide. The basis for the industry’s first UWB standards (published by Ecma International), WiMedia UWB is optimized for wireless personal-area networks delivering high-speed (480Mbps and beyond), low-power multimedia capabilities for the PC, CE, mobile and automotive market segments. Emphasizing peaceful coexistence with other wireless services, the WiMedia UWB Common Radio Platform is designed to operate with application stacks developed by the 1394 Trade Association Wireless Working Group, the Certified Wireless USB Promoter Group and the Bluetooth-SIG. WiMedia’s board members include Alereon, HP, Intel, Nokia, NXP, Samsung Electronics, Sony, STMicroelectronics, Staccato Communications, Texas Instruments and Wisair. For more information, please visit www.wimedia.org.

Contact:
Rachel Shaver (Public Relation)
pr (-at-) wimedia.org
Phone: +1 503 619 0563
WiMedia Alliance
2400 Camino Ramon , Suite 375
San Ramon , California 94583 USA

Entry Filed under: Ultrawideband

Related Information and News:
WiMedia Alliance Certifies Seven More UWB Platforms
WiMedia Transfers UWB Specs To Bluetooth SIG and USB-IF
Ultrawideband Product Availability Continues to Surge
WiMedia Certifies First PHYs for High Band Operation

Wireless USB Blog Disclaimer:
If you have any questions regarding information in these press release, article or information please contact the company listed in the press release. All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners. Our complete disclaimer appears here.