Orca Systems launches DRBT

POWAY, USA: Orca Systems Inc., a wireless technology licensing company, has launched the DRBT, a dual mode Bluetooth RF plus modem IP core, providing customers with revolutionary reductions in silicon area, low power and exceptional radio performance.

With the launch of DRBT, Orca has achieved the industry’s smallest dual mode Bluetooth RF and modem IP core, leveraging its revolutionary DSP-RF platform. At less than 1.3 square millimeters of area for the RF transceiver and less than 1.4 square millimeters of area for the Bluetooth modem in 90nm CMOS, the remarkably small size of the DRBT core makes it ideally suited for System-on-Chip (SoC) integration. Additionally, DRBT scales as process geometry shrinks enabling integration at any CMOS process node and providing a simple cost reduction roadmap.

The proliferation of Bluetooth continues to grow through its adoption into a broad array of consumer electronics as well as the deployment of Bluetooth v4.0 low energy. New dual-mode devices will support both Bluetooth v4.0 and Classic Bluetooth technology, enabling emerging low energy applications while maintaining compatibility with today's Bluetooth devices.

“We are seeing strong demand for a silicon efficient Bluetooth RF and modem solution. With the establishment of our IP core, we are equipped to enable groundbreaking SoC designs for our customers,” said Guruswami Sridharan, founder and CEO of Orca Systems. “DRBT provides customers with tremendous flexibility to create competitive SoCs, including the selection of CMOS process node and flexibility in the layout enabled by its ultra small silicon footprint.”

DRBT includes the RF and modem functions for a dual mode Bluetooth v2.1 + EDR and Bluetooth v4.0 low energy standards. In addition to its small silicon footprint, DRBT features include:

* Orca’s DSP-RF based sampling receiver.
* Orca’s SelfAlign polar transmitter.
* Channel codec functions.
* Orca’s DSP-RF based open loop frequency synthesizer.
* Direct wideband modulation.
* Integrated LNA.
* Integrated T/R switch.
* Self contained AGC and AFC.
* Configurable serial or parallel packet interface.
* Selectable reference frequency.

DRBT is available now as a licensable IP core. A 90nm CMOS prototype IC and reference board based on DRBT is available for evaluation to select customers.