Reference design increases wireless LAN coverage

A new 54g wireless LAN reference design combines the SE2528L RangeCharger power amplifier with Broadcom's single-chip 802.11g transceiver with BroadRange technology.

Broadcom Corp has selected the SE2528L RangeCharger power amplifier in a new 54g wireless LAN reference design.

The Cardbus reference design features Broadcom's single-chip 802.11g transceiver with BroadRange technology, which extends the range of 54g-based devices by up to 50%.

The combination of RangeCharger and BroadRange technologies ensures optimal wireless coverage, while the reference design enables manufacturers to quickly and cost-effectively bring new 54g-based products to market.

BroadRange technology is an innovative signal processing technique that provides the industry's best receive sensitivity of any 802.11g solution on the market.

Equipped with this new technology, Broadcom's single-chip 802.11g client solution (the BCM4318E) can deliver maximum performance while greatly extending wireless LAN coverage throughout the home or office.

Customers can directly interface the BCM4318E with SiGe's SE2528L RangeCharger power amplifier to further enhance wireless coverage.

The SE2528L features output power of +19dBm at the antenna when operating in 802.11g mode, with an error vector magnitude of less than three%.

The high output power boosts signal strength to improve reliability of wireless transmission over longer distances.

"By complementing Broadcom's standards-based technology with SiGe's RangeCharger power amplifier, our customers can produce Wi-Fi systems that deliver optimal range and performance", said Brian Bedrosian, Product Line Manager for Broadcom's Home and Wireless Networking Business Unit.

"In addition, SiGe has a longstanding record of delivering leading performance and excellent design support, making them a solid vendor choice for our 54g customers".

The new reference design includes all of the necessary hardware and software to build a 54g system, and demonstrates the integration and power efficiency enabled by the SE2528L and BCM4318E.

SiGe's SE2528L is based on an advanced silicon germanium architecture that optimises feature integration while delivering a market-leading combination of linearity, accuracy and stability.

The power amplifier is characterised for both 3.3 and 5V operation, and includes on-chip power enable switch, bias control circuitry, and a power detector that interfaces directly to the BCM4318E.

The high integration eliminates external components, thereby reducing bill of materials cost and simplifying layout.

The BCM4318E is the third-generation product in Broadcom's line of single-chip client solutions.

The highly-integrated chip reduces the sise, cost and power consumption of a wireless LAN module and can power-down to consume as little as 9mW in idle mode.

Lower power consumption not only improves the battery life of today's Wi-Fi devices, but enables high-performance wireless capabilities in a variety of new platforms with strict power requirements, including handheld devices and consumer electronics.

"We are pleased with how our continued collaboration with Broadcom delivers to OEMs the performance, integration, and power efficiency that are ideal for next-generation Wi-Fi systems", said Andrew Parolin, Director of Wireless Data Products, SiGe Semiconductor.

"Combining our technologies into a complete, easy-to-implement reference design also ensures that our customers can realise the fastest, most cost-effective route to market".

The new reference design is available now from both SiGe Semiconductor and Broadcom Corporation.

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