SMIC and ASTRI Collaborate on the Development of the World's First Dual Mode UWB MAC ASIC Supporting Both WiMedia Compliant WLP
21 April 2008 - 7:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
SHANGHAI, China, April 21 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC --
NYSE: SMI; SEHK: 0981.HK), one of the leading semiconductor
foundries in the world, and the Hong Kong Applied Science and
Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) today jointly announced their
partnership to provide the world's first dual mode UWB MAC IC using
SMIC's 0.13um mix-mode CMOS technology. SMIC's RF group provides
design supports and mixed-signal RFIC open lab services in Shanghai
to advance mixed-signal RFIC development on 0.18um, 0.13um, and
more advanced technologies. ASTRI and SMIC share the goal of
offering wideband IPs to foster the development of advanced
wireless RFICs in China. This UWB MAC ASIC is a WiMedia Compliant
UWB MAC IC supporting both Wireless Link Protocol -- (WLP/WiNET),
and Information Group Resource Sharing -- (IGRS) standard
networking applications. Included in this ASIC design are advanced
multi-hop connectivity and Video/Audio Quality of Service (QoS)
features. This ASIC targets Wireless Personal Area Networking
applications, enabling electronic manufacturers to create
innovative, high speed, intelligent, and seamlessly connected
wireless multimedia consumer products. This MAC ASIC supports UWB
wireless data transmitting and receiving at rates of 53.3Mb/s,
80Mb/s, 106.67Mb/s, 160Mb/s, 200Mb/s, 320Mb/s, 400Mb/s, and
480Mb/s. It also provides a 32-bit direct Peripheral Component
Interconnect (PCI) 2.2 host bus interface. The MAC ASIC is
fabricated using SMIC's 0.13um CMOS process and is available in
fpBGA-144 Package, with drivers and APIs supporting both Windows
and Linux. The ASIC Product Development Kit comes with a Mini-PCI
Card Reference Design and Soft IP Core including RTL and
Software/Firmware source code. 'As UWB technology advances and
related protocols and industry standards mature, the introduction
of this UWB MAC ASIC will enable IP-based high speed wireless
digital electronics applications for consumer electronics markets,'
said Mr. Peter Diu, Vice President of Wireless Multimedia
Technologies Group, ASTRI. 'UWB technology will be deployed in
different market segments, including Wireless USB and IP based
applications. ASTRI will give its contribution to partners to adopt
IP- based WLP/WiNET and IGRS-UWB technologies for personal wireless
communications and consumer electronics applications for Home
Video/Audio entertainment, Personal Computer, Intelligent IPTV,
Wireless Media Server Center, as well as Wireless Mass Storage
device products,' added Mr. Diu. 'The booming wireless
communication market drives fabless companies to develop ICs for
various applications,' said Dr. Lee Yang, SMIC senior research
fellow. 'The success of the development of the wireless ICs depends
a lot on advanced mixed-signal and RF processes and foundry's
design support. With the success of ASTRI's WiSMAC IC, we are
confident that more wireless IC companies will benefit from SMIC's
advanced mixed-signal and RF processes." About SMIC Semiconductor
Manufacturing International Corporation ('SMIC'; NYSE: SMI; SEHK:
981) is one of the leading semiconductor foundries in the world and
the largest and most advanced foundry in Mainland China, providing
integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing service at 0.35 micron to 65
nanometer and finer line technologies. Headquartered in Shanghai,
China, SMIC has a 300-millimeter wafer fabrication facility (fab)
and three 200 mm wafer fabs in its Shanghai mega-fab, two 300 mm
wafer fabs in its Beijing mega-fab, a 200 mm wafer fab in Tianjin,
and an in-house assembly and testing facility in Chengdu. SMIC also
has customer service and marketing offices in the U.S., Europe, and
Japan, and a representative office in Hong Kong. In addition, SMIC
manages and operates a 200 mm wafer fab in Chengdu owned by Cension
Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation and a 300 mm wafer fab
under construction in Wuhan owned by Wuhan Xinxin Semiconductor
Manufacturing Corporation. For more information, please visit
http://www.smics.com/ . About ASTRI Hong Kong Applied Science &
Technology Research Institute Company Limited was founded by the
Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 2001
to capture the promises of technological advances. ASTRI's R&D
activities focus on four closely interrelated technological domains
-- IC Designs, Communications Technologies, Enterprise &
Consumer Electronics, and Material & Packaging Technologies.
ASTRI's Wireless Multimedia Technologies Group develops UWB
wireless communication technology with released WiSMAC IC, UWB/WUSB
Host/Device Wired Adaptor and UWB Mini-PCI module designs and
products. For more information, please visit
http://www.astri.org/big5/comm.php . For more information, please
contact: SMIC Shanghai Peter Lin Public Relations Tel:
+86-21-5080-2000 x12349 Email: Angela Miao Public Relations Tel:
+86-21-5080-2000 x10088 Email: ASTRI Email: DATASOURCE:
Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation CONTACT: SMIC
Shanghai - Peter Lin, Public Relations, +86-21-5080-2000 x12349; or
; or Angela Miao, Public Relations, +86-21-5080- 2000 x10088, or ;
or ASTRI, Web Site: http://www.smics.com/
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