Freescale is shipping an ultra-low power WLAN baseband chip compatible with its i.MX21 mobile applications processor in video and audio conferencing, video streaming, and voice-and-video-over-IP (V2IP) applications. The LP1070 chip supports 802.11a/b/g, has Linux drivers, and saves power in both active and standby modes, without sacrificing range and speed, Freescale says.

Freescale says the new LP1070 WLAN chip uses its “Wireless Broadband Signal Processing (WBSP)” technology, which it says offers power, cost, and multimode support advantages, compared with conventional DSP (digital signal processor) and ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) methods.

LP1070 architecture diagram
(Click image to enlarge)
The LP1070 WLAN baseband includes its own 88MHz ARM7TDMI core, to reduce host CPU load during video streaming, Freescale says. It integrates an Ethernet MAC and PHY, along with an AFE (analog front end) unit and an SDIO interface.

The LP1070 can be combined with Freescale's i.MX21 mobile applications processor, to create an integrated, low-power platform for portable media players, smartphones, VoIP cordless handsets, wireless gaming consoles, and digital still cameras, Freescale says. Both chips are available with Linux drivers, as well as drivers for Windows CE.

Berardino Baratta, General Manager of Freescale's multimedia application team, stated, “Freescale combines the versatility of its i.MX applications processor family with the video processing and power efficiency of its WLAN baseband processors into one comprehensive, integrated platform. We will continue to drive the integration of our WLAN roadmap with other i.MX processor lines, power management products, and additional Freescale wireless solutions.”

Availability

Both the i.MX21 multimedia application processors and the LP1070 WLAN BB processors are available now, according to the company. LP1070 models include the LP1071 and LP1072, in VFBGA packages, and the LP1070FC, in flip-chip packaging.

---

 
This article was originally published on LinuxDevices.com and has been donated to the open source community by QuinStreet Inc. Please visit LinuxToday.com for up-to-date news and articles about Linux and open source.