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Mitsubishi Electric Demonstrates Wireless Ultrawideband Technology at CES; Technology Can Eliminate Wires, Simplify Installation of Home Theater Systems

Posted on: Thursday, 6 January 2005, 12:00 CST

Mitsubishi Electric is demonstrating its wireless ultrawideband technology for home theater at the 2005 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Jointly developed by corporate research and development labs in the United States and Japan, Mitsubishi Electric's demonstration is based on the emerging standard from the MultiBand OFDM Alliance (MBOA).

The demonstration system, which is located at the MBOA Ultrawideband Techzone at CES, shows how ultrawideband (UWB) technology can eliminate wires and simplify installation of high-end home theater systems. It includes a single transmitter unit that sends two independent high-definition television signals wirelessly to two high-end display products: a plasma HDTV and a high-end projector, both from Mitsubishi Electric.

"Mitsubishi Electric has a long history of leadership in the development and promotion of digital communications standards through international organizations like MPEG, IEEE and ITU," said Dr. Hiroshi Koezuka, general manager of the Information Technology R&D Center for Mitsubishi Electric in Japan. "As one of the original contributors to the MBOA SIG, we believe standardization of UWB technology will help ensure broad adoption in the marketplace."

While the demonstration system highlights UWB as applied to home theater, Mitsubishi Electric anticipates other applications, including car communications, wireless USB, and inter-board communications.

"UWB technology has the potential to impact many of the businesses Mitsubishi Electric is in, including consumer electronics, communications, industrial automation, transportation and building equipment," Koezuka said. "That is why our corporate R&D group is an active contributor to UWB standardization."

Commenting on the home theater application, Dr. Kent Wittenburg, VP and Technology Lab director at Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories Inc. in the United States, said: "With leading products in high-end televisions, projectors, and DVD recorders both worldwide and here in the U.S., Mitsubishi Electric is a major player when it comes to technology for the high-end home theater market. Our R&D investment in this area, including efforts in digital communications, advanced user interfaces, and our contributions to the MBOA standard, will help Mitsubishi Electric maintain its position as a leader in home theater for years to come."

About Mitsubishi Electric

With over 80 years of experience in providing reliable, high-quality products to both corporate clients and general consumers all over the world, Mitsubishi Electric Corp. (TSE:6503) is a recognized world leader in the manufacture, marketing and sales of electrical and electronic equipment used in information processing and communications, space development and satellite communications, consumer electronics, industrial technology, energy, transportation and building equipment. The company recorded consolidated group sales of 3,309 billion yen ($31.2 billion(a)) in the year ended March 31, 2004.

For more information visit http://global.mitsubishielectric.com.

(a) At an exchange rate of 106 yen to the U.S. dollar, the rate given by the Tokyo Foreign Exchange Market on March 31, 2004.

About MERL

Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories Inc. is the North American arm of the corporate R&D organization for Mitsubishi Electric. Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories conduct application-motivated basic research and advanced development in computer and communications technology. Guided by a long-term, market-driven vision, Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories seek to contribute to the advancement of science and to meet human needs by creating fundamental new technology that expands the productive use of computers.

Learn more about Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories at www.merl.com.

About UWB

Ultrawideband (UWB) is a wireless communications technology that operates in a newly allocated unlicensed spectrum. Advantages of UWB include low power consumption, very low cost/complexity yet high data rates (up to 480Mbps) and throughput, and precision location capability. The specifications for UWB target emerging wireless personal area network (WPAN) communications. WPAN technology enables high-speed, short-range, cable-free connectivity for a wide array of multimedia consumer electronics, PC peripherals and mobile devices, including wireless USB and wireless 1394.

About the MultiBand OFDM Alliance (MBOA)

The MultiBand OFDM Alliance SIG is dedicated to delivering the best overall solution for UWB with maximum emphasis on peaceful co-existence with other wireless services and to provide the most benefits to the broadest number of end consumers. MBOA was formed in June 2003 and now numbers more than 170 member companies. MBOA members include many of the most influential players in the consumer electronics, personal computing, home entertainment, mobile phone, semiconductor and digital imaging spaces. Collectively, these companies retain much of the world's expertise and experience in designing and building systems and silicon based upon UWB techniques.

For more information visit www.multibandofdm.org.

Source: Business Wire

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