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UPDATE: New Motorola Cell Phone Platform Enables Rapid Deployment of 'Anywhere' Phones

Posted on: Tuesday, 23 September 2003, 06:00 CDT

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Global quad-band support and additional multimedia and security features have been added to the industry's most comprehensive platform for GSM (Global System Mobile) and GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) cellular handsets.

The i.250 Innovative Convergence platform from Motorola, Inc.'s Semiconductor Products Sector (SPS), a global leader in embedded systems and RF, has already been adopted by more than a dozen major cellular handset equipment and design manufacturers. It is designed to support a range of voice-centric, voice/data, and data-centric products and includes support for 850 megahertz (MHz) and 900 MHz GSM, 1800 MHz DCS (digital communications services) and 1900 MHz PCS (personal communications services) wireless networks.

While the original i.250 platform supports two "dual-band" configurations, the i.250-21 platform is designed to provide "quad-band" operation that allows handsets to work in virtually any 2.5G wireless network in North America, Europe and Asia.

Consumer demand is increasing for anytime, anywhere communication of text, data, video and audio. The new i.250-21 platform helps to meet these requirements by incorporating operator proven GPRS class 10 high-speed data throughput, enabling faster transfer uploads for sending items such as digital photographs and multimedia messages. And, it allows transmission with key encryption, so consumers may be able to send sensitive data from their cellular handsets without worry of unauthorized interception.

For handset designers, the enhanced i.250 platform's security framework minimizes the system software's exposure to tampering. The platform chipset contains secure memory that is designed to restrict access and interrupt-free execution for sensitive code. An advanced security architecture helps protect the phone code and data against malicious alteration.

In addition, video/imaging and graphics capabilities have been enhanced, and support built in for full 262K true-color TFT (thin-film transistor) LCD (liquid crystal display) panels with benefits of displaying high quality pictures and video. The platform has been optimized for Java(TM) 2 Platform, Micro Edition, (J2ME(TM)) applications, enabling them to run up 100 percent faster than with previous versions.

Not Just Chips

Cellular handsets are complex and competition is fierce. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and original design manufacturers (ODMs) need extensive tools and reference designs to meet market timing. The i.250-21 platform combines a chipset that is Enhanced Data GSM Evolution (EDGE)-receive and GPRS Class 12-capable with a field-proven GSM/GPRS software stack, reference designs and development tools, as well as test environments and services.

The platform also has the capabilities to help support high-end feature phones and has the needed input/output (I/O) lines to interface to peripherals such as cameras, devices enabled by Bluetooth(TM) wireless technology and other applications. Motorola's comprehensive system approach allows OEMs, ODMs and independent design houses to focus their resources on product differentiation and allows a faster time-to-market.

New Features on the i.250-21 Platform

The i.250-21 platform includes enhancements to several of the platform components in order to help enable the multimedia functions, security features, quad-band operation and faster data throughput. These include:

-- Dual-core Baseband Processor - the DSP56631 integrates DSP56600 digital signal processor and ARM7TDMI-S(TM) microcontroller cores. The DSP56631 has an optimized interface for a CMOS image sensor module, which is designed to give customers advanced imaging/video features. Its built-in Optimized Byte Code Interpreter (OBCI) enables applications based on J2ME technology to run even faster than before. And, the processor is pin-to-pin compatible with previous baseband processors, providing an easy upgrade path from the i.200 and i.250 platforms.

-- Front End Integrated Circuit (IC) - The MC13777 radio frequency IC is intended for use in EGSM/DCS and GSM850/PCS quad-band GPRS Class 10 and Class 12 capable cellular handsets. The receiver portion of the IC is designed for very low IF (intermediate frequency) or direct conversion receivers and integrates low noise amplifiers, mixers, baseband filters and RX voltage control oscillators (VCOs). The chip's transmit portion helps support direct launch transmitters and integrates TX VCOs and buffer amplifiers.

-- Power Amplifier Module - The MMM6022 is a 50-ohm TX Power Amplifier Module for quad- and tri-band GSM/GPRS handset applications, functioning over the EGSM/DCS and GSM850/PCS transmit and receive frequency bands. Power amplification, power coupling, power detection, low pass filtering and antenna switching functions are integrated into this module to simplify radio front-end design. This power amplifier module utilizes LTCC (low temperature co-fired ceramic) technology, allowing more than a 30 percent reduction in package size compared to the module in the previous generation i.250 platform.

-- Software - The embedded GSM/GPRS Protocol Engine includes an extensive set of GSM/GPRS-related application services such as multimedia messaging service (MMS), caller ID and wireless access protocol (WAP 2.0) browsing. It now features a GPRS Class 10 protocol stack that has been field-proven running on cellular handsets, with acceptance from service providers. The software also includes a man-machine interface (MMI) application development environment and reference MMI applications.

Reference Designs

Motorola offers optional reference designs to help customers further speed development and reduce time to market for handsets based on the i.250-21 platform. For video/imaging functionality, the reference design comes with a fully tested multimedia messaging service (MMS) with a camera interface. It can support video graphics array (VGA) to a mega-pixel resolution, high- preview frame rates, fast click-to-click times, and, it incorporates upgrade support for MPEG4 advance movie functions.

In addition, the reference design features Motorola's advanced i.JV J2ME engine which is MIDP 2.0 compliant with support for multiple Java Specification Requests (JSRs), including those required for JSR-185, known as Java Technology for Wireless Industry or JTWI. The reference design also contains capabilities to transfer phone numbers, name cards, games, or even pictures via Bluetooth wireless technology.

The i.250 platforms are also at the heart of the i.Smart smartphone reference design - a fully integrated solution for smart handheld devices, featuring the i.MX family of applications processors.

Each reference design includes a bill of materials and design schematics. With this tool, customers can reduce the development cycle time for advanced feature phones by more than 60 percent.

About Motorola's Innovative Convergence Solutions

Motorola offers a portfolio of Innovative Convergence platforms and products to help customers quickly address the converging mobile computing and wireless communications markets. The Innovative Convergence portfolio includes: the i.200, i.250 and i.300 wireless platforms for 2G, 2.5G and 3G, respectively; the i.MX family of applications processors to drive multimedia applications; and, an industry-leading i.JV J2ME implementation designed for quick integration of Java technology-based applications.

The Innovative Convergence platform is designed to expedite wireless handset development and manufacturing through three major development environments. These environments include:

-- Integrated Development Environment - features a comprehensive hardware and software environment, integrating the GSM/GPRS chipset, handset reference design, field-proven GSM/GPRS software engine and user interface toolkit, and an application development system.

-- Radio Test Environment - includes tools for configuring features, testing and fine-tuning radio performance.

-- Manufacturing Test Environment - provides software and manufacturing adaptation tools and services so a customer may decrease manufacturing set-up time by quickly ramping up a production line.

About Motorola, Inc.'s Semiconductor Products Sector

As the world's #1 producer of embedded processors, Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector creates DigitalDNA(TM) system-on-chip solutions for a connected world. Our strong focus on wireless communications and networking enables customers to develop smarter, simpler, safer and synchronized products for the person, work team, home and automobile. Motorola's worldwide semiconductor sales were $5.0 billion (USD) in 2002. For more information please visit http://www.motorola.com/semiconductors.

About Motorola, Inc.

Motorola, Inc. is a global leader in providing integrated communications and embedded electronic solutions. Sales in 2002 were $27.3 billion. Motorola is a global corporate citizen dedicated to ethical business practices and pioneering important technologies that make things smarter and life better for people, honored traditions that began when the company was founded 75 years ago this year. For more information, please visit: http://www.motorola.com/.

Documentation

Product Brief:

http://e-www.motorola.com/files/wireless_comm/doc/prod_brief/I250-21.pdf

i.250-21 Product Page:

http://e-www.motorola.com/webapp/sps/site/prod_summary.jsp?code=i.250- 21&nodeId=01J4Fsm6cyHs6S

MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office. The Bluetooth trademarks are owned by their proprietor and used by Motorola, Inc. under license. Java and all other Java-based marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners.