Skyworks links RF with Intel's Manitoba GSM CPU

By Robert Keenan
iApplianceWeb
(03/21/03, 10:50:49 PM EDT)

NEW ORLEANS, La. - Skyworks Solutions is jumping on the Intel wireless bandwagon by linking its CX74063 direct-conversion receiver and CX77315 power amplifier module with Intel's Manitoba baseband processing solution for GSM/GPRS mobiles.

Intel made a big splash several weeks back by releasing the Manitoba solution, which includes a 104 MHz signal processor, XScale core, 512 kbyte of on-chip flash and 64 kbyte of on-chip SRAM. While offering a solution for baseband designs, Intel does not provide the full RF-to-baseband offering that other vendors claim is a must.

By teaming with Intel, Skyworks said it is providing critical RF elements - transceiver and power amp - to Manitoba that handset manufacturers will demand during the design process.

The CX74063 transceiver provides a zero-IF (ZIF) direct-conversion receive path and operates in the 850, 900, 1800, and 1900 GSM bands. The chip's receive path includes three low-noise amplifiers, a quadrature modulator, tunable receiver baseband filters and a DC-offset correction sequencer.

In the transmit path, the chip offers and I/Q modulator within a frequency translation loop designed to perform frequency upconversion. The path also contains a phase frequency detector, charge pump, mixer, programmable dividers and a transmit VCO.

The CX77315 is a quad-band power amplifier that delivers 34.5-dB gain in the 850 and 900 M bands as well as 32-dB gain in the 1800 and 1900 MHz bands. The GaAs amplifier also delivers up to 5 percent efficiencies and a 2.9- to 4.8-V operating supply range.

South Korean mobile phone manufacturer Maxon Telecom Corp. has announced it will use the combined Intel/SkyWorks solution in MX-E320 mobile phone. This clamshell phone, which will be available later this year, will provide two color displays, a video player, a built-in camera, MMS messaging functionality and gaming capabilities.