New Chip Offers the Industry’s Best Sensitivity Values for Long Distance Coverage

HEILBRONN, Germany, Nov. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Atmel(R) Corporation
(Nasdaq: ATML), a global leader in the development and fabrication of advanced
semiconductor solutions, announced today the availability of its new 2.4-GHz
transceiver IC ATR2806 manufactured using Atmel’s advanced SiGe BiCMOS
process. The new ATR2806 is especially designed for digital cordless telephone
applications, but can also be used for wireless data applications such as
wireless Internet access, headsets, games and home entertainment. This new
low-IF device provides several unique features such as multiple handset
operation and long distance coverage due to its excellent sensitivity (-93 dBm
at full data transmit bit rate of 1.152 Mbit/s).

The ATR2806 is a highly integrated transceiver, which includes in the
receive path a low-noise amplifier, image rejection mixer, low-IF filter,
demodulator, RSSI and RX data as digital signal. It also includes a fully
integrated VCO and PLL with an integrated Gaussian filter. Due to the high
integration, only a few components are needed to design the RF section of a
cordless telephone. SAW filtering, matching components, IF tank circuitry, and
demodulator tank are not needed. The circuit also provides a digital receive
signal, thus eliminating the need for any external data slicer.

The IC has a flexible interface to the baseband, so any standard DCT
baseband IC can be used. Various data transmit bit rates are supported (1.152
Mbit/s and 576 Kbit/s).

Another main benefit is the IC’s outstandingly high sensitivity of -99
dBm. This is a value not reached by any competing product; standard values are
usually up to -94 dBm. This allows coverage of longer distances (about 300 m).
The new architecture also enables longer talk and standby time compared to
conventional concepts. Thanks to the ATR2806’s fast-settling PLL, the base
station can support up to 10 handsets (multiple handset function), whereas
competitive products, using fixed data transmit rates, can only handle up to a
maximum of 4 handsets.

To support design-in, demo boards with documentation, test results,
schematics and Gerber files are also available.

Samples of the low-IF transceiver IC ATR2806 in QFN32 packages are
available now. Pricing starts at 4.00 US$ (10 k).

Footnote

IF = Intermediate Frequency
PLL = Phase Locked Loop
RSSI = Receive Signal Strength Indicator
VCO = Voltage Controlled Oscillator

About Atmel

Atmel is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of
microcontrollers, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory and radio
frequency (RF) components. Leveraging one of the industry’s broadest
intellectual property (IP) technology portfolios, Atmel is able to provide the
electronics industry with complete system solutions. Focused on consumer,
industrial, security, communications, computing and automotive markets, Atmel
ICs can be found Everywhere You Are(SM).

NOTE: Atmel(R), logo and combinations thereof, are registered trademarks,
and Everywhere You Are(SM) is the trademark of Atmel Corporation or its
subsidiaries. Other terms and product names may be trademarks of others.

Information:
Atmel’s 2.4-GHz transceiver IC ATR2806 product information may be
retrieved at: [ >>> ]

Press Contacts:

Dr. Susanne van Clewe, Marcom Manager Communications and Automotive
Products
Phone: +49 7131 67–2081, Email: susanne.van-clewe@hno.atmel.com

Clive Over, Director of Press Relations — USA and Asia
Phone: +1 408 451 2855, Email: cliveover@atmel.com

Veronique Sablereau, Corporate Communications Manager — Europe
Phone: +33 1 30 60 70 68, Fax: + 49 7131 67–2423, Email:
veronique.sablereau@atmel.com