This mini card module for notebooks and other products covers the 2.4-, 5-, and 60-GHz Wi-Fi bands and includes 2x2 multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) on the two lower bands for 802.11n compliance. The 60-GHz capability complies with the new 802.11ad standard. Bluetooth 4.0 also is included.
Chipsets covering the 2.4- and 5-GHz bands are no longer the only Wi-Fi options available. Qualcomm Atheros and Wilocity have announced the first tri-band Wi-Fi chipset that integrates multi-gigabit performance in the 60-GHz band with handoff to the 2.4- and 5-GHz bands.
The AR9004TB supports a wide range of applications, from I/O to video to networking, at the same speeds of wired connectivity, while maintaining home coverage and interoperability. The chipset helps power a wide range of experiences, including gaming, video streaming, smart synchronization, and wireless docking.
“The AR9004TB solution is the first to offer multi-gigabit Wi-Fi and wireless bus extension, coupled with dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0,” says Mark Grodzinsky, vice president of marketing of Wilocity
The AR9004TB integrates 802.11n and WiGig/802.11ad technologies in the same form factor, so consumers can have 802.11n Wi-Fi for whole home connectivity and 802.11ad for networked synchronization of HD movies in seconds (versus tens of minutes), I/O connection to USB3/SATA hard drives, instant “sync and go” between mobile platforms, streaming display to projectors/TVs/monitors, and high-performance wireless docking.
The 60-GHz technology in the AR9004TB is based on the latest specifications from the Wireless Gigabit Alliance and the IEEE 802.11ad standard, and it will be Wi-Fi Alliance certified. It supports the Bluetooth 4.0 specification, which includes high-speed and low-energy operation to extend personal area connectivity to a host of devices. The AR9004TB also has a message-based interface allowing advanced interference avoidance and cancellation for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth coexistence.
The figure shows a wireless module for embedding into consumer and computer products. The module uses the Atheros AR9462, which includes 802.11n 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz radios plus Bluetooth. Wilocity’s Wil6120 chip provides the 60-GHz capability. A third chip, not seen here, features a 16-antenna array for beam steering.
Qualcomm Atheros
www.qca.qualcomm.com
Wilocity
www.wilocity.com