ADSL Router-On-A-Chip Chops Gateway Size, Cost

June 9, 2003
By integrating analog, digital, and power-management functionality, a new IC makes for much simpler router design in home-networking gateways.

The Texas Instruments AR7 ADSL router integrates all digital and analog functions, power management, and hundreds of discrete components onto one chip, reducing the bill of materials by 25% for the typical home router. It can greatly simplify router and modem design, reduce costs, and shorten time-to-market.

Several new technologies significantly improve the chip's performance. The TurboDSL packet accelerator provides 300% faster packet acknowledgement than current chip-set solutions to enhance downstream data rates. Dynamic adaptive equalization automatically adjusts the signal to match the given line length and characteristics. The AR7 also supports the ADSL2+ standard.

Interfaces on the AR7 let it connect to a four-port Ethernet switch, TI's TNETW1130 802.11a/b/g wireless local-area-network baseband chip, or even voice-over-IP circuits. The AR7 runs on either Linux or the VxWorks operating system. TI offers a range of hardware, software, reference designs, and support to OEM designers. Full production of the AR7 is expected in the third quarter.

See associated figure

Texas Instruments Inc.www.ti.com/dsl or www.ti.com/ar7
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Louis E. Frenzel

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