Ceva and Sharp Collaborate on "Beyond 5G" IoT Terminals

Ceva-PentaG2 5G platform IP powers Sharp’s ASUKA software-defined SoC for next-generation IoT user equipment

BARCELONA, Spain, March 3, 2025 — MWC25 – Ceva, Inc. (NASDAQ: CEVA), the leading licensor of silicon and software IP that enables Smart Edge devices to connect, sense and infer data more reliably and efficiently, today announced that Sharp Semiconductor Innovation Corporation (SSIC), a subsidiary of Sharp Corporation, has developed "ASUKA", a System-on-Chip (SoC) for Beyond 5G (6G) IoT terminals, based on scalable 5G modem platform IP, the Ceva-PentaG2. Sharp will showcase a demo board "ASUKA Board" based on the ASUKA SoC at the Japan Pavillion at MWC25, March 3-6, in Hall 6, Stand E54.

The ASUKA SoC was developed to fill a gap in the market for specialized 5G IoT communication chips. To democratize cellular IoT, the ASUKA SoC offers a customizable alternative to traditional "black box" 5G SoCs. Leveraging a powerful software-defined radio (SDR) architecture enabled by the Ceva-PentaG platform, this innovative chip ensures future-proof flexibility, allowing for customized communication functions and seamless support for emerging 6G standards.

"Our goal with the ASUKA SoC is to make 5G and beyond cellular IoT communications more accessible and widespread," said Toyofumi Horikawa, Sharp Semiconductor Innovation Corporation. "By partnering with Ceva and leveraging their renowned expertise in cellular processing, we have realized a cutting-edge SoC that is customizable to address any cellular IoT terminal application or standard, today and in the future."

"We are proud to collaborate with Sharp on their innovative ‘Beyond 5G’ IoT terminal project", said Michael Boukaya, Chief Operation Officer of Ceva. "Our Ceva-PentaG2 provides customers like Sharp with the industry’s most advanced 5G platform IP, reducing risk and time-to-market for the development of cutting-edge cellular modems that support the most advanced applications with industry-leading efficiency and performance."

ASUKA is a software-defined SoC, for IoT user equipment (UE) to promote the spread of IoT UE in the Beyond 5G (6G) era. It features a scalable architecture that allows for functional modifications, enabling it to keep pace with the continuous evolution of communication standards. It includes various expansion interfaces such as PCIe (Gen4), JESD204B, and USB 3.0, allowing users to customize functions via PC connections. For developers, the ASUKA board provides a customizable development environment that enables coordination between base stations and terminals. Users can customize the UE alongside base stations, allowing for simultaneous customization of both. This facilitates the construction of IoT solutions, implementation of new features, and verification in an SDR development environment.

The Ceva-PentaG2 IP platform is a comprehensive solution for implementing 5G modems, specifically designed for lower-throughput applications such as RedCap, and other optimized cellular IoT applications. It is highly efficient, requiring minimal power consumption, making it suitable for IoT and other battery-powered devices. The platform integrates advanced DSPs and accelerators to enable optimal signal chain processing and includes a complete 5G PHY software implementation. With its scalable and flexible architecture, the Ceva-PentaG2 IP platform supports a wide range of applications, from high-performance mobile broadband to low-power IoT devices. For more information, visit https://www.ceva-ip.com/product/ceva-pentag2/

About Ceva, Inc.

At Ceva, we are passionate about bringing new levels of innovation to the smart edge. Our wireless communications, sensing and Edge AI technologies are at the heart of some of today’s most advanced smart edge products. From Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, UWB and 5G platform IP for ubiquitous, robust communications, to scalable Edge AI NPU IPs, sensor fusion processors and embedded application software that make devices smarter, we have the broadest portfolio of IP to connect, sense and infer data more reliably and efficiently. We deliver differentiated solutions that combine outstanding performance at ultra-low power within a very small silicon footprint. Our goal is simple – to deliver the silicon and software IP to enable a smarter, safer, and more interconnected world. This philosophy is in practice today, with Ceva powering more than 19 billion of the world’s most innovative smart edge products from AI-infused smartwatches, IoT devices and wearables to autonomous vehicles and 5G mobile networks.

Our headquarters are in Rockville, Maryland with a global customer base supported by operations worldwide. Our employees are among the leading experts in their areas of specialty, consistently solving the most complex design challenges, enabling our customers to bring innovative smart edge products to market.

Ceva: Powering the Smart Edge™

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