CSR announces world's first Class 1 Bluetooth silicon

BlueCore5-FM qualifies to v2.0+EDR specification

Cambridge, UK - 21 November, 2006 - CSR today announced the qualification of the world's first Class 1 Bluetooth single-chip solution. The BlueCore device is part of the company's 5th generation silicon and is also the first product from the BlueMedia roadmap, incorporating a sensitive FM radio receiver in a small, single-chip design. Available in 4x4mm WLCSP or 6x6mm VFBGA packages, BlueCore5-FM features the highest performance Bluetooth on the market today, offering connectivity of up to 3Mb/s and unrivalled output power of +10 dBM. This allows the device to easily cover the 100m range required for a Class 1 Bluetooth radio without the need for an external amplifier - all within a PCB footprint of only 39.2mm2.

Bluetooth technology has evolved significantly in terms of power consumption and the reduction of interference with other radios, explained Matthew Philips, Senior VP Mobile Handset Connectivity Strategic Business Unit, CSR.  BlueCore5-FM demonstrates that we can now provide Class 1 connectivity for handheld devices without compromising on battery life or bill of materials (BOM).

BlueCore5-FM has been designed specifically for mobile handsets and consists of an FM receiver operating at the thermal noise floor of -111 dBM and CSR's enhanced data rate (EDR) BlueCore radio. As a single-chip solution, BlueCore5-FM offers double the functionality without taking up valuable space on the circuit board whilst also reducing the analogue component count and total BOM compared to the dual-chip alternative.

Interference free, BlueCore5-FM allows the Bluetooth and FM radios to work independently of each other or in tandem, for example, streaming FM radio from a handset over a Bluetooth connection to a pair of stereo headphones.

Philips continued, It's no longer simply a question of integrating a number of different functions within a handset. These days it's about whether designers can implement high-end functionality without blowing the budget on an expensive BOM or wasting valuable PCB space.  BlueCore5-FM sets a new benchmark for the industry in terms of both functionality and performance.

About CSR

CSR is the leading global provider of personal wireless technology and its product portfolio covers Bluetooth, FM receivers and WiFi (IEEE802.11). CSR offers developed hardware/software solutions, based around its silicon platforms, that incorporate, fully integrated radio, baseband and microcontroller elements.

CSR's customers include industry leaders such as Apple, Dell, LG, Motorola, NEC, Nokia, Panasonic, RIM, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, TomTom and Toshiba.

CSR has its headquarters and offices in Cambridge, UK, and offices in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, India, France, Denmark, Sweden and both Dallas and Detroit in the USA.

More information can be found at http://www.csr.com/