Renesas Technology Releases The Software Development Kit for Bluetooth Audio Products

Using SOUNDabout, enabling low-cost implementation of Bluetooth audio products offering high sound quality

Tokyo, April 24, 2007 −− Renesas Technology Corp. today announced the development of the SOUNDabout^®*1 Suite as a software development kit (SDK) for microprocessors incorporating a 32-bit SuperH™^*2 Family SH-4A, SH-2A, or SH3-DSP CPU core, for the development of high-sound-quality audio products using Bluetooth^*3 wireless communication technology. This new SDK will be available from May 2007 in Japan.

The SOUNDabout Suite features the application of the SOUNDabout Bluetooth audio software solution developed by Open Interface North America, Inc. (OINA)^*4 of the United States to Renesas microprocessors, enabling implementation of Bluetooth audio products offering high sound quality.

Product Background

Bluetooth is one of short-distance wireless communication technologies. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of systems performing audio data transfer and playback by means of Bluetooth technology in the fields of portable and in-vehicle audio devices, and Bluetooth capable products are expected to become increasingly popular in the future together with in-vehicle handsfree mobile phones. At the same time, there is a growing demand for higher sound quality and improved product development efficiency in the audio field.

Renesas Technology has previously introduced OINA’s BLUEmagic^®*3 3.0 Bluetooth protocol stack for Bluetooth capable products, and offers the BLUEmagic 3.0 SDK combining this with a dedicated sample driver program for various Renesas microprocessors.

Now, in response to the market demand for still higher sound quality, Renesas has developed the SOUNDabout Suite featuring OINA’s SOUNDabout audio software solution applied to Renesas SuperH Family processors.

This has made it possible to provide solutions to a variety of needs relating to the application of Bluetooth technology.

Features of the SOUNDabout Suite software development kit are as follows.

(1)	CD-quality sound
	The Bluetooth specification stipulates SBC (Subband Codec)*5 as the standard audio coding method. Use of the SOUNDabout eSBC™*3 facility included in the SOUNDabout Suite enables CD-quality sound to be achieved while maintaining SBC compatibility.
(2)	Lower system power consumption and costs
	BLUEmagic 3.0 and SOUNDabout eSBC™*3 included in the SOUNDabout Suite have been developed for embedded systems, and enable the CPU load to be minimized and low-power-consumption products to be created. Methods of improving sound quality include use of the AAC(Advanced Audio Coding) or ATRAC(Advanced TRansform Acoustic Coding) coding systems, which are optional CODECs in the Bluetooth specification. However, AAC and ATRAC processing imposes a heavy load on the CPU, requiring the use of a high-performance microprocessor. In contrast, the eSBC method imposes only a small CPU load, enabling high sound quality to be achieved through processing by an inexpensive microprocessor, and so making it possible to create lower-priced end-products.
(3)	Provision of sample programs that help to shorten users’ product development times
	An HCI (Host Controller Interface) sample driver program, audio sample driver program, and sample programs corresponding to profiles established by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. are provided, together with the source code, for individual Renesas products. By carrying out development based on these programs, a user can easily use a Renesas product as a Bluetooth host, helping to shorten the user’s end-product development time. Reference application programs can also be provided for audio reception and handsfree multi-profiles with their particular demands.

Renesas Technology intends to extend the scope of the SOUNDabout Suite software development kit to other Renesas microprocessors, and will continue to expand its lineup of Bluetooth compatible products helping users’ product development.


Typical Applications

Bluetooth audio products supporting A2DP: Car navigation systems, car audio systems, portable media players, headphones, headsets, etc.

SOUNDabout Suite Components

• SOUNDabout eSBC/SBC
• BLUEmagic 3.0
• Profile-specific sample programs
• Sample driver programs (HCI/Audio)
• Multi-profile compatible reference application program

Supplementary Diagram: SOUNDabout Suite Configuration and Use Image