Ultra-low power 'Whisper' architecture raises the bar for connectivity IP in IoT, wearables and more

Imagination’s new Ensigma RPUs will be at the heart of a new generation of life-enhancing applications

London, UK – 24^th July, 2014 – Imagination Technologies (IMG.L) announces the new Ensigma Series4 ‘Whisper’ low-power radio processing unit (RPU) architecture, designed to drive a new generation of wearables, IoT and other connected devices where ultra-low power consumption and low cost points are key.

Tomorrow’s IoT, wearables and other connected embedded devices demand more than the evolution of existing connectivity chipsets; they require solutions designed specifically for these emerging product categories, with an eye on power consumption, cost and flexibility.

Says Tony King-Smith, EVP marketing, Imagination: “Many devices claiming to address IoT today are in fact repurposed from other markets such as mobile or embedded, but don’t fully address the extreme low power and cost requirements that this market will demand. With our existing Ensigma RPUs, customers are already building a range of life-style devices. With new Ensigma ‘Whisper’ RPUs, customers can create a whole new generation of life-enhancing and efficiency-focused devices targeting markets as diverse as eHealth, energy, agriculture, security and many other areas. Imagination is delivering the ultra-low power CPUs, GPUs and RPUs that provide a foundation for building these devices, supported by optimized hardware IP platforms and our FlowCloud technology for true device-to-cloud connectivity.”

Low-power Ensigma ‘Whisper’ RPUs, like their high-performance Ensigma Explorer RPU counterparts, provide multi-standard support in a single architecture, designed to enable customers to bring standards such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Classic, Bluetooth Smart, NFC, GNSS and other existing or emerging low-power connectivity technologies onto their SoCs. By bringing this functionality on-chip, customers can minimize power consumption, silicon footprint and system cost compared with conventional solutions.

Why ‘Whisper’?

‘Whisper’ RPUs are designed specifically for next-generation ultra-low power, cost-sensitive devices.

• Configurable: the ‘Whisper’ architecture supports a broad range of lower bitrate connectivity standards needed in IoT and other small-footprint connected devices
• Power-efficient: ‘Whisper’ RPUs feature highly optimized, configurable hardware with Imagination’s PowerGearing for Ensigma that optimizes both static and dynamic power consumption in the cores
• Clean: the tightly coupled modem/processor in ‘Whisper’ can eliminate the host processor or alleviate its load, for the smallest embedded system size and lowest power consumption

The Ensigma family of RPUs, including ‘Whisper’ and Explorer, is designed to meet the needs of a range of devices and applications.

• Scalable: ‘Whisper’ and Explorer RPUs address applications from ultra-low power to maximum performance, and with a common API, customers can reuse software across the platforms
• Proven: Ensigma RPUs are shipping today in numerous low-power audio and connectivity devices with a growing range of designs also in the pipeline
• Complete: to reduce customers’ time to market, Ensigma RPUs are uniquely provided as end-to-end offerings including RF if needed, and certifications

Connected Processor IP Platform

For IoT and other next-generation connected applications, customers can benefit from the combination of Ensigma RPUs and MIPS CPUs – the industry’s smallest and highest performance embedded 32-bit CPUs. Together, these flexible, scalable cores are designed to revolutionize IoT applications by delivering the only truly embedded Connected Processor IP Platform. With hardware virtualization and multi-context security across the MIPS Warrior range of CPUs, the cores are designed to deliver to the emerging requirements of modern systems and add even more benefits. Customers can also leverage Imagination’s FlowCloud device-to-cloud platform to create complete IoT/cloud solutions.

Says King-Smith: “With Imagination’s Connected Processor IP Platform, customers can leverage an industry standard CPU with a broad array of software and tightly integrated communications. We believe this is a unique and powerful offering for the industry.”

Availability

Imagination will start to roll out a line of Ensigma ‘Whisper’ cores in Q4 2014. Contact info@imgtec.com for more information.

About Imagination Technologies

Imagination is a global technology leader whose products touch the lives of billions of people across the globe. The company’s broad range of silicon IP (intellectual property) includes the key processing blocks needed to create the SoCs (Systems on Chips) that power all mobile, consumer and embedded electronics. Its unique software IP, infrastructure technologies and system solutions enable its customers get to market quickly with complete and highly differentiated SoC platforms. Imagination’s licensees include many of the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturers, network operators and OEMs/ODMs who are creating some of the world’s most iconic products. See: www.imgtec.com.