TI Unveils EDGE Smartphone Reference Design

Extending its line of small smartphone reference designs, Texas Instruments has announced its first complete EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) chipset and reference design. Utilizing the company's OMAP platform, TI is first to introduce a complete EDGE smartphone chipset and reference design.

With up to three times the data rate throughput of current GSM/GPRS devices, the TCS3500 chipset delivers the performance required to enable high- quality EDGE-enabled applications such as multimedia, gaming, camera functionality, and video. The TCS3500 chipset is the first of a portfolio of EDGE solutions TI is developing to allow customers to optimally address multiple market segments.

"With the evolution of GSM/GPRS to EDGE, and the rapid growth of the smartphone and feature phone markets, manufacturers and operators are demanding a broad portfolio of solutions to differentiate their products and services," said Rick Kornfeld, vice president and general manager of TI's wireless chipset business.

TI's TCS3500 solution and reference design supports all leading mobile operating systems including Symbian OS, Microsoft's Windows Mobile, Linux and Palmsource, as well as Nokia's Series 60 terminal software platform. The TCS3500 solution also supports multiple third-party Java platforms allowing the design of true next-generation Java phones.

The TCS3500 is anchored by the OMAP850, a high-performance applications processor integrated with a quad-band EDGE modem. The OMAP850 processor will enable a rich experience with both multimedia and camera capabilities up to 2.0 megapixels. The OMAP850 maintains the secure environment of the current generation of OMAP processors, which includes a secure boot, a secure execution environment and hardware encryption accelerators. The OMAP850 processor's modem functionality is based upon TI's prior generations of proven GSM/GPRS technology, with further enhancements to support the higher EDGE data rates. The industry's most flexible EDGE-capable processor, the OMAP850 allows scalability of a single platform to address all handset segments targeting high-revenue data services -- from mid-range feature phones, through high-end smartphones, up to multimedia rich wireless PDAs.

Also included as part of the TCS3500 solution is the TWL3027, which integrates an analog baseband with power management and an audio codec. The TCS3500 reference design includes a fully optimized quad-band RF solution. The highly integrated TCS3500 smartphone reference design also includes TI's single-chip Bluetooth device, the BRF6150.

Bringing added capabilities for full-featured EDGE handsets, the TCS3500 can be incorporated with optional modules from TI's wireless technology portfolio, including a camera, TI's TGS5000 assisted GPS (A-GPS) solution and TI's TNETW1230 low-power, high-speed WLAN solution.

The TCS3500 reference design includes a complete bill of materials, board design and layout, GSM/GPRS/EDGE protocol stack and a full array of development tools. The pre-field type approved (FTA) certified reference design significantly cuts development time and gives manufacturers more time to focus on differentiation and application development. Customers also have access to TI's worldwide solution delivery organization to quickly customize, assist through the FTA process, and take new products to market.

Texas Instruments expects to ship samples of the TCS3500 beginning in first quarter 2004. Volume production is expected in fourth quarter 2004.