Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2006/02/07/ibm_wireless_chip/
IBM launches chipset on unlicensed waveband
Lots of data but not much distance...
Posted in Personal Tech, 7th February 2006 10:40 GMT
IBM says its latest chip could boost wireless data transfer to ten times the current capacity.
The silicon-germanium chip uses an unlicensed section of the radio spectrum. There have been previous attempts to exploit the 30-300GHz wavelength bands, but they've been hampered by cost, size and difficulty integrating with other chips.
The chip includes transmitter, receiver and two antennas in a package the size of a dime.
Big Blue says the chips could be used to set up personal-area networks - working at less than ten metres. The technology could also be used for beaming uncompressed video content to a flat-screen display.
A report on this work will be presented tomorrow at San Francisco's Solid State Circuits conference.
Naked chip pictures available here. ®