RMI Partners with CSR and SiGe for Media-enabled PND Reference Solution

(Business News & Technology News, 17 Sep 2008)

RMI Corp. has increased its partner alliance members to include CSR and SiGe Semiconductor, which will work with RMI to deliver a low cost GPS implementation in its mPND reference solution.

RMI's mPND reference design is based on its Alchemy Au1250 and Au1210 media processors, making it well positioned to enable the fast, easy design of new feature-rich portable media products. Already in high-volume production and shipping into multi-function, media-capable navigation devices, these innovative RMI Alchemy Processors enable playback of video at full-frame-rate speeds and deliver DVD-quality video and dynamic audio without the need to transcode.

The mPND reference design from RMI implements the lowest cost alternatives to replace expensive GPS modules. The Au1250 media processor provides ample processing headroom to perform the complex baseband function in software, removing the need for external hardware. RMI works closely with its newest partners, leading GPS suppliers, to extend the spectrum of cost-optimized choices for the mPND designer.

CSR provides a highly optimized software GPS (E5000) application, where the baseband function is implemented in software.

SiGe Semiconductor provides the GPS radio solution to accompany the Au1250 processor in the software GPS implementation.

For its mPND reference design, RMI selected the E5000 software solution from CSR. The CSR implementation enables the low cost GPS design by elimination of hardware GPS logic and leverages the processing capability of the RMI Alchemy processor.

RMI also selected to partner with SiGe Semiconductor, whose SiGe 4120 will enable its Alchemy-based Media Portable Navigation Device (mPND) solution.

Specifically designed for GPS applications, the SiGe SE4120 receiver IC integrates a low-noise amplifier (LNA), a low IF receiver, linear automatic gain control (AGC), IF filter, image reject mixer, and an advanced multi-bit I/Q analog to digital converter (ADC). Built to speed time to market, the SE4120 receiver provides serialized data output to facilitate software signal processing.

Combining mobile TV, navigation, and other multimedia functions, mPNDs are an emerging new market for mobile TV content and navigation services. RMI, a leader in the mPND space, has defined the lowest cost solution by integrating the CSR E5000 GPS software and the SiGe SE4120 GPS receiver IC, for its new reference design.


Click here for more information on RMI

Click here for more information on CSR

Click here for more information on SiGe