Direct integration to the antenna

What does PCTEL Inc.’s acquisition of Wi-Sys Jan. 5 have to do with programmable logic? Everything, when we look at the high-integration functionality of next-generation wireless services that will define smartphone offerings. The key component vendor in the mini-WiMax, mini-GPS environment is not the manufacturer of the DSP, and only tangentially the single-chip transceiver. The critical vendor of the new generation is the integrated antenna manufacturer.

PCTEL began life as an intellectual property specialist working in advanced wireless protocols. But after successive acquisitions of Maxrad in 2004 and Sigma Wireless Technologies one year later, PCTEL entered the realm of high-integration antenna subsystems based on personalization modules, the type of market defined by newcomers like SkyCross.

SkyCross vice president of operations Paul Tomatta told me a year ago that the key to developing effective multiband antennas for USB and ExpressCard was the configuration of the planar antenna itself, and the high integration of RF/IF transceivers, as well as baseband/integer integration – and of course, the latter market is one where mid-range, low-cost FPGAs shine.

Today, the integrated antenna component market is characterized by unique custom configurations, where the FPGA interface logic may be the responsibility of the antenna subsystem designer or the handset OEM. But as new MIMO approaches are standardized for card-level antennas, FPGA vendors may find many instances where they work directly with vendors such as PCTEL and SkyCross. And handheld consumer devices may be one of the first hot markets to emerge from the recession.