Single-chip handset finally arrives

Companies working on any cost sensitive product often consider a single-chip implementation the ultimate goal. Over the past few years, however, increased mixed-signal content needed for features like wireless connectivity has often made multiple chips more practical than one. Still in markets like mobile handsets, it’s been clear that someone would develop a single-chip implementation even if it was just to prove the ability to do so. Texas Instruments has insisted all along that it would get to a one chip implementation. Now the company claims it’s gone further than proof of concept and is ready to produce a single-chip entry-level handset for voice-centric applications.

TI used what it calls Digital RF Processor (DRP) technology to design the chip for the company’s 90-nm process. Formerly TI used DRP in a single-chip Bluetooth implementation. The DRP handset combines GPRS baseband, RF, power management, and analog functions in one chip. TI claims to be sampling the device now and Nokia has committed to using the chip in an upcoming entry level phone.

I’d still expect most phones typically sold in North America to use separate digital and analog chips for some time. Phones that need to integrate features ranging from Bluetooth to multimedia support to digital cameras can best take advantage of a partitioned design. Still, TI and Nokia believe the single-chip design will do quite well in emerging markets such as China.