Mindspeed Extends Transcede Family with Highly Integrated Processors for Small Cell 3G/4G/LTE Base Stations

With Additions, Transcede Family Covers all Performance Points from Picocells and Enterprise Femtocells to Large-Scale Macrocells  

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., May 07, 2010  -- Mindspeed Technologies, Inc., a leading supplier of semiconductor solutions for network infrastructure applications, today announced two new members of the Transcede(TM) family of wireless baseband processors. The additions extend Mindspeed's family of highly integrated system-on-chip (SoC) devices across all base station platforms for next-generation mobile networks, from picocells and enterprise femtocells to the largest macrocell implementations.

Mindspeed(R)'s expanded 3G/4G/long-term evolution (LTE) processor family includes the Transcede 3000, which is designed for small-cell 3G and 4G base stations supporting up to 32 users, and the Transcede 4005, which is designed for 3G and 4G macrocell developers who want to combine its high-performance Layer 1 (L1) physical-layer (PHY) processing capabilities with an existing Layer Two (L2) media access control (MAC) processing solution. All other Transcede processors combine L1 PHY and L2 MAC functionality on the same device to deliver the lowest possible system latency.

"Next-generation 3G/4G/LTE mobile networks will require many different equipment platforms, from picocells and enterprise femtocells that might only support a handful of subscribers, to large macrocells capable of serving hundreds or even thousands of subscribers," said Alan Taylor, marketing director for Mindspeed's multiservice access business unit. "We have addressed this challenge with a comprehensive family of Transcede devices that enable designers to leverage a common software architecture and programming model so they can speed and simplify the development of a wide variety of platforms. Our two, compelling new application-specific SoCs serve two distinct new performance points for small picocells/enterprise femto and large macrocells."

Technical Features

• Highly Integrated Solution: Transcede family devices include the very latest Cortex A9(R) multi-core symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) reduced instruction set computer (RISC) processors from ARM(R), coupled with the latest digital signal processors (DSPs) from CEVA(R). Transcede family devices also include built-in hardware accelerators for important fixed functions such as 4G forward error correction (FEC), IP Security (IPSec) and radio ciphers, along with other key system features such as Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) and dual gigabit Ethernet to further reduce system costs.
• API-Compatible Platform and Performance Scalability: The Transcede offering is designed to use the same open software architecture across many product family members, with different price and performance points. Software developed on one Transcede device can be ported to other family members across the full range of system platforms, including enterprise femtocell, picocell (indoor and outdoor), microcell and macrocell base stations.
• Green Power Management: Transcede processing cores are optimized for power efficiency and proven in wireless handset applications. Additionally, built-in power management capabilities clock down processing operations to reduce power consumption during low-traffic periods.

The Transcede 3000 combines five CEVA DSPs and a single ARM Quad Core Cortex A9 processor core, and runs at 600 MHz with less than 10 watts (W) typical power consumption. It is architected to meet the complete eNodeB processing needs of a small picocell. The high level of system integration included in the Transcede 3000 can dramatically reduce the system cost of such small base stations.

The Transcede 4005, with 10 CEVA DSPs and 10 Mindspeed application processors, runs at 750 MHz and delivers the PHY processing performance needed in large 3G/4G/LTE macrocells. In addition, a rich set of high-performance I/O interfaces provides flexibility in overall system design.

Pricing and Availability

Both the Transcede T3000 and T4005 SoCs will be available in sample quantities in July 2010, and are packaged in 31mm-square high-performance flip-chip ball grid arrays (HFC-BGAs). Pricing in OEM volumes of 10,000 is $180 for the Transcede T3000 and $250 for the Transcede T4005.

The Transcede family of SoCs leverages a platform of programmable processors in a single device; including ARM Cortex A9 multi-core symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) reduced instruction set computer (RISC) processors, CEVA DSPs and Mindspeed DSP accelerators. The solution fully supports the complete processing needs of single- and multi-sector base stations using the wideband code-division multiple access (W-CDMA), LTE, LTE time-division duplex (TD-LTE, in China), time division synchronous code division multiple access (TD-SCDMA, in China) and/or WiMAX air-interface standards. The Transcede family of SoCs can deliver performance ranging from small picocells/enterprise femto to large macrocells.

About Mindspeed Technologies

Mindspeed Technologies, Inc. designs, develops and sells semiconductor solutions for communications applications in the wireline and wireless network infrastructure, which includes today's separate but interrelated and converging enterprise, broadband access, metropolitan and wide area networks. Our products are classified into three focused product families: multiservice access, high-performance analog and wide area networking communications. Our products are sold to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for use in a variety of network infrastructure equipment, including voice and media gateways, high-speed routers, switches, access multiplexers, cross-connect systems, add-drop multiplexers, digital loop carrier equipment, IP private branch exchanges (PBXs), optical modules, broadcast video systems and wireless base station equipment. To learn more, visit us at www.mindspeed.com.