Agere works with Silicon Labs to offer new soft modem chip sets

Agere works with Silicon Labs to offer new soft modem chip sets
By Semiconductor Business News
May 30, 2002 (1:30 p.m. EST)
URL: http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20020530S0043

ALLENTOWN, Pa. -- Agere Systems Inc. today said it has developed two next-generation chip sets for "soft" modem functions in desktop personal computers and notebook PCs that could dramatically reduce the space and cost of analog dial-up communications.

Soft modems reduce the number of components in PCs by running signal-processing algorithms on host central processors (CPUs) instead of a separate digital signal processor (DSP). Agere said its new soft modem chip sets provide additional savings and will reduce board-space requirements by up to 50% compared to signal processor-based implementations.

The new chip sets employ the latest silicon data access arrangement (DAA) technology from Silicon Laboratories Inc. of Austin, Tex., said Agere. The silicon DAA integrates coder-decoder (codec) functionality and a safe barrier between a modem and phone line without the use of bulky components, such as transformers, according to Agere.

Agere's new chip sets feature V.92/V.44 56-kilobits-per-second modem data rates and enable single-sided MDC modem cards by fitting all components on one side of the circuit board, said the company. The two-chip solution for notebook computers consists of an AC97 digital interface device, called the SV92A2, plus a silicon DAA device, designated CSP1038. Agere said it is also offering a two-chip set for PCI applications in desktop PCs.