South Korean chipmaker Samsung Electronics and Belgian research organization IMEC have signed a MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) to establish collaboration on green radio research.

The MOU includes cognitive reconfigurable radio baseband and millimeter-wave wireless communication technologies.

IMEC already has an established green radio program that supports major standards for wireless communications covering cognitive radios. Cognitive radios are ICs with a radio that adapts to the changing environment including changes in frequencies, indoor/outdoor conditions, signal strength and movement.

In wireless communications, IMEC develops radio ICs capable of large data streams for use in uncompressed high-definition television. Data streams used for these types of application require a suitable bandwidth of approximately 60 GHz. Cost-effective, low-power 60-GHz radio ICs using standard CMOS targeted at the consumer market fits a common interest of Samsung's, as well.

Samsung and IMEC have partnered on projects in the past. In 2004, Samsung and IMEC partnered on sub-32-nm CMOS. In 2005, the partnership covered multi-mode multimedia research. In 2007, ubiquitous embedded systems took the forefront. At present, researchers from Samsung and IMEC aim to develop robust technologies for future wireless terminals supporting many standards.

¡°We are excited that Samsung is contemplating on extending its collaboration with us towards cognitive radios and multimeter-wave communications,¡± said Gilbert Declerck, CEO at IMEC, in a statement.

¡°We are expecting the differentiated technologies developed together with IMEC to be the key ingredient of Samsung¡¯s next generation mobile devices,¡± said Dr. Kiho Kim, head of Samsung¡¯s digital system research center, in the statement.

Meanwhile, in March of this year, Samsung announced a shift towards green-oriented innovative products as a general plan to help increase sales. One product already introduced includes an ultra-slim LCD line using LED backlighting technology for HCTVs and using up to 40% less power than conventional TVs without the technology.

With cognitive radios, IMEC intends to take the next step in combining intelligent signal processing with flexibility, the company said. Developing software-defined radios was the first step in creating ubiquitous mobile communications.

An exact end-product in mobile devices to be generated by the partnership was not identified

By: DocMemory
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