Cirrus Logic Launches New Telephony Chipsets For Next-Generation PC And Internet Appliance Communications; New FastPath platform supports DSVD,V.80, speakerphone at 33.6 kbps.FREMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 10, 1996--Cirrus Logic Inc. (Nasdaq: CRUS crus (krus) pl. cru´ra [L.] 1. leg (1). 2. a leglike part. crus ce´rebri ) today unveiled a suite of highly integrated, fully featured telephony chipsets that will support next-generation communications in multimedia PCs and Internet appliances. These products are based on Cirrus Logic's new FastPath V.34+ (33.6 kbps) telephony platform, a sophisticated architecture that is the first to incorporate a powerful 32-bit ARM RISC processor RISC processor [Reduced Instruction Set Computer], computer arithmetic-logic unit that uses a minimal instruction set, emphasizing the instructions used most often and optimizing them for the fastest possible execution. along with a high-bandwidth DSP (1) (Digital Signal Processor) A special-purpose CPU used for digital signal processing applications (see definition #2 below). It provides ultra-fast instruction sequences, such as shift and add, and multiply and add, which are commonly used in math-intensive . With these features, the FastPath platform is capable of supporting the concurrent operation See multitasking, multiprocessing and parallel processing. of a wide range of advanced data, fax and voice features at up to 33.6 kbps. Using the FastPath platform, Cirrus Logic's new family of chipsets provide OEMs with a migration path that maps to current as well as emerging communications applications supported by new classes of PCs and Internet devices. This common platform allows advanced functionality, such as Digital Simultaneous Voice and Data (communications) Digital Simultaneous Voice and Data - (DSVD) A technique supported by some modems for multiplexing compressed speech with digital data for transmission over a normal telephone line. (DSVD (Digital Simultaneous Voice and Data) An all-digital technology for concurrent voice and data (SVD) transmission over a single analog telephone line. The DSVD V. ) and V.80 for video conferencing See videoconferencing. (communications) video conferencing - A discussion between two or more groups of people who are in different places but can see and hear each other using electronic communications. , to be easily added as they are required by PC and Internet appliance users. The result is that OEMs need only a single design to supply the full range of communications features required for next-generation applications. "PCs and Internet appliances are increasingly being used for a variety of telephony applications such as telecommuting telecommuting, an arrangement by which people work at home using a computer and telephone, transmitting work material to a business office by means of a modem and telephone lines; it is also known as telework. , conferencing and telegaming," said Raphael Mehrbians, director of modem product marketing for Cirrus Logic (company) Cirrus Logic - A manufacturer of integrated circuits including the Advanced RISC Machine and display interface processors and cards for use as Windows accelerators (requiring dedicated driver software). http://cirrus.com/. . "With this in mind, we have developed a platform that supports today's communications requirements while providing a cost-effective migration path to future applications. In addition, our FastPath platform introduces a new price/performance ratio In economics and engineering, the price/performance ratio refers to a product's ability to deliver performance, of any sort, for its price. For instance, if you have a whole day to travel 100 km, spending $50 to do the journey in two hours is a better price/performance ratio than to the industry by offering lower bill-of-materials cost for improved performance." According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Lisa Pelgrim, industry analyst at Dataquest, "With the growth of the Internet, consumers are demanding ever increasing performance over their phone lines. OEMs, meanwhile, need to find new ways to cope with the rapid changes taking place in telecommunications technology while attempting to satisfy those demands. It is clear that a common, highly integrated telephony platform is the only means of achieving both goals." The FastPath Telephony Platform The FastPath platform supports all current International Telecommunications Union See ITU. (body, standard) International Telecommunications Union - (ITU) ITU-T, the telecommunication standardisation sector of ITU, is responsible for making technical recommendations about telephone and data (including fax) communications systems for PTTs and suppliers. (ITU (International Telecommunication Union, Geneva, Switzerland, www.itu.ch) A telecommunications standards body that is under the auspices of the United Nations. Comprising more than 185 member countries, the ITU sets standards for global telecom networks. ) standards for data, fax and voice up to V.34 and the pending 33.6 kbps standard. The first available FastPath chipsets are the CL-MD3450 and CL-MD3452 for desktop applications and the CL-MD3451 and CL-MD3453 PCMCIA-compatible solutions for mobile applications. These chipsets support concurrent data, fax, voice functions that include full-duplex speakerphone, Radish's VoiceView protocol and telephone answering machine capabilities at up to 33.6 kbps. VoiceView is ideal for supporting such alternate voice and data applications as banking or shopping transactions. Follow-on pin-compatible chipsets supporting the ITU-DSVD and V.80 multimedia communications standards will be available throughout this year. With its support for 33.6 kbps data rates, the FastPath platform delivers the highest level of performance available today. This capability to achieve higher data transfer rates over standard telephone lines is especially critical given the increasing use of the Internet. Plus, as a result of the robustness of 33.6 kbps transfer rates, a higher percentage of connections at 28.8 kbps is ensured. With its support for concurrent data, fax, and voice operations, the new platform meets growing consumer demands for interactive multimedia communications. Such advanced interactive applications which include telegaming, white-board conferencing and other collaborative computing functions require ITU-DSVD, speakerphone and V.80 support. These features are part of the new platform's migration path. DSVD allows the simultaneous transmission of data and digitally-encoded voice signals over a standard phone line. It is an ideal functionality for applications where interactive voice and data are required. Even though multiple proprietary solutions for simultaneous voice and data See SVD. transmissions have been used in the past, the ITU V.70 DSVD standard is expected to become the leading accepted solution. The FastPath platform's support for the V.80 ITU standard addresses video conferencing applications, which are expected to be popular in the SOHO Soho (sōhō`, sə–), district of Westminster, London, England, known for its continental restaurants. Once a fashionable quarter, it became popular among writers and artists in the 19th cent. and telecommuting markets. In order to enable this key feature on desktop PCs, communication products will be required to support the ITU H.324 standard. Host implementation of the H.324 in Windows '95 or other OS environments require the underlying modem to support V.80 as a synchronization mechanism for audio and video streams. To deliver hands-free computer telephony See CTI, VoIP and IP telephony. Computer Telephony - Computer Telephone Integration , the FastPath family supports a high-quality, full-duplex speakerphone that features a proprietary echo-cancellation technology. The full-duplex speakerphone is capable of operating in all modes, including concurrent operation with DSVD. To provide superior audio quality for advanced telephony applications, FastPath modem chipsets support the CD-quality audio codecs of Crystal Semiconductor, a Cirrus Logic subsidiary. Packaging, Pricing, and Availability The FastPath platform supports multiple solutions that can be implemented with either three or four chips. The controller and DSP are both packaged in 128-pin shrink quad flat packs (SQFPs) or in very-thin quad flat packs (VQFPs). The two sigma-delta analog front ends (SAFEs) are each packaged in 44-pin VQFPs. Sample quantities of the CL-MD3450 and CL-MD3451 and the CL-MD3452 and CL-MD3453 are available, priced at $66 and $70, respectively, in quantities of 1,000. Volume production is planned for the third quarter of 1996. Headquartered in Fremont, Calif., Cirrus Logic Inc. is a leading manufacturer of advanced integrated circuits for desktop and portable computing, telecommunications and consumer electronics markets. The Company applies its system-level expertise in analog and digital design to innovate highly integrated, software-rich solutions. Additional information about Cirrus Logic and its subsidiaries can be accessed on the World Wide Web at http://www.cirrus.com/ or via fax-on-demand at 800/359-6414 (dial 510/249-4200 from outside the United States). -0- Note to Editors: All trademarks noted herein are registered to their respective owners. CONTACT: Cirrus Logic, Inc. Connie Duncan, 510/226-2346 cduncan@corp.cirrus.com or Raphael Mehrbians, 510/226-2117 raphael@corp.cirrus.com or Tsantes & Associates Mary Jane Reiter, 408/452-8700 maryjane@tsantes.com |
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