Technical News

Anritsu and Cisco Systems have co-authored a new version of the Bridge Control Protocol (BCP) currently defined by IETF draft standard RFC1638. The updated protocol allows switches to support new LAN standards such as virtual LANs (VLANs) and link aggregation (trunking) over MAN and WAN links. Vendors expect this proposal to be ratified in mid-2000 after review by the Internet Engineering Steering Group.

The proposed standard supports today’s Ethernet tagged frames, the length of which is extended to carry VLAN and priority fields. It enables easier implementation of BCP in high-speed hardware logic, which is essential to assure the wire-speed operation of today’s multilayer switches.

The new BCP proposed standard is backward-compatible with the original BCP.

Anritsu Company, www.us.anritsu.com

Motorola’s Network Solutions sector introduced a technology that will allow CDMA systems operators the ability to achieve wireless data rates of about 5 Mbps on their existing CDMA infrastructure. The proposal, known as 1X Plus, complies with 3G 1xRTT standards. The technology will provide wireless operators a migration path for upgrading existing base stations in order to achieve data rates up to 350 times faster than the current 14.4-kbps rate.

This technology allows both voice and data to co-exist on the same 1X Plus carrier and will enable CDMA operators to leverage their existing investments in IS-95A and IS-95B.

Motorola, Inc., www.motorola.com. .

Texas Instruments (TI) has developed a manufacturing process technology that will integrate analog and mixed-signal devices. TI’s complimentary bipolar analog process enables the combination of analog transistors and CMOS logic to allow more digital logic to be integrated on chip.

BiCom-II, the 15-V complementary bipolar process provides 15-V transistors for use in op amps, as well as 5- and 10-V analog transistors. The process also includes a 5-V submicron digital CMOS process.

Texas Instruments, www.ti.com. .

Alpha Industries signed a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held Network Device of Sunnyvale, CA. Network Device provides GaAs IC design and fabrication service, with an emphasis on the heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) technology.

Under the terms of the acquisition, the number of shares of Alpha common stock to be exchanged for all outstanding shares and options of Network Device will be determined by a formula based on an average closing price for a specified period prior to the closing of the transaction. The acquisition will be accounted for as a pooling of interests and is expected to be completed in the first half of Alpha’s fiscal year 2001.

Alpha Industries, www.alphaind.com. .

Blue Wave Systems, Inc. and TI announced that the ComStruct voice-over-IP (VoIP) product has been selected for Avtec, Inc.’s communication dispatch system, DSPatchNET.

Together, the companies will provide a voice, fax, and data gateway-processing engine for the Compact PCI (CPCI) platform. The processing engine consists of Blue Wave’s CPCI DSP resource board, the ComStruct CPCI/C5421, TI’s TMS320C54x DSPs, and Telogy GoldenPort software.

Blue Wave Systems, www.bluews.com. .

Samsung has unveiled its multislot Class 8 General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) mobile handset, based on the Lucent Technologies Microelectronics Group’s GPRS chipsets and software solution.

The Samsung handset leverages Lucent’s Sceptre 3 chipset and Optimay GPRS protocol software. Sceptre 3 integrates digital signal processing, microprocessing, ROM, RAM, laser programmability on one chip, DSP software, and analog functions. Optimay GmbH, the GSM software subsidiary of Lucent Technologies, developed the FPRS protocol stack.

Lucent Technologies, www.lucent.com .

Telelogic AB has formed a partnership with Newline Information AB, a designer of Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-based information server technology.

Telelogic will provide its Telelogic Tau product, which is composed of tools for the analysis, design, and testing of event-driven, real-time applications. The tools merge the graphical notation of UML with the development language of SDL.

The embedded WAP-server stack will be provided by Newline Information. The stack enables the use of standardized handheld WAP terminals to control embedded products and is suited to real-time operating systems.

Telelogic AB, www.telelogic.com. .