Question: Information on Ultra Wideband (UWB)-based Wireless USB in the press concerning the involvement of the USB Implementers Forum, Intel, Agere, HP, Microsoft, NEC, Philips Semiconductors, Samsung, and others. Is this the Cypress WirelessUSB?
Answer: The Cypress WirelessUSB and the USB Implementers Forum Wireless USB are different things. Cypress adopted the name WirelessUSB in 2003 for its 2.4GHz technology. The Cypress solution is targeted at low cost, low and mid throughput applications in point-to-point and many-to-one systems. Typical applications include Human Interface Devices such as mice, keyboards and presenter tools, industrial and home automation star topology networks, and toys. In Feb 2004 Intel and other corporations founded the Wireless USB Promoters Group. The specification developed by this group has been adopted by the USB Implementers Forum. It enables devices to connect to the PC wirelessly, while maintaining interoperability and backward compatibility with wired USB technology. The USB-IFs Wireless USB is based on WiMedias Ultra Wideband common radio platform. This technology is targeted at devices needing a much higher bandwidth (Certified Wireless USB performance is targeted at 480Mbps at 3 meters and 110Mbps at 10 meters). Typical applications would include wireless storage and video devices. The cost point and system architecture is different from the Cypress WirelessUSB, and therefore the two solutions will not typically overlap in the same application space. Cypress is not currently developing any products based on the Ultra Wideband technology.
