'Smallest' UHF antenna chip rolls for mobile TV

Siano Mobile Silicon and Vishay Intertechnology Inc. have teamed up to develop what they say is the world's smallest UHF antenna chip for mobile DTV applications.

Vishay's RFW8021 or Siano's SMS8021, is an extremely small-form-factor, high-performance, passive, low-cost antenna chip that is applicable for multiple mobile TV formats.

The SMS8021/RFW8021 allows mobile TV device makers to base their designs on an antenna chip that is no larger than a typical small IC, and eliminate the need for the long "telescopic" antennas currently used. It can attach to any PCB, the companies said.

Target applications include cellphones, PMPs, notebooks and UMPCs, as well as accessory cards.

Applicable for all mobile TV technologies that deploy the UHF spectrum band—DVB-T, DVB-H, ISDB-T, MediaFLO and China's DMB-T—the SMS8021/RFW8021 supports a wide bandwidth range of 470-870MHz at high gain.

Only 15-by-10-by-1.2mm in size, the omni-directional antenna chip is mounted directly on the internal PCB, with soldering pads similar to any other chip in the phone.

Starting next month, the SMS8021/RFW8021 will begin shipping in production quantities as a complementary component to Siano's mobile TV receiver product line, the SMS10XX.

- Gina Roos
eeProductCenter