Philips develops one-chip stereo radio for embedded use in consumer products

Philips develops one-chip stereo radio for embedded use in consumer products
By Semiconductor Business News
February 11, 2002 (4:51 p.m. EST)
URL: http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20020211S0076

EINDHOVEN, the Netherlands -- Philips Semiconductors today announced development of a single-chip implementation of stereo radio for European, U.S., and Japanese FM bands. The Dutch company said the breakthrough will enable low-cost FM radio receivers to be embedded in a range of portable consumer products, such as mobile phones, MP3 players, CD players, toys, and inexpensive promotional "giveaways."

The new chip architecture creates a radio that is "completely adjustment free," according to Philips. These one-chip embedded radios can tune into European, U.S. Japanese FM stations.

"Philips Semiconductors has realized a breakthrough in radio architecture design in such a way that expensive external parts have been replaced by 'smart silicon,'" said Kees Joosse, market sector team manager at the semiconductor unit of Royal Philips Electronics N.V. "This has resulted in lower material costs and a smaller footprint for the total radio function , giving simpler radio design."

The first monolithic radio chips to be released will be the TEA5767 and the TEA5768, which are now available as samples. Volume production of these chips will begin by the end of March. Prices were not released.

"Capitalizing on the trend for access to radio at any time, in any place, this new family of chips will enable the inclusion of radios in a whole new set of products," Joosse predicted.