Cypress upgrades its 2.4-GHz anti-interference technology

In addition to protecting wireless PC peripherals, the new version of the AgileHID protocol reduces the power consumption of Cypress's Radio-on-a-Chip wireless solutions.

This extends battery life in various wireless applications such as PC peripherals, remote controls, toys, medical instruments and industrial appliances. The new protocol is currently available in the CY4672 PRoC LP Reference Design Kit (RDK).

The AgileHID protocol leverages two unique features of Cypress's 2.4-GHz radio devices: dynamic Data Rate (DR) and dynamic Power Amplification (PA).

Dynamic DR works by enabling the radios at both the transmitting and receiving ends to dynamically switch modes to adapt to the interference level of the environment— bouncing from Cypress's patented, frequency-agile Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) technology to a Gaussian Frequency Shift Keying (GFSK) mode.

The DSSS mode transmits at 250 Kbps with enhanced robustness and extended range, while the GFSK mode transmits data at 1 Mbps and saves battery power. Dynamic PA works by automatically adjusting the PA setting of the radios to adapt to the range required for reliable communication, significantly preserving battery life.

The technology is described in detail at How to mitigate 802.11n interference with PC peripherals.

Unit shipments of 802.11n access point and bridge router equipment will grow rapidly to exceed 31 million units in 2011, according to Dr. Jagdish Rebello, director and principal analyst at market research firm iSuppli.

"As bandwidth-hungry 802.11n technology becomes more common in the home," he said, "manufacturers of other 2.4-GHz peripheral devices will face a significant challenge in designing products robust to this increased interference."

The CY4672 PRoC LP RDK includes a compact wireless mouse, a feature-rich wireless keyboard, and a small form-factor bridge. The kit also offers documentation, hardware schematics, bill of materials, development tools, and flexible firmware for customization.

Manufacturers can copy the reference designs exactly, and only need to add enclosures to produce ready-to-ship devices. In addition, the PRoC LP RDK features firmware and hardware support for Microsoft Windows HotStart (Direct Application Launch), a new feature in Vista for launching applications directly from system startup through button presses from input devices.

More information is available at www.cypress.com.