The company's MediaStream platform supports a range of audio equipment types and functions, from MP3 portable players and cell phones to speech recognition for mobile devices and devices with Bluetooth connectivity.

While ARM Ltd. (Cambridge, England) holds a minority interest in Parthus, MediaStream is microprocessor-independent. It's based on the DSP2410, a 24-bit Harvard architecture DSP developed by Parthus four years ago and used subsequently in a lot of its audio-design work. In addition, Parthus offers analog components, pieces of audio software and serial and parallel audio, and regular data interfaces. They include interfaces to flash memory and flash memory card connectors.

"MediaStream's ultra-low power requirements, programmability and surroundsound effects are the key advantages of this platform," said Sean Mitchell, director of multimedia at Parthus (Dublin, Ireland). "Our technology and unique platform approach is enabling (licensees) to rapidly build lighter, smaller and more powerful next-generation MP3 players."

Format choices

Mitchell said the digital hardware component of MediaStream has been implemented in silicon using 0.18-micron CMOS, but it's available for license as an HDL file at the register-transfer level, in netlist format at the gate level or as a GDS-II tape at the layout level.

Mitchell said a C compiler and third-party development tools are available to support the DSP, but their names will be disclosed only to customers or potential customers prepared to sign a nondisclosure agreement.

The quantified power consumption of any configuration of the MediaStream was also confidential, Mitchell said, adding that MediaStream was, "as good or better than any other audio IP platform. The Cirrus Logic MP3 player; we can beat them."

The speech recognition claimed for MediaStream results from third-party software running on the DSP2410. Mitchell would not identify the company whose software has been licensed or say if Parthus could sublicense it.