Wavecom Selects Micronas Audio ICs for Its Multimedia Mobile Phone Development Platform (0403)

Launches MP3 Decoder Family for Mobile and Converging Multimedia Applications into the Growing Asia Markets

Freiburg, Germany -February 26, 2004-Micronas today announced that Wavecom, a provider of integrated wireless technology solutions for Vertical Applications (including machine-to-machine, automobiles and wireless local loop) and Personal Communication Devices (PCDs including telephone handsets and smartphones), selected two Micronas audio ICs for its Compact 605 and 610 multimedia mobile phone platforms. The combination of both chips brings high quality, leading-edge audio features such as MIDI, MP3 ring tones and MP3 player functions into mainstream mobile phones.

Wavecom selected the MAS 3515G single-chip MIDI synthesizer with speech and compressed audio decoder functions and the DAC 3560C, a high precision stereo digital-to-analog converter.

"Wavecom's selection of our audio solution further emphasizes the success of our strategy to bring leading-edge technology into consumer markets," said Shawn Richards, director marketing multimedia at Micronas. "With Wavecom's strong presence in Asia, and China in particular, Asian mobile phone manufacturers now get access to new key features for their next-generation devices. Micronas is in an excellent position to enhance its customer base into these strong and growing markets."

Wavecom's Compact 605 and 610 multimedia mobile phone platforms provide a complete suite of software, hardware, development tools and services that combines ease of integration with great design flexibility for the developer.

The MAS 3515G belongs to Micronas´ MAS digital audio decoder/encoder family targeted for the high-growth portable multimedia device markets. Based on the Micronas MAS DSP platform, the chip features include leading-edge wavetable based MIDI synthesis in combination with MP3 decoding capabilities in a miniature 40-pin BGA (6.0 mm x 8.0 mm x 1.2 mm) package.

"The MAS 3515G IC brings MP3 ring tones into mid and low tier phone segments. As it can also provide up to 40 voices of high-quality polyphonic MIDI audio for gaming and ring melodies, we can enable all the key audio features in mobile and converging multimedia products," explained Richards.

The DAC 3560C is a single-chip, high precision, stereo digital-to analog converter designed for audio applications. The DAC 3560C provides three integrated power audio drivers: a stereo headset, a mono earpiece and a mono loudspeaker driver. Moreover, mixing additional analog sources to the D/A-converted signal is supported.

For applications with a noise-critical power supply environment, the DAC 3560C is equipped with an integrated low drop-out voltage regulator (LDO). With the LDO, the power supply rejection ratio (PSRR) on the audio outputs is improved to more than 100 dB. The DAC 3560C comes in 6.0 mm x 6.0 mm x 0.9 mm 40-pin Plastic Quad Flat No Leads package (PQFN40).