18 October 2016

Skyworks' SkyOne Ultra 2.0 and SkyLiTE 2.0 front-end modules with SkyBlue technology addressing demand for increased power and data coverage

Skyworks Solutions Inc of Woburn, MA, USA (which manufactures analog and mixed-signal semiconductors) says that its portfolio of new SkyOne Ultra 2.0 and SkyLiTE 2.0 front-end modules are supporting high-power user equipment (HPUE) for mobile devices.

HPUE is a special class of user equipment for LTE cellular networks that improves cell range and increase coverage. Skyworks says that its complete RF front-end systems leverage its proprietary SkyBlue technology to deliver enhanced output power and meet HPUE certification requirements from TDD carriers. SkyOne Ultra 2.0 HPUE-compliant solutions are currently shipping at several customers while the SkyLiTE 2.0 HPUE-compliant devices will be available for ramps commencing in 2017. According to the latest report from the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA), 71 operators in 43 countries have commercially launched LTE service using TDD mode, with the unpaired spectrum expected to see growth in all regions.

"With smartphones supporting upwards of 20 frequency bands and more than 30 carrier aggregation combinations, there is an increasing need for innovative front-end solutions that address high-performance, cellular TDD-LTE applications," says VP of sales & marketing Carlos Bori. "Leveraging our systems expertise, Skyworks is collaborating with carriers and OEMs to develop highly integrated devices that solve increasingly complex RF challenges, meet the most demanding standards, and provide unparalleled performance," he adds.

"HPUE significantly increases TDD-LTE Band 41 coverage and is an important innovation that will benefit the global TDD-LTE ecosystem," comments Dr Ron Marquardt, VP of technology at Sprint. "HPUE will further unlock the advantages of the 2.5GHz spectrum, particularly as consumers require more capacity and faster data speeds."

SkyOne Ultra 2.0 is a highly integrated, single LTE SKU (stock keeping unit) solution that solves harmonically related carrier aggregation challenges through design while delivering high linear RF power as well as power-added efficiency. Skyworks claims that the platform not only improves performance in terms of power output and system efficiency, it also delivers this performance in the most compact size commercially available, supporting 22 bands in less than 240mm2.

SkyLiTE 2.0 is a highly integrated module that incorporates the amplification, switching, Wi-Fi filtering and coupler functionality required to support all major FDD/TDD bands. With the addition of external duplexers, this family of solutions provides OEMs with a scalable and reconfigurable front-end system suitable for markets worldwide.

SkyBlue technology delivers envelope tracking (ET)-like system efficiency, but with a far simpler implementation method compared with traditional ET systems, says Skyworks. Utilizing the more conventional average power tracking (APT)-like approach, SkyBlue control is intuitive and has a rapid learning curve relative to ET calibration requirements, the firm adds.

Tags: Skyworks

Visit: www.skyworksinc.com