Lime Microsystems has again shaken up the RF market by commencing shipping the second generation Field Programmable Radio Frequency (FPRF) devices.
The FPRF contains dual transceivers that cover the frequency range 0.1 to 3800 MHz. The fully programmable, low power chips cover all the cellular bands used in 2G, 3G and 4G networks, as well as many commercial and military bands. Parameters such as gain and filter bandwidth are also fully in-system programmable, making the device the most flexible RF solution for a wide range of wireless applications.
“We are delighted to be shipping LMS7002M devices”, said Ebrahim Bushehri, Lime CEO. “We have enormous interest from applications spanning small cells, software defined radio (SDR), industrial networking, medical, test equipment and high end M2M such as asset tracking. We believe that our pricing strategy will stimulate a range of new applications in variety of markets including commercial and military customers”.
The devices are supported by a Universal Wireless Communications Toolkit (UWCT) and will in the future be supplemented with a number of low cost development boards. Customers purchasing UWCT are provided with hardware, software and direct access to expert applications engineers.
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| LMS7002EVB Development System. |
The dual transceivers are ideal for implementing Multiple-In, Multiple-Out (MIMO) systems with a digital bandwidth up to 60 MHz in each channel. The LMS7002M includes user programmable DSP that can equalize the gain and phase of a MIMO system, or enhance the analog filtering to provide a lower power consumption. The low power chip uses a 65 nm CMOS process, and consumes only 550 mW in single-in single-out (SISO) mode or 800 mW when configured for MIMO operation. The device can operate using a single 1.8 volt supply rail, and requires an absolute minimum of external components.
Lime simultaneously announced that it is significantly reducing the price of the first generation part, LMS6002D, with samples starting at $35, and $15 for quantities of 5,000 units.
LMS7002M devices and the UWCT are in stock at Lime distributors such as Digi-Key and Richardson RFPD. LMS7002M is priced at $110 in sample quantities, and $63 for quantities of 5,000 units. Customers can download the free design software, a range of development boards, projects directly from Lime website and an open-source initiative called MyriadRF.
