Complete Small Form Factor Reference Design for Hands-Free Car Cellular Phone Kits

Featuring a TI DSP-based platform, the new reference design eliminates the need to further design any core hardware or car audio software modules, thus saving OEMs cost and up to nine months in development time.

Spurred by bans on holding a cellular phone while driving in multiple U.S. states, European nations and other countries worldwide, HFK technology is not only a growing necessity for drivers, but also for
developers that need to meet this demand by providing sound quality products that meet specific consumer expectations. As a result, it is increasingly important to have integrated platforms in order to keep from reinventing fundamental technology.

The TI HFK Reference Design is a full system solution including hardware, schematics and Gerber files, freeing customers from the burden of hardware and software development of the reference design, part
selection validation and testing. Instead, they can concentrate their efforts into customizing specific features on their higher quality audio products while saving at least 40 weeks in development time and cost.

Sufficient on-chip memory and processing horsepower are extremely important features to have in DSPs in HFK Reference Designs, said Greg Eslinger, vice president of engineering at Acoustic Technologies. The new TI TMS320C54HFK DSP is optimized for HFK Reference Design products
and offers optimal performance and more on-chip memory than options from other manufacturers. This allows our SoundClear software to deliver a crisp, clear, higher-quality user experience by removing echoes, performing noise cancellation and enhancing the audio.

The HFK Reference Design is based on TI's audio optimized TMS320C54xTM DSP, which gives designers an effective way of achieving the high-performance, low-power operation and low system cost ideal for
audio specific applications. Combined with expertise from an array of TI DSP Third Party Network members, designers now have access to easy-to-use hardware and software to help deliver improved sound quality hand-held devices with the reference design. The design leverages Acoustic Technologies' key software algorithms for echo cancellation, noise reduction and enhanced speech to achieve clear, crisp audio allowing engineers to build best-in-class hands free devices that
deliver the best user experience.

Satisfying the growing need and trend for Bluetooth-enabled hand-helddevices, TI utilizes Bluetooth technology from Adamya Computing Technologies, a leading third party with a track record of providing
quality support to TI customers, to deliver Bluetooth communication software allowing simultaneous audio and data streaming. By integrating Bluetooth, this makes it possible to use the HFK Reference Design with any Bluetooth enabled phone regardless of phone manufacturer. Bluetooth
and audio streaming have removed the cradle, making it unnecessary to upgrade the kit for new or additional phones, thus simplifying systems and providing customers with more consistent use across products. Lyrtech provides additional flexibility by providing a complete packaged
solution and technical support based on its experience in designing advanced DSP development solutions. Moreover, having joint system design engineering and manufacturing capabilities to quickly support customers looking to go in production will greatly help reducing time-to-production and time-to-market for OEMs. The result of this joint collaboration is a system that can be used as-is or differentiated through the addition of customized software features or the OEM's own
proprietary software.

While the Bluetooth software, noise reduction and echo cancellation are standard, additional software is available to customize the design, such as phone book download functionality and speech recognition, to create an ideal user experience. A Bluetooth A2DP profile for audio streaming
allows the driver to play MP3 music via the phone through the headset or car speakers and also lets them connect to a laptop PC or other Bluetooth-enabled audio systems. Another helpful feature includes automatic car stereo music muting when receiving incoming phone calls.

The HFK Reference Design puts OEMs a step ahead in the development of cellular car kits, said John Dixon, worldwide low power DSP product marketing manager, Texas Instruments. With proven technology from experienced DSP third parties, plus TI's leadership in the Hands Free
Car Kit DSP market, OEMs can now quickly and easily build quality cellular phone HFKs for the auto aftermarket.