embedded world: Ceva-Waves Links launches in Nuremberg

The integrated offering supports the latest wireless standards to address the surging demand for connectivity-rich chips targeting Smart Edge devices in the consumer IoT, Industrial, automotive, and personal computing markets. These industry-leading IPs include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ultra-Wideband (UWB), and IEEE 802.15.4 (for Thread / Zigbee / Matter), to offer a range of qualified, easy-to-integrate, multi-protocol wireless communications subsystem, each featuring optimized co-existence schemes and adapted to various radios and configurations.

The Links family leverages the newly rebranded Ceva-Waves portfolio of wireless connectivity IPs, formerly known as RivieraWaves. Ceva-Waves Links100, an integrated, low power, Wi-Fi 6 / Bluetooth 5.4 / 802.15.4 communications subsystem IP for IoT applications is the first IP available in this family and is currently being deployed by a leading OEM customer.

The demand for smaller, low-cost, high-performing, innovative devices with versatile connectivity is driving the need to consolidate multiple connectivity protocols in a single chip. ABI Research reflects on the move from module-level integration to on-die chip integration and forecasts that Wi-Fi plus Bluetooth combo chipset shipments will approach 1.6 billion chips annually by 2028.

“Increasingly, wireless connectivity chips are required to handle multiple standards to meet the evolving needs and diverse use cases of consumer and industrial devices. The Ceva-Waves Links family offers a significant value proposition to semiconductor companies and OEMs, lowering the risk and investment required to integrate multi-protocol wireless connectivity into chip designs. Moreover with support for UWB, the Links family offers innovative micro-location and radar sensing features for truly advanced smart edge devices,” said Andrew Zignani, Senior Research Director, ABI Research.

“The Ceva-Waves Links wireless connectivity IPs build on our extensive portfolio that already powers more than 1 billion devices annually and has enabled us to establish a strong and diversified customer base across consumer and industrial IoT applications,” said Tal Shalev, Vice President and General Manager of the Wireless IoT BU at CEVA. “With many customers designing chips employing multiple wireless standards, Links is a natural extension, leveraging our technology and expertise to dramatically reduce the technology barrier but yet delivering a tailored, optimal solution that provides the high-performance, low latency and low-power connectivity required.”

The first member of the Ceva-Waves Links family, the Links100, is an integrated, low power, Wi-Fi / Bluetooth / 15.4 communications subsystem IP for IoT applications.

Features include:

• Wi-Fi 6 optimized for cost-sensitive IoT applications,
• Bluetooth 5.4 Dual Mode, supporting advanced Bluetooth Audio with Auracast, and with a comprehensive suite of Bluetooth profiles
• IEEE 802.15.4 (for Thread, ZigBee, Matter) for smart home applications
• Optimized co-existence scheme for efficient concurrent communications
• Pre-integrated with a low power multi-protocol radio at TSMC 22nm process
  

With its modular architecture, the Ceva-Waves Links family is highly versatile to meet customers’ needs, leveraging the latest Ceva-Waves wireless IPs. Upcoming Links platforms may include:

• Advanced Wi-Fi 6/6E/7 with MLO, for a variety of use-cases, from power-efficient IoT to high-speed data streaming
• Next generation Bluetooth for Channel Sounding and High Data Throughout
• UWB, supporting FiRa 2.0, CCC Digital Key 3.0, and Radar, for innovative micro-location and sensing features
• Optimized co-existence schemes for each specific configuration
• Pre-integrated radio solutions, including partner and customer’s own technology, to address a wide range of configurations and foundry process nodes