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NEC Electronics Expands Wireless USB Portfolio with New Host Controller

19th August 2008

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NEC Electronics today expanded its suite of Wireless USB devices with the introduction of the uPD720171 Wireless USB host controller. Building on its first host controller (part number uPD720170), the new uPD720171 controller for PCI Express bus interfaces, enables high-speed, wireless data transmission between PCs that have MiniCard or Half-Minicard expansion cards and PC peripheral devices such as wireless hubs, printers, external storage equipment and digital cameras. The new host controller also provides laptop computer connectivity through an ExpressCard slot. Providing greater throughput and higher performance than previous host devices, the uPD720171 controller enables consumers to enjoy wireless lifestyles while maintaining wired USB functionality, and ease of use.

“As consumer appetite for wireless connectivity increases, the industry is requiring reliable, standardized interface solutions that can transmit data at speeds equivalent to wired USB connections,” said Yoshiyuki Tomoda, Group Manager, SoC Systems Division, NEC Electronics. “By providing these performance levels, our new uPD720171 host controller is helping bring the industry closer to mainstream adoption of advanced wireless technologies.”

Certified by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), the uPD720171 controller conforms to the Wireless USB 1.0 specification and also to the Wireless Host Controller Interface (WHCI) specification developed by Intel with support from Microsoft, NEC Corporation, Philips, Texas Instruments and other experts in Wireless USB technology.

Developed by the USB-IF, Wireless USB technology is an extension of the current USB 2.0 standard, which has been hailed as the next-generation interface standard for computers and multimedia consumer electronics devices. Products based on Wireless USB technology can transfer up to 480 Mbps of data per second, comparable to wired USB 2.0 connections, within a maximum range of 10 meters. NEC Electronics’ new controller can transfer up to 480 megabits of data per second within a maximum range of three meters.

Unwiring the cable connection frees users from having to make cumbersome and unsightly wired connections and enables them to enjoy high-speed data access wherever wireless connectivity is possible. Wireless USB technology is currently making it possible for designers to expand the boundaries of computing and digital entertainment to discover new ways for consumers to enjoy digital media.

NEC Electronics has played a central role in making the current USB 2.0 standard one of the most successful interfaces in the history of personal computing. Along with Intel Corporation and other industry leaders, NEC Electronics is a core member of the USB-IF, which developed the USB and USB 2.0 specifications and is currently developing the USB 3.0 specification. Since launching volume production of USB 2.0 devices in 2000, NEC Electronics has shipped an industry-leading 150 million units worldwide.