The market just welcomed a complete handset radio system that fits into a single, dime-sized package. It is known as the SKY74073 Single Package Radio (SPR). This solution combines all of the radio circuitry required for GSM/GPRS 900/1800 handsets into a package that's one-third the size of alternative solutions, which are created from discrete components. This breakthrough represents significant space savings for handset designers. It also enables savings in terms of cost and design-cycle time. At the same time, the solution provides a roadmap for future quad-band and 3G handsets.

This radio-in-a-package solution combines a transceiver; a power amplifier (PA) and its associated controller; and two surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) filters. It also includes a switchplexer module with switches and low-pass filters. All of this is housed in a compact 40-pin 13-×-13-mm laminate multichip-module (MCM) package.

At the heart of SKY74073 is the company's Full Type Approved (FTA) single-chip direct-conversion transceiver technology. To date, this technology has been included in more than 50 mobile platform designs. The transceiver's direct-conversion architecture eliminates costly intermediate-frequency (IF) conversion steps. It also reduces the number of components required to support multiband GSM/GPRS handsets. In addition, agile channel switching enables support of GPRS multislot operation.

The PA functionality is provided by a module that incorporates an EGSM900 PA block; a DCS1800/PCS1900 PA block; impedance-matching circuitry for 50-ohm input and output; and bias control circuitry. Two separate HBT PA blocks are fabricated on a single GaAs die. They provide maximum performance in the smallest possible footprint.

The SKY74073 is sampling now. Volume production is scheduled for the third calendar quarter of 2003. The module is priced at $12.95 in quantities of 10,000.

Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
20 Sylvan Rd., Woburn, MA 01801; (781) 376-3000, www.skyworksinc.com.