NEC Licensed to Use PC-TEL HSP Modem Technology; Partnership Brings Data/Fax/Modem Capabilities to RISC Applications
MILPITAS, Calif. — April 4, 1997 — NEC Corp., a leading provider of high-performance semiconductors, today announced that it has been licensed to use PC-TEL's patented Host Signal Processing (HSP) Modem(TM) technology.
PC-TEL's HSP Modem is being implemented as part of NEC's VR4102 RISC processor. This product is targeted for the personal digital assistant (PDA), hand-held personal computer (HPC), Internet PC, and Internet phone markets.
Based on NEC's MIPS 4000 series, the VR4102 will operate at 66MHz 4Kbytes of Instruction Cache and 1Kbyte Data Cache. The VR4102 has a unique MAC (Multiply-and-Accumulate) instruction set, which optimizes the DSP (Digital Signal Processing) computation to achieve the high performance HSP modem application. The first production release, which is planned for July, will include a 14.4Kbps fax/data/modem on the Windows CE platform. Support for different operating systems and higher performance fax/data/modem (V.34bis, 28.8/33.6Kbps) will follow soon.
By replacing the data pump, memory, controller, and UART and executing all of the DSP functions on the host CPU, PC-TEL's HSP Modem technology has set the communication industry standard of embedding signal processing and memory into the host processor and system memory. This high level of integration provides for faster time-to-market, high system reliability, reduced power consumption and a lower cost of manufacturing.
"Combining PC-TEL's HSP Modem technology and NEC's new RISC processor, together we have met the demanding time-to-market requirements by developing a solution in just six months that also meets the cost, power consumption, and functionality requirements of the portable marketplace," said Navin Nao, PC-TEL Vice President of Product Marketing.
Rao added, "This development project highlights PC-TEL's commitment to providing solutions for the various PC, Internet appliance, and combo card markets. We are very proud to be a partner with NEC."
Running under Windows CE, this implementation will be displayed at the WinHEC (Windows Hardware Engineering Conference) at Moscone Center in San Francisco, April 8-10. PC-TEL will be located at booth no. 333.
About PC-TEL Privately held PC-TEL, founded in March 1994, is based in Milpitas. The company's mission is to provide mass-communications solutions for the personal computer market through its easily integrated and cost-effective Host Signal Processing Modem (HSP Modem(TM)) Technology.
PC-TEL was the first company to ship both a 14.4Kbps and 28.8Kbps data/fax/voice (d/f/v) HSP Modems and has upgraded its product to 33.6 Kbps operation. In February 1997, PC-TEL announced the availability of a 56Kbps software upgradable modem that meets TIA/ITU standards. The company's optional digital simultaneous voice and data (DSVD) HSP Speakerphone can be implemented though a simple software upgrade without jumpers of external circuitry, requiring only a full-duplex audio sound card.
The company's products are available to PC manufacturers and other OEMs. The PCT2881 HASP Modem chip is available through distribution.
PC-TEL Inc. can be reached at 630 Alder Drive, Suite 202, Milpitas, CA 95035. Telephone: 408/383-0452. FAX: 408/383-0455. PC-TEL's World Wide Web site is at: http://www.pctel.com .
CONTACT:
PC-TEL Inc.
Shawn Owens, 408/383-0452, ext. 127
[email protected]
or
Roger Grace Associates
Roger Grace, 415/821-6881
[email protected]