Integrated processor handles both audio and voice processing for handsets

Mar 27, 2008 3:56 PM

Bluetooth chip supplier CSR has announced entry into audio processor market with the launch of MusiCore1, a fully featured single-chip stereo audio processor plus Bluetooth for mobile phones. According to CSR, MusiCore1 technology presents handset makers with the first practical audio processor architecture for phone designs, saving the cost, space and power of adding a separate audio processor. Consequetly, handset makers using MusiCore1 can, for the first time, have stereo audio along with fully featured Bluetooth on a single chip, said the developer. It will save 75% of the cost of an audio processor, over 36 mm² of space and enables 100 hours of music playback, noted CSR.

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“End-users are demanding MP3 as a function in phones but currently not using it because decoding MP3 files consumes too much power.” commented Matthew Philips, senior vice president of CSR’s mobile handset connectivity strategic business unit. “MusiCore1 addresses this by presenting low power but high quality stereo audio processing to give 100 hours of music playback, high quality voice enhancements and added Bluetooth wireless connectivity. The quality and playback time make a MusiCore1-based music phone a much richer experience for the end user.”

MusiCore1 supports decoding of all mainstream music file formats including MP3, AAC, AAC+, WMA and SBC. By comparison, power consumption is 5.25 mW for an MP3 file versus 80mW consumed by a phone’s CPU for the same decoding, asserted CSR. This efficiency contributes to MusiCore1’s ability to provide a phone with 100 hours of music playback. The CPU can remain asleep when MusiCore1 is handling music files, explained CSR.

Bluetooth chip supplier CSR has announced entry into audio processor market with the launch of MusiCore1, a fully featured single-chip stereo audio processor plus Bluetooth for mobile phones

By using the CSR DSP, MusiCore1 offers audio quality comparable to standalone MP3 players - with 95dB signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR). CSR’s latest CVC noise reduction technology also provides 30 dB of dynamic background noise reduction - sufficient noise suppression to ensure voice remains clearly audible at a rock concert or airport for example.

The Bluetooth element of MusiCore1 includes CSR’s leading BlueCore technology including support for v2.1 + EDR Bluetooth, and it’s FastStream low latency (40 ms) Bluetooth technology that ensures there are no lip synch / time delay issues when a phone is used for gaming or watching videos and is connected to Bluetooth headphones. Competing Bluetooth solutions have a latency of up to 200 ms, which restricts their application for gaming, video or mobile TV, stated CSR.

CSR said that samples of the compact 3.8 x 4.8 mm CSP or BGA packages are available now with volume production to start in September of this year.