Date: 07/06/2012

802.11ac mobile MIMO wireless solution from Marvell includes NFC and Bluetooth 4.0

Marvell has announced the Avastar 88W8897, a low power 802.11ac combination radio chip designed to improve the mobile computing and high-definition multimedia experience for consumers. The Avastar 88W8897 pair wireless technologies near field communications (NFC) and Bluetooth 4.0 with mobile multiple input multiple output (MIMO) and transmit beamforming. The support is also provided for Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast once it becomes available.

Marvell's latest addition to its Avastar family of solutions includes advanced power management features designed specifically for ultrabooks, tablets, gaming consoles and smart TVs.

The company claims that the 88W8897 is the only chip that increases throughput with 802.11ac technology while simultaneously leveraging NFC to enable simple tap-and-go wireless capabilities. The 88W8897 system-on-a-chip (SoC) offers the highest level of integration available, which enables a rest of bill of materials (RBOM) footprint reduction of 40-to-50 percent and cost reduction of 75 percent compared to previous wireless solutions.

The 88W8897 is designed to enable the constant connectivity when paired with ultrabooks, keeping e-mail, social media and digital content up-to-date even when a device is in standby mode. By coupling Marvell's full Wi-Fi offload solution with Windows 8 features such as Wake On Wireless functionality and connected standby, 88W8897 is expected to deliver the Always On, Always Connected (AOAC) computing experience.

Key features:
1. 802.11ac: Leveraging 802.11ac, Marvell's 88W8897 chip delivers up to 867 Mbps of throughput and is suitable for home digital applications, enabling a multi-stream HD video experience. The 802.11ac allows for high speed data sync, which results in lower power consumption and longer battery life.

2. NFC: As a pivotal component of Marvell's 88W8897 combination radio chip, NFC simplifies the pairing of two wireless-enabled devices and the technology can replace credit cards when deployed in portable devices. Used as an out-of-band authentication channel for other radios, NFC enables a one-tap pairing experience for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Additionally, NFC allows consumers to pay for items with the tap of a phone via mobile commerce and point-of-sale (e-wallet) applications.

3. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast: Designed to support WI-FI CERTIFIED Miracast, expected to be certified later this year, along with Marvell's dynamic rapid channel switching (DRCS) technology, the 88W8897 allows consumers to stream video from their ultrabook or tablet to a larger display in 5GHz while simultaneously surfing the Internet without losing the connection in 2.4GHz.

4. Integrated Location Engine: A Wi-Fi location engine enables accurate indoor positioning by implementing the 802.11v time of flight protocol in hardware. Used in conjunction with other navigation aids such as GPS and sensor data, products integrating the 88W8897 will feature a set of location based services for app developers and retailers.

"Wireless connectivity is a critical pillar in supporting the always-on lifestyle. I am very proud to see the great innovations of our engineers continue to raise the bar by significantly improving network throughput, energy efficiency, and ease-of-use all simultaneously in a highly integrated single chip solution," said Weili Dai, co-founder of Marvell. "Optimized for the next generation of smart devices in the home and office, the Avastar 88W8897 not only enhances the performance of current consumer electronic devices, but also enables a plethora of new applications and innovative products in mobile commerce, digital entertainment, healthcare and electronic security. I believe the world's first 802.11ac mobile MIMO combo solution with NFC from Marvell will fundamentally change the wireless landscape and truly enable the entire spectrum of always-on consumer products."