NXP Semiconductors, the independent semiconductor company founded by Philips, has announced a multi-standard digital terrestrial radio solution for high-quality analogue and digital radio for in-car entertainment, anywhere in the world. The system uses NXP’s newest AM/FM Car DSP, the Nexperia™ PNX9525 including NXP’s own DRM and DAB software, as well as the SAF355x including the IBOC technology from iBiquity Digital Corporation, the developer of digital HD Radio™ technology.
Building on the vision of a single-chip solution for multi-standard radio, the solution uses a software-defined radio approach to effortlessly manage multiple frequency streams and seamlessly integrate with existing DSP-based analogue radio, in a very small footprint - saving car manufacturers time, effort and costs. Consumers will benefit from intelligent signal search, concurrent radio and data feeds, as well as the ability to stream different broadcasts to separate passengers in the same car - giving them their preferred choice of radio.
The Nexperia PNX9525 is a software programmable DRM and DAB platform that allows seamless switching between the two standards. The SAF355x incorporates the HD Radio technology from iBiquity. NXP’s solution combines the PNX9525 and the SAF355x, which can then be integrated with existing DSP-based AM/FM platforms to deliver a multi-standard digital terrestrial radio experience. This flexibility reduces integration challenges and time-to-market for car manufacturers by offering a single system solution that can be programmed for DRM and DAB for Europe, and HD Radio in the US.
According to market analysis firm iSuppli Corp., “The combined demand for AM/FM and digital terrestrial radios for in-car use will increase from 101.4 million units in 2007 to 141.9 million units by 2013. As multiple geo-specific radio broadcast standards develop across the world, car manufacturers will have to examine what overlaps exist between the standards before deploying their roll-out strategies. A multi-standard radio solution that can be programmed to suit different regions will reduce the time-to-market.” [Source: iSuppli Automotive Infotainment Systems Market Tracker - H2 2007].
The NXP system will be demonstrated at CES Las Vegas in 2008.
(Source: NXP/Ibiquity Digital)
