In This Issue
Leading the Digital Revolution
15 years of DSP
Memory
Mixed-Signal and Analog
Networking
Wireless
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Redefining how the world communicatesTI delivers high-speed connectivity, a requirement in today's business and consumer marketsEvery day, millions of pages of text are sent over the Internet. Yet to many, these pages creep along at a snail's pace, getting bumped and stalled by network collisions and collapses. Demand for bandwidth -- and speed -- far exceed supply. As consumers rush to gain Internet access, the question remains: Will the Internet ever live up to the hype of providing an unlimited supply of information at the snap of your fingers?
The answer lies in the vehicle that delivers the Internet to homes and businesses -- the network. The mass of wires, plugs and boxes that connect computers to the network and the Internet is plagued by a determined amount of available bandwidth -- the speed at which information can be transmitted through a network. As demand and use grow, the available bandwidth decreases, resulting in slow -- or no -- service. The good news is that TI is working to solve this dilemma and to provide solutions that will enable high-speed remote access to the Internet, corporate Intranet and wide area network (WAN). Two examples of TI's progress are 56 Kbps software upgradeable digital signal processors (DSPs) for modems and the 0.18-micron Timeline™ technology. Quicker access TI's DSP-based chipsets are the brains behind 3Com's U.S. Robotics high-speed, upgradeable x2™ modems, powered by the world's most widely used 56 Kbps technology. The x2 technology allows Internet and online service users to download text, images and video through traditional telephone lines at up to twice the speed of 28.8 Kbps modems. More than 1,200 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in 4,000 cities are using x2 technology, and consumers are beginning to experience its benefits. TI's modem chipsets have been shipped to a wide range of manufacturers such as Packard Bell, Dell, Gateway and IBM. TI also is moving into the area of combining xDSL technology with DSP Solutions to create faster, more reliable Internet access and the ability to use a single, existing phone line to simultaneously access voice, data and video. More bandwith: TImeline TI's 0.18-micron TImeline technology provides unlimited bandwidth for networks in the form of switches and routers the size of a single chip. A switch sorts information based on its destination and a router makes the connections between networks. This technology achieves such high performance that traffic of today's entire Internet could be carried on a switch the size of a soft drink can. "TI's 0.18-micron TImeline technology is an enabling technology that can provide this bandwidth and bandwidth management. By working closely with our key networking OEM partners, the resulting products will provide the essence of unlimited bandwidth to everyone who wants it," said Greg Waters, director of TI's Networking Business Unit. "The average person working in an office sending and receiving large files with text, graphics and video will see dramatic improvements as the several minute wait with today's network is eliminated." While the user benefits are real, many of the advances credited to the TImeline technology will appear invisible. Information systems managers -- the people responsible for defining, installing and managing office networks -- will appreciate the significance of taking the equipment in a wiring closet and reducing it to a single, thumbnail-sized chip. The result, whether involving the Internet or a company's network, will be unlimited bandwidth and lower costs. Aside from bandwidth and speed, the most visible benefit to users will be the reduced cost of network components, such as Internet access through personal computers. Increased functionality also will be added, thanks to the single chip 0.18-micron solutions, which will negate the need for a fixed point of access. Today, the hardware required to provide Internet access consumes several city blocks. With TImeline technology, new handheld devices will be developed, enabling free-moving communication in voice, video and data across cities, states and countries. x2 is a trademark of 3Com Corp. TImeline is a trademark of Texas Instruments.
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