July 3, 2013 – Imagination Technologies (hereinafter Imagination, www.imgtec.com ), a leading company in the fields of multimedia, communications semiconductors and cloud technology, announced on the 2nd that it has licensed and supplied its Ensigma Series 4 Radio Processor Unit (RPU) IP core product family to key partners.

The new RPUs Series 4 introduces an architecture that provides high efficiency and bandwidth, enabling the most commercially available communication standards, such as 802.11ac 2x2 MIMO and DVB-T2, to run at low power. In particular, by adding highly specialized data processors combined with a significantly upgraded internal Data Fabric, it delivers top-tier performance and optimal throughput to lead next-generation applications, ranging from home multimedia to advanced data roaming.

The enSigma Series 4 RPU provides a unique, universal, and highly scalable solution for integrating global compatibility and broadcast reception capabilities into an SoC. Combined with a cutting-edge 4th-generation multiprocessor architecture, the latest software-programmable wireless technology supports a wide range of communication standards, including the following.

• Supports 802.11 based on Wi-Fi standards ranging from Bluetooth to 802.11n based on 802.11ac 2x2 MIMO and 4x4 MIMO
• Supports all major broadcast TV receiver standards
• Supports all major digital and FV radio standards

The flexible hardware architecture of the enSigma Series 4 RPU makes engine configuration easy and convenient, enabling application to all IT devices, from cost-sensitive, ultra-small embedded connected processors to the latest smart TVs and tablets targeting the global market. For optimal deployment, EnSigma Series 4 RPUs introduce four product families.

• Connection compatible standard Ensigma C4xxx cores
• TV standard support Ensigma T4xxx core
• Radio broadcasting standard support Ensigma R4xxx core
• Universal Ensigma U4xxx cores supporting all standards

The enSigma Series 4 RPU resolves challenges in the broadcasting and telecommunications sectors by supporting multiple standards within a single engine. Furthermore, it ensures that all information and communications requirements are "future-proof," allowing them to be integrated into the latest SoCs while guaranteeing the lowest system costs, high performance, and low power consumption under any operating conditions. Additionally, its advanced programmability enables the same SoC to be utilized across various markets and products with minimal modifications.

Tony King-Smith, Vice President of Marketing at Imagination, stated, “From early Tier 1 suppliers to specialty product suppliers, an increasing number of Imagination licensees are seeking out enSigma Series 4 RPUs across various markets. This is evidence that customers trust the significant benefits of integrating highly efficient and advanced information and communications processing methods into a single chip. We have consistently predicted that RPUs, like GPUs, would eventually be integrated into chips, and numerous partners acknowledge this trend.” In addition, they emphasized, “As ICT requirements for consumer goods, manufactured goods, and automobiles become increasingly advanced and complex, the enSigma RPU is the ideal solution for markets where competition has recently intensified.”

How to purchase
The enSigma Series 4 RPU is currently on sale, and for more information, please contact info@imgtec.com .

About EnSigma Series 4 RPUs
The enSigma Series 4 RPUs are Imagination's flagship IP family. Imagination's IP includes industry-leading PowerVR graphics and video IP such as GPUs and VPUs, MIPS CPU IP, Flow cloud IP, and solutions for next-generation SoCs.

This product is ideal for a diverse range of markets, including global TV chassis and set-top boxes, general and automotive wireless products, tablets and other communication products, as well as embedded processors that enable internet usage.

The enSigma Series 4 architecture uniquely combines programmable modulation and coding processors with multi-standard hardware accelerators and multi-stream DMR fabrics to produce multi-standard baseband solutions optimized for power and area. Core modulation and coding processors are self-configurable, and multiple programmable hardware accelerators complement functions that are difficult to perform in software, such as signal down-conversion and improved error correction.

In addition, the nSigma Series 4 IP architecture features a highly scalable multicore approach that enables maximum configurability by combining an ultra-high bandwidth programmable bus fabric with a high-efficiency VLIW-based 4th generation modulation processor acting as a multi-context. This enables nSigma Series 4 RPUs to be configured for 4x4 MIMO, 802.11ac or higher, and allows for configuration with more than 30 standards for major 802.11 profiles, TV and radio broadcasting, Bluetooth, and other broadcast and information and communications standards.

Ensigma RPUs support all major communication standards, including 802.11abg and 802.11n (4x4 MIMO standard), 802.11ac (2x2 MIMO standard), and Bluetooth. Additionally, global TV products support broadcast radio standards including DVB-T2, DVB-T, ISDB-T, ATSC, GB20600-2006 (CTTB), DVB-S2, DVB-S, ISDB-S, DVB-C, J.83B, ISDB-C; analog TV; mobile TV including T-DMB; 1-Seg ISDB-T and DAB/DAB+, HD radio, 3-seg ISDB-T, ISDB-Tmm, and FM.