Markant opgraderet Wi-Fi switch

Peregrine opgraderer carrier-grade Wi-Fi switch med en ny løsning, der fylder 75 procent mindre og kan håndtere 60 procent højere effekt (in english).

The PE42424 is ideally suited for transmit/receive switching applications for outdoor Wi-Fi access points that require high power handling and rugged, high-temperature performance. Peregrine’s RF switch enables these WLAN products to realize the promise of 802.11ac, which is offering high data throughput in increasingly dense, bring-your-own-device (BYOD) environments.

Peregrine’s new UltraCMOS carrier-grade Wi-Fi switch, the PE42424, gives
Wi-Fi access points the fastest switching time and highest isolation in a small form factor.

- Wi-Fi is by far the cheapest way to deliver mobile data, so, at a worldwide level, the deployment of Wi-Fi access points is accelerating, says Joe Madden, founder and principal analyst at Mobile Experts.

- More than 1.8 million 802.11ac access points will be deployed next year, including both indoor and outdoor applications. In addition, most indoor small cells will also include Wi-Fi access-point hardware for seamless integration of Wi-Fi with mobile services. The wide bandwidth, high power and demanding linearity requirements of these access points drives a strong need for higher RF-component performance.

Carriers have been experiencing an exponential increase in mobile data traffic. To provide consistent quality of service, they are offloading this traffic to Wi-Fi networks, which are increasingly integrating 802.11ac into their small cells. Indoor units (IDUs) were the first Wi-Fi access points to adopt the 802.11ac standard, and Peregrine’s inaugural Wi-Fi switch, the PE42423, was optimized for high performance within those devices.

Today, outdoor unit (ODU) Wi-Fi access points are quickly adopting the 802.11ac standard, and their performance and environmental requirements are much more intensive. Peregrine developed the PE42424 to meet these specific 802.11ac-based ODU access point needs:
• High power handling of 8W to accommodate the higher transmit power of the access-point radios

• Fast switching speed of 145 ns to enable higher throughput and data rates in high-density, BYOD environments

• High port-to-port isolation to reduce signal leakage between transmit and receive paths

• Temperature support up to 105 degrees Celsius to withstand harsh environments and to reduce thermal constraints

• Small 1.5x1.5 mm footprint to reduce board area and offer engineers more design options for other functions

- Peregrine is extending its Wi-Fi RF switch line to address the tough challenges faced by designers of next-generation 802.11ac access points, says Kinana Hussain, senior marketing manager. “Our UltraCMOS technology and patented design techniques preserve the unmatched isolation performance of PE42424’s predecessor while increasing the power-handling capability, improving switching speeds and reducing the form factor. 

Peregrine’s PE42424 supports the latest carrier-grade, Wi-Fi device demands with additional features, including:
• High linearity of 61 dBm IIP3 over the entire power-supply range; this capability enables system designs with lower supply rails and prevents linearity degradation through maximum power levels

• High ESD rating of 2500V (on RF pins) that increases product reliability and eases manufacturing flow

• Smaller switch footprint that eliminates the need for external components, such as DC blocking capacitors

• Control logic support for 1.8V and 3.3V and wide power supply range from 2.3V to 5.5V that provides design flexibility

Peregrine’s PE42424 is a Single-Pole Double Throw (SPDT) RF switch featuring fast switching time (145 ns with a 125 kHz switching rate) and exceptional isolation (48 dB at 2.4 GHz and 35 dB at 6 GHz). The 50-ohm absorptive switch supports +1.8V standard logic control and provides stable RF performance over a power supply range between 2.3V and 5.5V. Samples, evaluation kits and volume-production parts are available now.