Cirrus Logic Expands Portable Audio Chip Leadership into Markets for Mobile Communications and Smartphones

Building upon its initial success with innovative ICs for targeted smartphone applications, Cirrus Logic Inc. (Nasdaq: CRUS) is expanding its portfolio of standard products for smartphones and mobile consumer electronics applications.

The CS42L73 is a high-quality, ultra low-power audio codec designed for smartphone applications, and the CS35L0X is an analog-input, hybrid Class D speaker amplifier for mobile communications and portable devices. These products build upon the company’s technology leadership in portable audio products and help solve multiple system challenges encountered by designers in the areas of extending battery life, improving audio quality, simplifying signal management and reducing electrical-magnetic interference (EMI) while enabling smaller form factors.

Smartphones, which combine the functions of a PC, mobile phone and personal media player all in a single device, are increasingly being tasked to efficiently manage a higher multitude of interactive features and media-rich content. These applications require an increased demand for higher processing performance and system power usage – all at a time when consumers are demanding longer battery life. The CS42L73 codec allows power-hungry smart phones to conserve energy and extend battery life by offloading audio-related tasks, such as signal routing and processing, typically reserved for the applications processor. Analyst firm iSuppli has forecasted that smartphone sales will nearly double to 497 million units by 2014.

“Cirrus Logic is expanding its product portfolio in mobile communications for a broad range of customers,” said Jason Rhode, president and chief executive officer, Cirrus Logic. “Our strategy is to continue to develop innovative products such as the CS42L73 and CS35L0X that solve real problems for smartphones and portable devices, especially in areas such as lowering system power while retaining high audio quality.”

The CS42L73 is available today and is also featured on the XMM 6260 reference design from Infineon Technologies AG.

With three serial audio ports and asynchronous sample rate converters, the CS42L73 is able to manage the complex routing, processing and mixing of a variety of multiformat audio signals, such as voice, music MP3s, ringtones and streaming audio, while increasing overall system efficiency. Its rated power consumption is as low as 4 mW during a voice call, offering the lowest power consumption in the market of a product with asynchronous sample rate converters and a digital mixing engine in the signal path. Stereo playback to the headphone is even better, as the CS42L73 only dissipates 3.5 mW.

A Cirrus Logic whitepaper “Unleashing the Audio Potential of Smartphones” explaining the challenges of evolving roles of audio ICs in mobile communications applications is available here.

The CS42L73 features two analog-to-digital converters and four digital-to-analog converters (DACs) based on an advanced, high-quality, multibit Delta Sigma architecture. The DACs can drive five outputs, including ground-centered stereo Class H headphone and line drivers, an ear-piece driver and a low EMI hands-free speaker driver. The analog front end supports both line and microphone inputs with both programmable gain amplifiers and automatic level control. Dual microphone pre-amplifiers and bias supplies are integrated for analog microphones, and an interface for dual digital microphones is also included.

CS35L0X: Extending Power Savings, Improving Audio Performance

To meet the multiple challenges of delivering high-quality audio in a mobile handset application while keeping noise and power consumption low, Cirrus Logic has also developed the CS35L00 (+6/+12 dB gain), CS35L01 (+6 dB gain), and CS35L03 (+12 dB gain) hybrid Class D audio amplifiers. Using an advanced closed-loop Delta Sigma architecture and patent-pending hybrid Class D technology, the amplifier family combines Class D efficiency and output power with low idle current consumption and minimal EMI found typically only in class AB amplifiers.

The CS35L00 family of amplifiers consumes only 0.9mA of quiescent current, which is 40 percent less than the nearest competitor. This advantage is enabled by patent-pending techniques for adjusting the amplifier voltage rails to suit the signal being amplified and not waste power when the amplifier is idle or the output signal is at a low amplitude. Combined with proprietary dynamic output switching frequency adjustment and edge control, the CS35L00 family delivers superior EMI performance, power consumption and audio quality. These ICs target not only smartphones and general market handsets but also other consumer applications such as laptop computers, wireless headsets, digital video cameras and camcorders and portable gaming devices.

Pricing and Availability

The CS42L73, which is provided in a 64-ball WLCSP package, is available in volume production and priced at $1.95 in quantities of 10,000. The CS35L00 is available in a 10-pin DFN package and the CS35L01/03 are available in a 9-ball WLCSP package, and are pin compatible. Both ICs are in volume production. The CS35L00 is priced at $.35 in quantities of 10,000 and the CS35L01/03 are priced at $0.32 in quantities of 10,000.

Cirrus Logic, Inc.

Cirrus Logic develops high-precision, analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits for a broad range of innovative customers. Building on its diverse analog and signal-processing patent portfolio, Cirrus Logic delivers highly optimized products for a variety of audio and energy-related applications. The company operates from headquarters in Austin, Texas, with offices in Tucson, Ariz., Europe, Japan and Asia. More information about Cirrus Logic is available at www.cirrus.com.

Cirrus Logic and Cirrus are trademarks of Cirrus Logic Inc. All other product names noted herein may be trademarks of their respective holders.

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