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| Source: CNN |
A new radio chip, when used in mobile phones and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth devices, could reduce power consumption by up to 10 times.
Developed at the University of Rochester, New York, this chipset employs a technique known as Locked Frequency Division (ILFD). This technique allows for a reduction in the power needed to transmit and receive data by up to 90%.
For two users to communicate via radio waves, they must be on the same frequency. Therefore, the phone needs to maintain an accurate and stable “meter” thanks to a special circuit called a phase-locked loop. However, this circuit consumes energy “wildly” and significantly shortens the battery life of wireless devices.
In the past, ILFD technology was considered but was put on hold due to limitations in accurately capturing the corresponding frequencies. However, Professor Wu asserts that this issue has been resolved by increasing the number of transistors on the chipset, allowing for more sensitive and precise frequency detection.
With prototype chipsets currently in the laboratory, Professor Wu reports promising performance, and he hopes to continue developing ILFD to create chipsets with even greater energy efficiency.
Thien Yi
