picoChip, A Unique Start-up in Wireless Broadband

When Peter Claydon and Doug Pulley founded picoChip, their grand aim was “to solve the tough problems of next generation wireless with a programmable platform.” Today, they are a force to reckon with in WiMAX.

picoChip is a fabless semiconductor company, focusing on the PHY (Physical Layer). They provide a programmable chip (sort of SSoC - a Software SoC) that can be used for WiMAX, WCDMA, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, 802.11, etc. This places them in a unique position of supplying to competing markets. They started in 2000, with designs on the 3G market, but today, their biggest slice is WiMAX. Considering that they are a ’sub-system design house’ they have teamed up with MAC and Radio providers to provide the complete solution. Their processor is a veritable power-house: for instance, the PC102 has 308 processors, each clocking 160MHz, communicating with an internal bandwidth of 3.3 terabits/s. Since all decisions on code/interconnects are made at compile time, it is a completely deterministic architecture. They provide the software (reference designs) and their toolchain hides the complexity of the underpinnings by providing a very simple interface. They even obviate the need to have an RTOS.

The remarkable flexibility of their processor-array is a high value-proposition (it is the only company that provides just a software upgrade from Fixed WiMAX SS/BS to Mobile WiMAX SS/BS running on the same hardware). Their innovative approach has earned them plenty of plaudits. They provide the shortest time-to-market path, lower BOM and prevent technological obsolesce. Success has been forthcoming: they have partnered with Korea Telecom to implement the WiBro service in Korea.

CETECOM, the WiMAX Certification Lab is using their design for certification testing of equipment from other vendors. For a VC funded company in such an area, revenues will take time to come in, although specific numbers are not available. Since non-technological factors could define the way this future will evolve, there could be pitfalls. Hopefully, with their approach and partnerships, picoChip’s future will be bright enough.

Further Reading:

www.picochip.com
picoChip discusses its role
WirelessDesignOnline article
The Femtocell option on CommsDesign
picoChip secures additional funding