GCT and Open Interface Form Strategic Partnership in Bluetooth Market
Open Interface to integrate BlueMagic 3.0 protocol stack software with GCT's
Bluetooth ICs for use in audio and video applications
Tokyo, Expo Comm Wireless Japan 2002, July 17, 2002 --GCT Semiconductor, a fabless semiconductor company serving the wireless device industry, and Open Interface North America, Inc., a leading provider of Bluetooth wireless software technology and services, today announced a strategic alliance to co-develop Bluetooth product solutions and reference platforms for the embedded Bluetooth multimedia market.
The partnership combines the advanced technologies of GCT's patented direct conversion RF CMOS architecture and baseband controllers with Open Interface's industry leading BlueMagic 3.0 protocol stack software to deliver high-performance streaming audio and video for Bluetooth applications.
"GCT has added core functionality to its Bluetooth chips, including a hybrid RISC/DSP core architecture that is both innovative and compelling for developers deploying high-fidelity audio and mobile video applications for consumer applications," said Hiroshi Onaka, Vice Chairman of Open Interface North America. "The business relationship into which we have entered with GCT is important for both of our companies as our customers have expressed a strong interest in audio and video applications for Bluetooth."
GCT's Bluetooth product portfolio includes Bluetooth certified radio and baseband ICs optimized for high integration, high performance and low cost. The GDM1000 RF transceiver and GDM1202 baseband controller with an embedded DSP are available as alpha samples to a select group of partners. GCT is also sampling its GDM3101, a fully integrated, on-chip MPEG4 A/V codec and Bluetooth baseband processor.
"In an effort to provide highly regarded products that are both flexible and innovative, GCT has partnered with Open Interface to provide the very best solutions to assist customers in the development of low-power, cost-effective Bluetooth-enabled multimedia applications in the rapidly expanding Bluetooth audio and video consumer markets," said Dr. K.H. Lee, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of GCT.
The Open Interface North America BlueMagic 3.0 protocol stack is a highly configurable and resource-efficient Bluetooth protocol stack designed to minimize the cost and effort of integrating Bluetooth wireless technology into embedded applications. Application and equipment developers who want to ease product development cycle are able to easily configure the modular, scalable, and portable BlueMagic 3.0 protocol stack to provide only the functionality required by the application.
GCT Semiconductor will be demonstrating its wireless audio and video platforms at Wireless Japan 2002 tradeshow, in booth # 513-2 at the Tokyo International Exhibition Center from July 17 - 19, 2002.
About Open Interface North America, Inc.
Open Interface, Inc. was established in Japan in 1992. An early adopter of the Bluetooth wireless technology specification, Open Interface, Inc. is an associate member of the Bluetooth SIG and was one of the first companies to develop Bluetooth wireless technology products for the Japanese market. The Open Interface BlueMagic 2.0 protocol stack was the first Bluetooth protocol stack to be integrated and shipped in a commercially available product. This complete, qualified Bluetooth protocol stack and related software development tools have since remained among the most successful tools for Bluetooth application developers, having been used extensively by major PC OEMs. To learn more, visit Open Interface North America, Inc. at www.openinterface.com.
About GCT Semiconductor, Inc.
GCT Semiconductor is a leading fabless semiconductor company that produces innovative integrated circuit solutions for the wireless communications industry. With its proven radio frequency (RF) CMOS and system-on-a-chip (SOC) expertise, GCT provides state-of-the-art single-chip CMOS RF transceivers, mobile digital TV receivers and Mobile WiMAX solutions serving 3G and 4G mobile system manufacturers by reducing BOM cost, lowering power consumption and minimizing total solution size. For more information, please visit www.gctsemi.com.
Media Contact:
Pierre Bedard, Operations Manager
Open Interface North America, Inc.
206-315-5579
pierre.bedard@openinterface.com
Eric Overman
Brodeur Worldwide
602-282-5433
eoverman@brodeur.com