Freescale Joins RF4CE Consortium to Develop RF Standard for Entertainment Control

Company Delivers on Promise of Open Standard to Accelerate the Transition from Infrared- to Radio Frequency-Based Consumer Electronics

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Freescale Semiconductor today announced that it is a member of the RF4CE Consortium that will help drive the adoption of an open radio frequency (RF) entertainment control specification based on IEEE^® 802.15.4. The RF4CE Consortium is focused on creating a global networking standard specification for consumer electronics to eliminate the technology limitations of infrared (IR)-based remote control solutions.

“We are very excited to be a member of the RF4CE Consortium and to help accelerate the transition from IR- to RF-based technology”

As an early creator and adopter of RF control for consumer electronics, Freescale is working closely with the Consortium on the development of the specification and is providing its Synkro^TM technology for incorporation into the specification. Freescale launched Synkro™ in 2007 and is currently in commercial production. The company is providing its networking protocol software stack, written on top of the IEEE^® 802.15.4 global standard, for use in the design of home entertainment products such as digital televisions, DVD players, audio/video receivers, set top boxes, docking stations and remote controls.

The consumer electronics industry has used IR technology for more than 30 years for networking purposes. Communication from an IR-based remote control unit must be in line-of-sight of the device and within a short distance. As the demand for larger, more connected consumer devices such as plasma and LCD screens continues to grow, IR technology no longer has the ability to effectively control these larger devices because of its technical limitations, creating a need for a more flexible solution.

“We are very excited to be a member of the RF4CE Consortium and to help accelerate the transition from IR- to RF-based technology,” said Henri Richard, senior vice president and chief sales and marketing officer for Freescale Semiconductor. “By joining the RF4CE Consortium, Freescale is delivering on a promise we made at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show to open our protocol technology for the consumer electronics market. The RF4CE standard is expected to improve overall usability of home entertainment products for hundreds of millions of consumers around the world.”

The ultimate goal of the RF entertainment control network is more than just replacing an IR remote control. RF technology is expected to enable advanced control capabilities, such as two-way communication between entertainment devices. With a single RF remote device, consumers would be able to control every aspect of the connected home. It is engineered to allow control over appliances and equipment from anywhere in the home without regard to walls or floors.

About RF4CE Consortium

The RF4CE (Radio Frequency for Consumer Electronics) industry consortium has been formed to develop a new protocol that will further the adoption of radio frequency remote controls for audio visual devices. The consortium founding members - Panasonic, Philips, Samsung Electronics, Sony Corporation - will work together with Freescale Semiconductors, OKI, Texas Instruments to create a standardized specification for radio frequency-based remote controls that deliver richer communication, increased reliability and more flexible use.

About Freescale Semiconductor

Freescale Semiconductor is a global leader in the design and manufacture of embedded semiconductors for the automotive, consumer, industrial, networking and wireless markets. The privately held company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturing or sales operations in more than 30 countries. Freescale is one of the world's largest semiconductor companies with 2007 sales of $5.7 billion (USD). www.freescale.com

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