Zarlink Semiconductor

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Frequently Asked Questions

Terminology
What does "ultra low-power" mean?
Why is ultra low-power communications important?
What are the advantages of ultra low-power design for manufacturers and consumers?

Markets and Customers
How long has Zarlink been involved in ultra low-power medical design?
Where are business unit employees located?
What is your business model - application-specific or custom design?
What types of products have you introduced?
Who are your customers?
Is your typical customer market changing and why?
Why is ultra low-power design important for your customers' products?

Technology
Explain the differences and trade-offs between low-power RF and ultra low-power RF?
What types of medical advances will ultra low-power technology support?
Wireless spectrum has been allocated for implantable medical devices - what does this mean for Zarlink's ultra low-power devices?
What are the top three design challenges for an ultra low-power device?
What types of components are Zarlink's products replacing?
Can Zarlink provide expertise in system solutions for ULP RF, including antennas and standardization matters?

Terminology

Q What does "ultra low-power" mean?

A
Circuit power consumption measured in microwatts, and RF (radio frequency) radiated powers measured in microwatts. One microwatt is equal to one millionth of a watt.

Q Why is ultra low-power communications important?

A
As consumer and medical devices become increasingly smaller and offer more complex features, power consumption is critical. ULP design is optimized for minimal power use, allowing for the manufacture of miniaturized devices that operate for longer periods of time. For example, a cardiac pacemaker with ultra low-power circuitry can operate for eight years on a single battery.

Q What are the advantages of ultra low-power design for manufacturers and consumers?

A In an effort to both improve patient care and lower healthcare costs, medical device manufacturers are actively designing new wirelessly enabled products that support monitoring applications and advanced therapies. Zarlink's innovative radio is a complete system-on-chip that delivers leading data rates and critical low power performance required to connect implanted medical devices, including pacemakers, implanted cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) and drug pumps, and monitoring and programming equipment. One of our customers has designed a miniature camera capsule that uses Zarlink's transmitter chip to relay photos from inside the human body. Swallowed by the patient, the capsule operates for many hours and transmits thousands of high-quality color images to provide a complete examination of the gastrointestinal tract, revealing disease that were previously undetected by traditional diagnostic tools.

Markets and Customers

Q How long has Zarlink been involved in ultra low-power medical design?

A
More than 30 years. The first fully implantable pacemaker using an integrated circuit was designed and manufactured by a Swedish company that is now an integral part of Zarlink.

Q Where are business unit employees located?

A
Medical Communications operates four design centers around the world: San Diego (United States), Stockholm (Sweden), Swindon and Plymouth (UK).

Q What is your business model - application-specific or custom design?

A
Zarlink has a very flexible approach. Our primary focus is to seek out alpha and beta customers with the goal of developing ASSPs (Application Specific Standard Products) with industry-wide appeal. We continue to be open to the development of high-volume ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) opportunities in partnership with interested customers.

Q What types of products have you introduced?

A
Delivering high data rates, ultra-low power consumption and unique wake-up circuitry, the ZL70101 system-on-a-chip has been designed into a range of implanted medical devices, including pacemakers, implanted cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), neurostimulators, drug pumps and physiological monitors, and associated external monitoring and programming equipment. Operating in the Medical Implant Communications Service (MICS) frequency band, the highly integrated chip delivers data rates up to 800 kbps while consuming just 5 milliamps (mA) of power. By using the high data rate with heavy duty cycling, the average power consumed can be very small. To further conserve implanted device battery life, the ZL70101 incorporates a unique "wake-up" receiver that allows the chip to operate in an extremely low current 250 nanoamp (nA) "sleep" mode. Communication is then initiated using a specially coded wake-up signal from the base station transmitter. We also design custom ultra low-power analog and mixed-signal chips for pacemakers, hearing aids and other medical applications,

Q Who are your customers?

A
We will only disclose the names of our medical device manufacturers when we have permission. We have announced relationships with Cochlear, Starkey and Given Imaging, and we are delivering unique and compelling products to all of the major medical device manufacturers. We will announce customer relationships when it is prudent to do so, and with permission.

Q Is your typical customer market changing and why?

A
Our traditional medical device markets will continue to grow as the population ages, and there will always be demand for innovative ultra low-power medical devices. We believe there is a tremendous revenue-growth opportunity from emerging medical communication applications that demand ultra low-power.

Q Why is ultra low-power design important for your customers' products?

A
For the same reason that ULP technology is important to the eventual end-users of the systems our technology will enable - low power consumption for longer operating life and high reliability.

Technology

Q Explain the differences and trade-offs between low-power RF and ultra low-power RF?

A
Ultra low-power RF applications are usually those where the radiated power is under 1 milliwatt and maximum ranges are around 10 meters in free air. Frequently, ULP RF applications are very limited in antenna size and efficiency.

Q What types of medical advances will ultra low-power technology support?

A
Ultra low-power technology will support advances that contribute to better care, increased convenience for patients and doctors, and lower healthcare costs. This includes advanced hearing aids and pacemakers featuring longer operating life, increased customization, and the ability to transmit and receive patient-health and performance data, as well as remote patient monitoring tools for use in clinical settings and the home. For example, the swallowable pill allows patients to continue with their normal daily activities throughout a gastrointestinal exam, and has been found to deliver better diagnostic yield than traditional, invasive endoscopy methods.

Q Wireless spectrum has been allocated for implantable medical devices - what does this mean for Zarlink's ultra low-power devices?

A
Zarlink ULP RF devices are designed to use the bands assigned for implantable medical devices where appropriate.

Q What are the top three design challenges for an ultra low-power device?

A
DC power available, RF power required for the link, and physically and electrically small antennae.

Q What types of components are Zarlink's products replacing?

A
Typically, our ULP technology is enabling new products.

Q Can Zarlink provide expertise in system solutions for ULP RF, including antennas and standardization matters?

A Yes, we have application engineers and system architects available to support our customers with reference designs or customer-specific integration of our ICs into their systems. In addition, Zarlink offers in-house RF module and antenna design and assembly services.

Resources

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Frequently Asked Questions

Terminology

Markets and Customers

Technology

Featured Products

Resources

Medical Expertise

Standards

Supplementary Links

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Q	*What does "ultra low-power" mean?*
A	Circuit power consumption measured in microwatts, and RF (radio frequency) radiated powers measured in microwatts. One microwatt is equal to one millionth of a watt.
Q	*Why is ultra low-power communications important?*
A	As consumer and medical devices become increasingly smaller and offer more complex features, power consumption is critical. ULP design is optimized for minimal power use, allowing for the manufacture of miniaturized devices that operate for longer periods of time. For example, a cardiac pacemaker with ultra low-power circuitry can operate for eight years on a single battery.
Q	*What are the advantages of ultra low-power design for manufacturers and consumers?*
A	In an effort to both improve patient care and lower healthcare costs, medical device manufacturers are actively designing new wirelessly enabled products that support monitoring applications and advanced therapies. Zarlink's innovative radio is a complete system-on-chip that delivers leading data rates and critical low power performance required to connect implanted medical devices, including pacemakers, implanted cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) and drug pumps, and monitoring and programming equipment. One of our customers has designed a miniature camera capsule that uses Zarlink's transmitter chip to relay photos from inside the human body. Swallowed by the patient, the capsule operates for many hours and transmits thousands of high-quality color images to provide a complete examination of the gastrointestinal tract, revealing disease that were previously undetected by traditional diagnostic tools.

Q	*How long has Zarlink been involved in ultra low-power medical design?*
A	More than 30 years. The first fully implantable pacemaker using an integrated circuit was designed and manufactured by a Swedish company that is now an integral part of Zarlink.


Q	Where are business unit employees located?
A	Medical Communications operates four design centers around the world: San Diego (United States), Stockholm (Sweden), Swindon and Plymouth (UK).
Q	*What is your business model - application-specific or custom design?*
A	Zarlink has a very flexible approach. Our primary focus is to seek out alpha and beta customers with the goal of developing ASSPs (Application Specific Standard Products) with industry-wide appeal. We continue to be open to the development of high-volume ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) opportunities in partnership with interested customers.
Q	*What types of products have you introduced?*
A	Delivering high data rates, ultra-low power consumption and unique wake-up circuitry, the ZL70101 system-on-a-chip has been designed into a range of implanted medical devices, including pacemakers, implanted cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), neurostimulators, drug pumps and physiological monitors, and associated external monitoring and programming equipment. Operating in the Medical Implant Communications Service (MICS) frequency band, the highly integrated chip delivers data rates up to 800 kbps while consuming just 5 milliamps (mA) of power. By using the high data rate with heavy duty cycling, the average power consumed can be very small. To further conserve implanted device battery life, the ZL70101 incorporates a unique "wake-up" receiver that allows the chip to operate in an extremely low current 250 nanoamp (nA) "sleep" mode. Communication is then initiated using a specially coded wake-up signal from the base station transmitter. We also design custom ultra low-power analog and mixed-signal chips for pacemakers, hearing aids and other medical applications,
Q	*Who are your customers?*
A	We will only disclose the names of our medical device manufacturers when we have permission. We have announced relationships with Cochlear, Starkey and Given Imaging, and we are delivering unique and compelling products to all of the major medical device manufacturers. We will announce customer relationships when it is prudent to do so, and with permission.
Q	*Is your typical customer market changing and why?*
A	Our traditional medical device markets will continue to grow as the population ages, and there will always be demand for innovative ultra low-power medical devices. We believe there is a tremendous revenue-growth opportunity from emerging medical communication applications that demand ultra low-power.
Q	*Why is ultra low-power design important for your customers' products?*
A	For the same reason that ULP technology is important to the eventual end-users of the systems our technology will enable - low power consumption for longer operating life and high reliability.

Q	*Explain the differences and trade-offs between low-power RF and ultra low-power RF?*
A	Ultra low-power RF applications are usually those where the radiated power is under 1 milliwatt and maximum ranges are around 10 meters in free air. Frequently, ULP RF applications are very limited in antenna size and efficiency.


Q	*What types of medical advances will ultra low-power technology support?*
A	Ultra low-power technology will support advances that contribute to better care, increased convenience for patients and doctors, and lower healthcare costs. This includes advanced hearing aids and pacemakers featuring longer operating life, increased customization, and the ability to transmit and receive patient-health and performance data, as well as remote patient monitoring tools for use in clinical settings and the home. For example, the swallowable pill allows patients to continue with their normal daily activities throughout a gastrointestinal exam, and has been found to deliver better diagnostic yield than traditional, invasive endoscopy methods.
Q	*Wireless spectrum has been allocated for implantable medical devices - what does this mean for Zarlink's ultra low-power devices?*
A	Zarlink ULP RF devices are designed to use the bands assigned for implantable medical devices where appropriate.
Q	*What are the top three design challenges for an ultra low-power device?*
A	DC power available, RF power required for the link, and physically and electrically small antennae.
Q	*What types of components are Zarlink's products replacing?*
A	Typically, our ULP technology is enabling new products.


Q	*Can Zarlink provide expertise in system solutions for ULP RF, including antennas and standardization matters?*
A	Yes, we have application engineers and system architects available to support our customers with reference designs or customer-specific integration of our ICs into their systems. In addition, Zarlink offers in-house RF module and antenna design and assembly services.