1997-11-13 , ESC-9742

Philips Semiconductors' Handheld Computing Group has announced three major agreements for the company's TwoChipHCG*™ and TwoChipHCG*™ Plus architectures, which are specifically designed for the handheld personal computer market and provide the essential combination of high performance with low power consumption.

The TwoChipHCG* chipset will be embedded in Quantum Micro Systems' QMS-104 computer board while the TwoChipHCG* Plus will support the new Microsoft Windows© CE™ 2.0 platform and forms the basis of an alliance between Philips Semiconductors Handheld Computing Group and Epson to provide high-resolution 16-bit colour support for handheld equipment.

Incorporation of the TwoChipHCG* into Quantum Micro Systems' new QMS-104 computer board will offer customers PC functionality to control embedded applications. The board, which is a smaller form factor CPU board with an ISA bus, will enable industrial users of portable instruments, such as automotive technicians and inventory controllers, to access a greater amount of information and run more powerful applications on the Windows CE platform.

The TwoChipHCG* Plus chipset will support the new Microsoft Windows CE 2.0 platform, the second-generation operating system developed for the handheld computing industry, and allows users to fully access the power of the new OS platform. The original Windows CE platform was developed by Microsoft to give handheld computer users the power and feel of a desktop PC. The 2.0 version takes this one step further by offering PC colour and processing capabilities in a handheld format. Combining high performance capabilities with low power consumption, the TwoChipHCG* Plus will let users access the power of the Windows CE 2.0 operating system without sacrificing critical battery life.

To expand the functionality of its TwoChipHCG* Plus processor, Philips Semiconductors Handheld Computing Group has chosen to team up with Epson to provide handheld users and OEMs with 16-bit colour support and high quality VGA capabilities. The chipset will have increased functionality including Epson-enabled 16-bit colour and V.34 communications and represents a highly integrated solution to optimise the operations between hardware and software. The alliance between Philips Semiconductors and Epson meets demands for performance, communications and low power consumption in handheld equipment and anticipates the emergence of more intensive OS platforms.

The TwoChipHCG* consists of Philips Semiconductors' PR31500,  UCB1100, V.32bis softmodem and Windows CE device drivers. The chipset offers integrated communications via modem, infrared or serial, plus touch, phone and audio functions in a portable device that runs on just two AAA size batteries. The V.32bis softmodem provides the communication capability with fast modem speeds, up to 14.4 Kbps, and increased bandwidth without compromising the response time of the user interface.

Philips Semiconductors' higher-grade TwoChipHCG* Plus architecture is made up of  PR31700,  UCB1200 and V.34bis softmodem, as well as Windows CE device drivers. The enhancements to the chipset offer improved performance (72 Mips), colour LCD support, and integrated touch, phone and audio functions for handheld computers. The softmodem greatly increases communication capabilities through faster modem speeds, up to 33.6 Kbps. End users also gain increased bandwidth for their handheld computers without losing the colour quality of the user interface.

Philips Semiconductors, a division of Philips Electronics NV, headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, is the ninth largest semiconductor supplier in the world and the third largest supplier of discretes in the world. Philips Semiconductors' innovations in digital audio, video, and mobile technology position the company as a leader in the consumer, multimedia and wireless communications markets. Sales offices are located in all major markets around the world and are supported by systems labs.

TwoChipHCG*™ and TwoChipHCG* Plus™ are trademarks of Philips Semiconductors. Windows© CE™ is a registered trademark of Microsoft.