- 28 April 2006 -

Plastic transceiver conforms to Wake-on-LAN

Cork, Ireland based Firecomms has introduced a fully integrated RCLED-based 650nm fibre optic transceiver (FOT) and highly sensitive receiver FOT to conform fully to the IEEE 1394 and IDB-1394 Wake-on-LAN specifications. It was launched at the 1394 Trade Association 2nd Quarterly Meeting, in Dresden, Germany, and is Firecomms' RCLED-based 650 nm FOT solution providing a seamless digital media to red light conversion for performance at maximum speed in plastic optical fibre (POF) applications such as IEEE 1394b S200 and IDB-1394. The FOTs operate at LVDS signal levels directly compatible with IEEE 1394b PHY ICs.

The new FOT is based on Firecomms' proprietary technology for Resonant Cavity LEDs, is rated for modulation of 250 Mbps (1394 S200), and meets all low power and sleep mode operation characteristics demanded by the specification. The FOT is compatible with SMI and IDB-1394 automotive connector form factors, and is small enough for use in low-cost connectorless housings.

"Our new FOTs meet the stringent low-power and performance requirements set by the automotive OEMs," says Firecomms CEO, "while at the same time meeting the low costs and ease of use advantages of our consumer network customers."

Firecomms leads the development of devices to drive POF, a low-cost optical alternative to copper cabling. Due to its ease of use, large core tolerances, and low costs, POF is enjoying a huge growth in a wide range of applications. Created for consumer, industrial, and automotive applications in which plastic fiber can be used more easily and at lower cost than copper or glass fiber, POF is now used in millions of small area networks, such as those in use in many car models, and is rapidly gaining ground in home network and point-to-point interconnection. In fact, over 510 m 1394 nodes have shipped worldwide.
The Firecomms 1394 FOT, series FDL300, is currently shipping in volume quantities.

Web: http://www.firecomms.com