Topics in integrated circuits for communications [Series Editorial]

Over the past several years, mobile personal communication devices have converged to a few popular platforms including the smart phone, personal media player, and personal navigation device. More recently, a miniature laptop known as a netbook has also become increasingly widespread. Common in all these devices is the incorporation of multiple communication functions such as personal navigation, personal area networking, local area networking, wireless personal area networking, TV reception, and mobile cellular networking. Moreover, many of these functions are provided via different communications standards; for example, the Global Positioning System (GPS) for personal navigation, IEEE 802.11a/g/n (otherwise known as Wi-Fi) for wireless local area networking, and Bluetooth and IEEE 802.15.4 (ZigBee) for wireless personal area networking. In the case of TV broadcasting, standards are well established but extremely fragmented. A short list of digital TV broadcast standards includes DVB-H, DVB-T, ISDB-T, T-DMB, CMMB, and MediaFLO. Cellular standards likewise are still fragmented based on GSM/EDGE and WCDMA/UMTS although the cellular industry is working diligently toward a consolidated fourth-generation system based on Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE).