TI introduces simple-to-use OpenLink™ Bluetooth® and Wi-Fi® connectivity inside the WiLink™ 6.0 solution for AM18x Sitara™ ARM® Microprocessors

For the first time, Sitara ARM MPU-based devices can leverage pre-integrated, community-backed mac80211 Wi-Fi and BlueZ Bluetooth drivers for cost-effective access point applications

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Texas Instruments Incorporated

Jul 11, 2011, 08:55 ET

DALLAS, July 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) today premiered its first module platform housing the WiLink™ 6.0 (WL1271) single-chip, wireless combo solution with TI's open source, Linux-based OpenLink™ drivers. The OpenLink drivers are built on the community-validated mac80211 Wi-Fi driver and BlueZ Bluetooth® protocol stack. The first in a series of such open source platforms from TI, the new WiLink 6.0 OpenLink platform is pre-integrated with TI's AM18x Sitara™ ARM® microprocessors (MPUs). This enables customers developing industrial or point-of-service applications on cost-effective ARM MPUs to easily introduce reliable, low-power Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless technologies. More information can be found here: www.ti.com/am18x-pr

Introducing OpenLink Wi-Fi access points

Today's release also signifies the first time TI's customers can easily repurpose Sitara ARM MPU-based designs as Wi-Fi access points via the new WiLink 6.0 OpenLink platform. OpenLink technology offers mobile-grade, battery-optimized Wi-Fi connectivity supporting native Linux designs, giving customers tested wireless technologies that can be easily re-integrated into designs as they migrate from one kernel version to the next. Additionally, TI's mac80211 Wi-Fi driver is optimized to maximize system level throughput.

As a result, battery-friendly customer products built on Sitara ARM MPUs can serve as a mobile Wi-Fi gateway or support peer-to-peer file transfers with other Wi-Fi enabled devices. These capabilities eliminate the need for external access points and create new opportunities for unique use cases depending on mobile, self-networking devices.

The quick-start experience and other key features

The AM18x Sitara ARM EVM + WL1271 Development Kit is the latest version of TI's original AM18x Sitara ARM EVM and includes elements that create a unique, quick-start experience right out of the box. Meaning a user can be up and running with a demo application in 30 minutes or less.

Other key features include:


Feature	Benefits
OpenLink™ open source drivers (Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies)	Native Linux connectivity solutions Simplified re-integration with Linux kernel upgrades Peer-tested technologies
Predefined, validated hardware interfaces and software functionality	Minimized risk and design trade-off analysis
WPA supplicant, hostapd, BlueZ Stack, Open Obex software profiles	Inclusion of all components required for end-to-end connectivity functionality First-time availability of soft access point via AM18x Sitara ARM EVM
Integrated system components (all firmware, low-level drivers and applications)	Reduced engineering costs, faster time-to-market
Optimized system-level power consumption and throughput	Lower power, higher throughput in complex system use cases
Robust TI E2E community and third party support	Innovation through collaboration Faster time-to-market

Pricing and availability

The production-ready WiLink 6.0 (WL1271) OpenLink module is packaged as a daughter card and bundled in the AM18x Sitara ARM EVM + WL1271 Development Kit, priced at $1,150.00. For customers already working on an AM18x Sitara ARM EVM, the standalone daughter card is available for $249. [Note: The WiLink 6.0 OpenLink daughter card is compatible with all existing AM18x Sitara ARM EVMs, except the AM1810 Sitara ARM MPU.]

TI's AM18x EVM + WL1271 Development Kit: www.ti.com/AM18x-pr-es
TI's standalone WiLink 6.0 daughter card: www.ti.com/AM18xWLDC-pr-es

Find out more about TI's wireless connectivity solutions

TI's OpenLink software development kit: www.ti.com/openlink-sdk
TI's OpenLink community site: http://openlink.org
TI's WiLink 6.0 solution (WL1271): www.ti.com/wilink6
TI's AM1808 Sitara ARM MPU: www.ti.com/am1808
TI's wireless connectivity solutions: www.ti.com/wirelessconnectivity
TI's wireless connectivity Wiki: www.ti.com/connectivitywiki

About Texas Instruments

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Trademarks

WiLink, Sitara and OpenLink are trademarks of Texas Instruments. All registered trademarks and other trademarks belong to their respective owners.

www.ti.com/wireless

SOURCE Texas Instruments Incorporated