Imagination and Orca Systems partner to deliver integrated TV receiver solutions

Orca to combine its novel multistandard RF with Imagination’s Ensigma baseband IP

Imagination Technologies (LSE:IMG), a leading multimedia and communications technologies company, and Orca Systems, a wireless chip and IP company, are developing new solutions for combined RF and baseband targeting future generations of digital and connected TVs.

Orca has licensed Imagination’s industry leading Ensigma UCCP320 based demodulator technology to combine with Orca’s TV tuner technology in a new family of TV receiver (tuner plus demodulator) devices. As part of the partnership Orca is also planning to offer its digital RF (Radio Frequency) technology as intellectual property (IP) to complementary partners utilising Ensigma technologies.

As part of this strategic partnership Orca will utilise its own universal digital RF technologies alongside Ensigma multi-standard baseband IP licensed from Imagination to create a single chip, integrated multi-standard RF to baseband digital TV receiver SoC (System-on-Chip) that is software configurable to address worldwide regional TV market requirements.

The plethora of digital TV standards now deployed around the world means that multi-standard solutions are vital in future TV product roadmaps. Featuring a universal tuner, plus software configurable demodulator, Orca’s SoCs will enable a single TV platform that meets global product requirements for the TV and set-top box market while delivering industry leading power consumption and performance.

Hossein Yassaie, CEO, Imagination, commented: “This agreement progresses our objective of enabling innovative and complete solutions to meet real market needs using our IP. We are very excited about how this partnership will bring multi-standard digital TV reception to a wider market by combining leading-edge universal RF and baseband technologies.

“We also regard Orca as a valuable ecosystem partner for our Ensigma technologies and licensees.”

Guruswami Sridharan, CEO and founder, Orca Systems, commented: “Digital TV has now evolved to demand multi-standard receiver solutions for improved efficiency, flexibility and cost. Our partnership with Imagination is driving digital TV reception to the next level of integration, and is a significant and exciting step for the industry.

“We expect this partnership to spearhead a rapid transition of the digital TV receiver market to the next generation of highly integrated silicon tuner solutions with connectivity.”

Orca Systems has developed an innovative digital transceiver technology that provides significant benefits for standard radios, achieving revolutionary reductions in solution cost, ultra-low power and high performance for a broad range of communication standards and applications.

Imagination’s Ensigma UCCP320 RPU (Radio Processing Unit) IP core redefines the cost-effectiveness of integrating multiple programmable radios into high volume consumer products, enabling the broadest range of, digital radio and TV standards of any solution.

Under the terms of its licensing arrangements Imagination receives license fees and royalty revenues on shipment of SoCs incorporating Imagination’s IP. As part of the strategic partnership Orca has licensed Ensigma IP from Imagination, for implementation into its SoCs for digital TV reception. Imagination also obtains an equity stake in Orca, and Imagination CEO, Hossein Yassaie, has joined Orca’s board of directors.