SkyCross has announced that its Dual iMAT™ (Isolated Mode Antenna Technology) and 4X4 MIMO (multiple input multiple output) solutions for LTE and Wi-Fi can maximize the performance of devices equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 smart device processors. SkyCross’s advanced iMAT antennas and solutions have been available since 2014 and are being deployed commercially in more than one million smart devices and are actively tested and validated on several operator networks globally.
As markets mature, customers are demanding advanced services and features, reliable performance, prolonged battery life, shrinking device sizes, and low prices. Successfully launched in 2014, SkyCross’s iMAT and 4X4 MIMO technology work in any wireless device including smartphones, handsets, data cards, USB dongles, laptops, personal navigation devices, cameras, gaming devices, and more. By integrating SkyCross’s antenna and RF technologies with Snapdragon’s chipsets, consumers receive higher performance products with more cost effective implementations. Similarly, the augmented performance enables tremendous savings for operators, allowing for better device coverage at cell edge, as well as higher speed downloads at close proximity, which translates into more efficient networks and less capital equipment need.
SkyCross’s Dual iMAT™ Technology
Previously thought of as unachievable, SkyCross’s Dual iMAT technology allows four antennas to compactly fit into a smartphone, tablet, or ultrabook/PC form factor, while maintaining sufficient isolation to enable 4X4 MIMO. The classic technique of separating antennas spatially (i.e., putting distance between antennas) has prohibited this in the past given the limited size of mobile handsets.
SkyCross’s patented iMAT technology applies pattern diversity, allowing designers to locate multiple antennas in close proximity while still achieving the high isolation/low correlation needed for MIMO architectures. SkyCross iMAT technology enables OEMs and ODMs to design multiband 4G LTE MIMO or multi-band Wi-Fi onto a single (or multiple) antenna structure(s). Although the multiple antennas are closely co-located and operate on the same frequency at the same time, iMAT technology eliminates the performance issues associated with mutual coupling and high pattern correlation coefficient from multiple nearby antennas.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 processor, provides leading 4G LTE and Wi-Fi technologies for premium tier mobile devices. The new Snapdragon 820 processor addresses unprecedented demand for blazing fast connectivity and seamless services. Devices based on the Snapdragon 820 processor are expected to be available in 1H of 2016.
Use Cases Demonstrate Breakthrough Performance Potential
Since its development, technology manufacturers have utilized SkyCross’s iMAT technology for emerging and advanced wireless products and platforms. Within the last 12 months, more than 4 million MIMO devices have shipped, applying SkyCross’ iMAT technology. Further, companies like China Mobile, Softbank, T-Mobile, Deutsche Telekom, Intel and Sprint have tested and integrated SkyCross antenna technologies into their products and networks. Here are some of examples:
Intel Lab Test
In August 2015, Intel testing of iMAT technology for Wi-Fi in notebook PC applications demonstrated comparable performance to traditional implementations of spatially separated antennas. Moving to iMAT can enable significant cost savings, more space for new technology in larger form factor PCs, as well as efficient use of space to achieve compact form factors like ultrabooks.
Softbank Trial and Field Test
In May 2015, Softbank and Sprint announced Asia and North America’s first successful trials respectively of LTE 4x4 MIMO in higher frequency bands. The results of the technical pilot operation have shown that 4x4 MIMO increased coverage by as much as 15 percent and increased overall system capacity, as much as 50 to 60 percent at cell edge. The results also showed improved throughput performance for 4x4 within building as much as 55 to 73 percent.
Deutsche Telekom Trial and Field Test
In February 2014, Deutsche Telekom conducted a field test in the German market using SkyCross’s iMAT RF and antenna technology, achieving 580 Mbps peak speed and ultimate cell edge performance with the new antenna technology on a live LTE network environment.
