Faster internet speeds with extended distance capabilities will soon be available worldwide, following the signing of a licensing deal with a US-based company for cutting-edge technology developed by researchers from The University of Queensland and the University of Sydney.
When Oregon-based telecommunications technology developer Rim Semiconductor acquired Multi-Carrier Communications, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Florida-based UTEK Corporation, the stock-based acquisition included an exclusive worldwide licence and research program for a unique signal processing technology jointly developed at the two Australian universities.
The technology transfer, which is believed to be the first of its kind involving Australian electrical engineering technologies and a US-based telecommunications developer, was negotiated by UQ-based UniQuest Pty Ltd, Australia’s largest international commercialiser of university research and expertise, and open innovation company UTEK. UTEK connects clients with intellectual property licensing opportunities in more than 2,000 universities, research laboratories and companies around the world.
Identified as a “low complexity method” which enhances the capacity of copper wire-based broadband services, the technology has particular applications where high-quality broadband transmission of multimedia files is required The technology involves a method of signal processing that reduces the Bit Error Rates (BER) by limiting the Peak-to-Average-Ratio (PAR) to about 10% of what typically occurs in current technologies.
According to the inventors, a high BER is undesirable as it limits the bandwidth of the transmission system as data must be retransmitted to compensate for losses.
“Digital subscriber line (DSL) technology is today the primary vehicle for broadband internet delivery to the home. As the consumer demands ever higher bandwidths and the service provider seeks to offer the `triple play’ of phone, internet and television in one broadband service, the demands and cost of equipment will rise dramatically,” said Associate Professor Vaughan Clarkson from UQ’s Faculty of Engineering, Physical Sciences and Architecture.
“As always, there is a bottle neck in the copper wire 'data pipe' connecting the home and service provider’s equipment. As bandwidths expand, the 'standard' DSL signals on the wires experience larger and larger voltage swings. These large voltage swings are very problematic because they require expensive electronics to generate, or high complexity computation to avoid. Otherwise, the signals will experience clipping at the peaks, thus rendering the service unreliable.
“The signalling technique Dr Iain Collings and I developed actually requires less computational processing and at the same time dramatically reduces the signal's peak-to-average ratio. By limiting the typical PAR to about 10% of typical values in current use, the BER is reduced and bandwidth is more efficiently exploited. Data rates have been shown to be up to 30% higher,” Associate Professor Clarkson said.
UniQuest’s Managing Director Mr David Henderson said the licensing deal was significant for the Australian team on several levels.
“As well has providing an additional revenue stream to boost their work in this area, this licensing agreement has presented the researchers with an outstanding opportunity to take their innovations to a global market and have a positive impact on meeting the communication needs of millions of people worldwide. We are very proud to be part of the project team that has made this happen,” Mr Henderson said.
Rim Semiconductor develops technology for telecommunications companies to deliver bandwidth-hungry multimedia applications, such as video, voice, and data services with lower network costs. The company’s technical team will develop the Australian technology further for the benefit of the 1 billion + end users who rely on the performance of copper-based infrastructure to achieve their communication and business goals.
“We believe the unique capabilities of the acquired signal processing algorithm, combined with our current technology, will mean telephone companies around the world may soon be able to offer many more of their customers enhanced video and data services,” said Mr Brad Ketch, Rim Semiconductor’s Chief Executive Officer.
"UTEK is pleased to consummate this technology transfer with Rim Semiconductor," said Mr Joel Edelson, Vice President of Technology Licensing at UTEK Corporation.
A research contract for further work with Rim Semiconductor on the technology’s development was included in the licensing agreement.
Associate Professor Clarkson is currently a Reader in Electrical Engineering and research academic in the School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering at UQ. Dr Iain Collings is an Honorary Associate Professor in the Telecommunications Laboratory at the University of Sydney and CEO Science Leader - Communications & Signal Processing, in the Wireless Technologies Lab at the
CSIRO ICT Centre.
Media inquiries: Leanne Wyvill (3365 4037, 0409 767 199).
