Texas Instruments (TI) has announced via Press release that TI has officially joined the group All for Wireless Power (A4WP). The press release, in part says the following
“TI is actively bringing advanced wireless power capabilities to the market,” said Sami Kiriaki, senior vice president of TI Power Management. “The WPC Qi specification is clearly the standard for wireless power today, and there is an emerging trend toward loosely coupled technologies – something both WPC and A4WP are exploring. We believe that working closely with both initiatives will help us continue to lead in wireless power.” (full press release at the end of article)
Texas Instruments has been a member of the Wireless Power Consortium for some time and according to a news release in September 2010, TI was working with the Wireless Power Consortium’s goals then.
If you are like me, you are probably asking yourself what the difference between these initiatives! Let’s start with the A4WP.
According to the A4WP’s website,
Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) is an independently operated organization composed of global wireless power and technology industry leaders.
and they have 2 goals
- To establish an industry standardization body to provide innovative methods of supplying charging technology based on spatial freedom to a broad base of consumer electronic devices.
- To grow the use of cable-free-power technology worldwide
According to the WPC’s website, they are
Over 100 companies working together. The Wireless Power Consortium is an open-membership organization. We promote the adoption of a global standard for wireless charging. (The Qi interface)
The Qi interface inspires innovation
The Qi interface guarantees product interoperability for wireless battery charging, gives design freedom, allows product differentiation, and provides access to essential patents.
TI has made it clear that although they are joining a new group (A4WP), they have no plans of leaving the WPC and believe that working closely with both initiatives is in the best interest of TI.
A4WP was just started in April and already it has the backing of big industry leaders like Qualcomm, Samsung and now Texas Instruments, just to name a few!
Below is the news release that was taken from TI’s website news center
TI expands development of wireless power technologies
Supports new Alliance for Wireless Power specification in addition to Wireless Power Consortium Qi standard
Dec 7, 2012
DALLAS, Dec. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) today announced it has joined the Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP). TI will continue to develop new bqTESLAâ„¢ wireless power receiver and transmitter integrated circuits that comply with existing and future versions of the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) Qi standard, and also create products that support the A4WP magnetic resonance specification.
“TI is actively bringing advanced wireless power capabilities to the market,” said Sami Kiriaki, senior vice president of TI Power Management. “The WPC Qi specification is clearly the standard for wireless power today, and there is an emerging trend toward loosely coupled technologies – something both WPC and A4WP are exploring. We believe that working closely with both initiatives will help us continue to lead in wireless power.”
Organized in April, A4WP is a group of electronics companies, including Samsung, Qualcomm and others, focused on advancing the field of wireless power by delivering a specification that permits spatial freedom. The group officially released its A4WP specification, which is based on loosely coupled magnetic resonance technology, to simultaneously charge smartphones and other portable electronics with different power requirements
TI is making wireless power a reality
Wireless power is an emerging technology that creates a better charging experience for consumers, just as Wi-Fi replaced the need to use an Ethernet cable for Internet connectivity. TI’s advanced receiver and transmitter integrated circuits, such as the recently announced bq51050B single-chip wireless power receiver with integrated charger and bq500410A 3-coil transmitter, are making wireless power a reality. As the leading provider of power management ICs, including battery management and power supply technology, TI relies on its power design expertise to drive innovations in wireless charging. For samples and bqTESLA development kits, visit: www.ti.com/wirelesspower-pr.About Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments semiconductor innovations help 90,000 customers unlock the possibilities of the world as it could be – smarter, safer, greener, healthier and more fun. Our commitment to building a better future is ingrained in everything we do – from the responsible manufacturing of our semiconductors, to caring for our employees, to giving back inside our communities. This is just the beginning of our story. Learn more at www.ti.com.
Trademarks
bqTESLA is a trademark of Texas Instruments. All registered trademarks and other trademarks belong to their respective owners.SOURCE Texas Instruments Incorporated