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June 22 2010 at 11:37 AM
Fractus has won the award in the telecommunications category in recognition of its being a good example of the type of company to lead the new productive model in Catalonia and for its international focus.
The Catalan Government has presented this award in recognition of Fractus’ creation of over 300 industrial patents and sales of 20 million mobile aerials throughout the world in just 11 years.
Barcelona, 22 June 2010 - Founded in Barcelona in 1999, Fractus has won the 2010 National Communication Award of the Catalan Government, the governing institution in Catalonia, in the telecommunications category. The Catalan Government has recognised its important work, as well as its R+D+I generating capacity, encapsulated in its having sold over twenty million fractal aerials for telephony and mobile telecommunications to leading communications multinationals.
The purpose of the National Communication Awards of the Catalan Government is to award recognition for the most relevant contributions made by professionals or organisations in the field of communication and telecommunications in Catalonia or in the Catalan language. Rubén Bonet, the Fractus President, received the award from the Councillor for Culture and the Media, Joan Manuel Tresserras, and the Councillor for Government and Public Administrations, Jordi Ausàs. Bonet said “that as well as recognition of our work, the award is primarily an argument for pushing forward with our aim to continue researching and innovating in the field of telecommunications and strengthen our international vision focused on a global market.”
April 07 2010 at 02:38 PM
BARCELONA, SPAIN - On April 7, 2010, Fractus S.A. of Barcelona, Spain announced that it has entered into a non-exclusive, worldwide patent license agreement with Motorola, Inc. The agreement includes a license under all of Fractus’ patents related to internal antennas and covers the sale of all Motorola products.
“This deal represents a major milestone in our efforts to obtain recognition for the valuable technology our company developed and brought to industry,” said Rubén Bonet, President & CEO of Fractus. IPotential, LLC served as broker for Fractus in the negotiation of this license agreement.
Fractus filed recently a patent infringement case against ten cell phone manufacturers in the Eastern District of Texas, Tyler Division, Case No. 6:09-cv-203. Fractus is represented in the Tyler case by Susman Godfrey L.L.P. and Heim, Payne & Chorush, L.L.P. Motorola was not a party to this litigation.
May 06 2009 at 04:19 PM
HOUSTON, TX and BARCELONA, SPAIN - On Tuesday, May 5, 2009, Fractus S.A. of Barcelona, Spain sued cell phone manufacturers Samsung, LG, RIM, Pantech, Kyocera, Palm, HTC, Sharp, UTStarcom, and Sanyo for infringing nine different patents held by Fractus.
Fractus is an early pioneer in developing internal antennas for cellular phones and other industries. Founded in 1999, Fractus set out to meet the challenge of delivering antennas small enough to fit inside a cell phone yet powerful enough to support today’s multiband cell phones. Fractus has been, and remains, an active supplier of antennas and has shipped millions of antennas worldwide.
Among the numerous awards and honors the company has received for its innovative work, Fractus has been named a 2005 Davos World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer and one of Red Herring’s top innovative companies for 2006. It has also won the 2004 Frost & Sullivan award for technological innovation and the 2007 Elektra European Electronics Industry R&D Award.
Fractus holds over 80 patents worldwide, including over 30 United States patents. “We are grateful that Fractus has chosen us to represent them in enforcing these patents,” said Max Tribble of Susman Godfrey L.L.P., lead lawyer for Fractus. “It is very brave of Fractus to fight against these cell phone companies, many of whom knew about Fractus and its technology yet still continued to infringe. Fractus’s inventions have added tremendous value to both the cell phone user and manufacturer.”
IPotential, LLC, has been retained by Fractus as its licensing business advisor.
Fractus is represented by Max Tribble and Justin Nelson of Susman Godfrey L.L.P. and Michael Heim of Heim, Payne & Chorush, L.L.P. The case was filed in the Eastern District of Texas, Tyler Division, Case No. 6:09-cv-203.
For information contact:
Mr. Max L. Tribble
Susman Godfrey LLP
1000 Louisiana Suite 5100
Houston, TX 77002-5096
(713) 653-7820
Mr. Justin A. Nelson
Susman Godfrey LLP
1201 Third Ave. Suite 3800
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 516-3867
Mr. Michael Heim
Heim, Payne & Chorush
600 Travis, Suite 6710
Houston, Texas 77002
(713) 221-2001
About Susman Godfrey L.L.P.
Susman Godfrey L.L.P., a law firm with more than 80 lawyers, was recently named one of the top litigation boutiques in the country by The American Lawyer. The firm represents plaintiffs and defendants in a broad range of commercial litigation matters, including antitrust, patent and intellectual property, securities and corporate governance litigation, energy, commercial and products liability, bankruptcy and financial restructuring, accounting malpractice, arbitration, climate change, and international litigation. The firm has offices in Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Seattle, and New York. For additional information, visit www.susmangodfrey.com.
About Heim Payne & Chorush L.L.P.
Heim Payne & Chorush L.L.P. specializes exclusively in high stakes patent and antitrust litigation, often involving multiple patents or portfolios. The firm’s attorneys have specialized technical backgrounds in the electrical, chemical and biotech fields, giving them a significant edge in representing their clients in the courtroom. The firm often partners with small high tech companies, assisting them in enforcing their patent portfolios against their much larger competitors. The firm has offices in Houston and Austin. For more information, see www.hpcllp.com.
About IPotential, LLC
IPotential LLC was founded in 2003 to provide patent owners with the expertise in patent transactions and intellectual property as typically available at top multinational technology companies. IPotential has brokered over $265 million worth of patents in over 137 transactions. The company serves patent owners of all types, including individual inventors, small to large enterprises, and private equity investors, worldwide. For more information, visit www.ipotential.com
December 11 2008 at 05:04 PM
Fractus, the pioneer developer of fractal antenna technology has announced that it has reached the 20 million unit milestone in its sales of antennas worldwide.
The company’s success rests on the work performed for leading companies such as Samsung, Siemens, Cambridge Silicon Radio, ST Microelectronics, Richardson Electronics and Sagem amongst others, who relied on its antennas to deliver next generation telecommunications devices in a highly competitive market.
Fractus’ high performance antenna solutions have been widely recognized with various awards and nominations like the World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer, Elektra European Electronics Industry R&D Award, the GSM Association’s Global Mobile Awards or its inclusion in the Red Herring top 100 private companies in Europe and the Middle East, to name a few.
“This 20 millionth antenna represents a real landmark for the Fractus team as a whole. Our expertise combined with a strong worldwide manufacturing and distribution network enable us to compete internationally in all key telecoms markets. Fractus antennas are currently developed and manufactured for the mobile wireless and infrastructure telecom industries, said Ruben Bonet, President and CEO, Fractus.”
December 05 2008 at 01:00 PM
Fractus, the pioneer of fractal antenna technology, has entered an agreement with broadband telecommunications and connectivity solutions company Telnet Redes Inteligentes, licensing Fractus’ patents for Base Station antenna products.
In addition, Fractus’ role is to provide Telnet’ RF engineers with assistance in terms of new product design and the improvement of existing products. This will enable Telnet to provide next generation antennas that offer important benefits compared to the more traditional Base Stations. For instance where a traditional base site presented the Base Station and multiple antennas as separate modular components connected by many cables, the miniature and multiple band antennas are combined with the Base Station in one same structure. As a result, installation sites are substantially reduced in terms of size, while the antennas provide the highest performance.
“The licensing agreement with Telnet will allow Telnet to develop leading edge antennas with our patented technology”, said Ruben Bonet, President and CEO, Fractus.
November 12 2008 at 06:30 PM
SAN MATEO, CA and BARCELONA, SPAIN, November 11, 2008 – Fractus, SA, the pioneer developer of fractal antenna technology, and IPotential, LLC, the technology industry’s premier provider of intellectual property (IP) monetization services, today announced they have entered into a comprehensive patent licensing management relationship. IPotential will be responsible for developing and managing Fractus’ patent licensing activities and programs in the IT and communications markets.
“This relationship with IPotential represents a new business opportunity for our company to earn value from our considerable intellectual property that we have brought to the telecom industry over the past decade,” said Ruben Bonet, President & CEO of Fractus. “IPotential’s international expertise in patent licensing programs will help us monetize our extensive patent portfolio.”
“Fractus is the real thing, a true innovator in the area of wireless system design. Their invention of fractal based antennas has changed the face of mobile phone design, supporting the elimination of the external antenna and extending the ability of mobile phones to support communication on multiple bands,” said Ron Epstein, CEO of IPotential. “The value of that innovation is confirmed by Fractus’ dominant patent portfolio, an asset that will allow Fractus to capture the full value of its inventiveness. We are pleased to be assisting Fractus in managing their patent licensing programs.”
About IPotential, LLC
IPotential is the technology industry’s premier provider of complete intellectual property strategy and patent monetization services. IPotential, founded in late 2003, is dedicated to bring the same level of experience and expertise in patent transactions and strategy as had previously been available only to the largest technology companies. Our management team has more than 100 years of IP strategy and transaction experience at leading Silicon Valley companies and law firms. Its brokerage service is the leading market maker for technology patents. With experience in buying, selling and licensing thousands of patents, IPotential helps its customers understand and navigate the complicated legal, business and technical process required to generate the maximum value of their patent portfolios. For more information, please see http://www.ipotential.com/.
IPotential contact:
Mark Wilson
mark@ipotential.com
(650) 572-9515
IPotential Media contact:
Nick Gaffney
IPotential, LLC
Infinite Public Relations, LLC
(415) 732-7801
ngaffney@infinitepr.com
Fractus contact:
Ruben Bonet
Fractus, S.A.
+34 93 544 26 90
ruben.bonet@fractus.com
Fractus Media contact:
Gerty Nelhomme
Fractus, S.A.
+34 93 544 26 90
gerty.nelhomme@fractus.com
June 06 2008 at 04:26 PM
New Micro Reach Xtend: ISM antenna supports all standards on the 2.4GHz band, including Bluetooth, Zigbee and Wi-Fi
Barcelona, 06 June 2008 – Fractus, the pioneer developer of fractal antenna technology, has announced a new Micro Reach Xtend antenna for all standards on the ISM 2.4GHz band (including Bluetooth, Zigbee, and Wi-Fi). The antenna has been optimised for use in a new generation of wireless devices, such as headsets, handsets, laptops, USB dongles, network cards, and cameras.
The antenna is Fractus’ newest addition to the Micro Reach Xtend family for short range wireless products. It has been developed using patented fractal antenna technologies, meaning it requires minimal area on the PCB and is simple to integrate, making it easier for designers to wirelessly enable electronic devices and reduce end product dimensions.
“There is huge demand for a new generation of wireless-enabled devices, integrating new multimedia applications into such small devices has long been a challenge as electronic manufacturers were confronted with the high-costs of employing in-house RF experts,” said Josep Portabella, Products and Services Director at Fractus. “On the other hand, Fractus is also helping customers to minimize their time-to-market by reducing the time for the antenna integration and optimization”.
Using fractal geometry with its extremely economical use of space, Fractus has created a solution that offers the maximum performance-to-space ratio as well as reduced costs.
The antenna’s minimal size and simple integration give device designers and manufacturers more freedom to include compelling new features and services into more attractive and smaller devices being demanded in the consumer electronics market.
Additionally, Fractus can provide complete and competitive development support, testing and approval services to ensure the antenna is as effective as possible within a device, enabling product designers to concentrate on developing the device capabilities.
Notes for the editor:
Dimensions of the antenna: 4.1 x 2 x 1 mm³
Band: 2.4 GHz ISM
Connectivity: all standards on 2.4 GHz (including Wi-Fi, Zigbee and Bluetooth).
December 14 2007 at 04:42 PM
Barcelona, 13 December 2007 – Fractus, the pioneer developer of fractal antenna technology, today announced it has won the R&D category of the Elektra European Electronics Awards for its antenna-in-package technology (AiP). The Elektra Awards were presented on Dec. 12th at a gala dinner at the Hilton Park Lane, London.
Fractus was singled out for applying the modern science of fractal mathematics and geometries to the development of an antenna that is part of the PCB, enabling electronics manufacturers to wireless-enable any device without needing to establish an RF department and expend significant funds and time developing a device-specific antenna and integrating the antenna into each device.
“It is a real honour to receive this award from Electronics Weekly, which has a long-standing reputation of recognising leadership in the electronics industry,” said Ruben Bonet, CEO of Fractus. “This has been a great year for Fractus and we have recently achieved the milestone of being granted our 51st patent family. This award is an acknowledgement of Fractus’ focus on R&D and the talent of our team for developing inventions that are changing the face of the electronics industry.”
The award was open to innovations from across Europe in hardware and software, and short-listed companies included industry leaders Freescale Semiconductor and Polymertronics. Entrants were invited to demonstrate how they implemented an R&D programme to achieve a specific goal. Equally important in this regard was the creation
of intellectual property (IP) which offered a specific design benefit.
More information about the Elektra European Electronics Industry Awards 2007 is available at: www.electronicsweekly.com/elektra
November 27 2007 at 08:00 AM
Dual-mode GSM/ISM antenna shaped to the device’s mechanics, eliminating need for second antenna
Barcelona, 27 November 2007 – Fractus, the pioneer developer of fractal antenna technology has developed a conformed dual-mode ISM and GSM quad band antenna that can be shaped to the mechanics of a GPS emergency device, enabling a new generation of smaller emergency alert devices that work both in and outdoors, anywhere in the world.
A key challenge associated with currently available GPS emergency devices is their poor in-building coverage, making it difficult to locate people when they are at home or in a hospital, for example. By adding the ISM900 band, Fractus has enabled emergency devices to also locate people indoors. The GSM quad band connectivity allows emergency calls to be placed worldwide.
Using its patented fractal antenna technologies, Fractus has designed a solution that can be integrated into the PCB RF component, enabling the device to easily switch bands and eliminating the need for a second antenna. Having a single antenna also reduces the size of emergency devices.
“By addressing the competing challenges of mobility and indoor coverage, Fractus has transformed GPS emergency devices,” said Xavier Oliver, Fractus Account Manager, Products & Services Division. “There is a huge demand for such small, portable devices that can help users get assistance in the case of an emergency, regardless of where they are. The alarm buttons currently available are not mobile and only work inside the home, so this antenna will revolutionise the market for emergency devices.”
The use of fractal antenna technology has enabled a solution that is not only easy to integrate into devices, but also offers reduced antenna size and a high level of performance in terms of gain and efficiency. The flex-film conformed dual-mode ISM/GSM antenna covers the GSM850, GSM900, DCS and PCS bands, as well as
ISM900. By enabling all frequencies with a single antenna, Fractus has also reduced the bill-of-materials required for these devices.
Fractus’ antenna will be shipping in GPS emergency devices in 2008.
November 06 2007 at 06:20 AM
FracFM™ antenna offers superior performance, low cost and minimal size across entire FM frequency range
Barcelona, 6 November 2007 – Fractus, the pioneer developer of fractal antenna technology, today announced its first standard antenna for the FM frequency. The FracFM antenna’s compact dimensions (32 X 11 X 1.6mm - about one third the area of a normal postage stamp), make it an ideal high-performance solution for portable devices such as ultra-mobile PCs (UMPCs), gaming devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), private mobile radio (PMR) and laptops.
FracFM requires no active amplification or tuning, meaning it covers the entire FM frequency range (78-108 MHz), without the need for extra components, providing not only superior performance, but also cost savings and a reduced bill-of-materials. The antenna has been designed and tested with the user and the different propagation environments in mind to ensure consistent performance.
“There is a huge demand for integrating FM into small, portable consumer devices, but today the size and quality of standard antennas is an obstacle. After all, consumers buying high-end gaming devices or PDAs are not willing to compromise on design or performance” said Alfonso Sanz, Fractus product manager, Products & Services Division. “FracFM enables the creation of fashionable, slim devices with an excellent FM connection.”
A traditional antenna design approach requires an antenna that is longer than most portable devices. This means the antenna has been integrated into the headphone cable, rendering the device useless without it and unsuitable for use with Bluetooth headsets. Additionally, incorporating the antenna into the headsets has required extra components, resulting in an increased bill-of-materials and higher costs.
Using its patented fractal antenna technologies, Fractus has designed an internal FM antenna that offers reduced size, simple integration into a device and an excellent level of performance in terms of gain and efficiency. The antenna has been produced using low cost surface-mounted technology (SMT), eliminating the need for new manufacturing processes or materials.
FracFM is 50 ohm terminated, linear polarized and omnidirectional – as well as RoHS compliant.
Samples and demo boards are available upon request.
October 24 2007 at 09:00 AM
Barcelona, 24 October 2007 - Fractus, the pioneer developer of fractal antenna technology, has launched TVNext, a slim and compact internal VHF antenna (20 x 10 x 1.6mm) that can easily be integrated into wireless devices, such as mobile phones, PDAs, laptops, etc. The new antenna also completes Fractus’ digital TV antenna portfolio, which now encompasses all mobile TV systems and frequency bands. “A mass market for mobile TV depends greatly on the availability of slim, fashionable devices. With its reduced size and cost, TVNext will open the doors for the next generation of portable TV devices,” said Alfonso Sanz, Fractus product manager, Products & Services Division.
VHF operates in a low frequency band (200MHz); therefore a traditional antenna design approach requires an antenna that is more than two times as long as most mobile TV devices. That means the handset requires a large retractable antenna, making antenna integration more complex and costly. Additionally, a retractable antenna poses severe limitations to handset’s design.
Using its patented fractal antenna technologies, Fractus has designed an internal VHF antenna that offers reduced size, simple integration into a device and an excellent level of performance in terms of gain and efficiency. By resolving key mobile TV antenna integration and cost challenges, TVNext enables device manufacturers to design lowcost and highly-efficient portable TV devices, accelerating the mass market for Mobile TV.
TVNext completes the Fractus portfolio for digital TV applications, which now includes antenna solutions for all frequency bands, including VHF, UHF and L-band; and for all mobile TV systems being deployed around the world, such as DVB-H, mediaFLO and ISDB-T. Fractus was the first antenna manufacturer to launch a suite of DVB-H internal antennas, enabling the world’s smallest mobile TV handset with an internal antenna – Sagem’s myMobileTV handset.
By using low cost surface-mounted technology (SMT), TVNext eliminates the need for new manufacturing processes or materials. The VHF antenna is 50 ohm terminated, linear polarized and omnidirectional – as well as RoHS compliant.
Samples and demo boards are available upon request.
July 02 2007 at 11:35 AM
TV from the inside
GSM/3G Vision – 21 June 2007
As the number of networks supplying broadcast television grows, it would be handy to have a wider choice of handsets that allow you to watch it, albeit picture quality, screen size and resolution all offer challenges to handset designers. However, one of the biggest challenges may have nothing to do with the viewing process.Put bluntly, the low operating frequencies involved in mobile TV seemed, until recently, to leave handset manufacturers with little alternative but to create bulky handsets. Take DVB-H. As Alfonso Sanz, product manager, products and services division of antenna technology specialist Fractus, explains, DVB-H can operate over three frequency bands: VHF (around 200MHz), UHF (from 47 to 88MHz) and L band (1.4 or 1.6GHz). The 200 and 400MHz bands operate on a lower frequency than traditional cellular systems and use a broader bandwidth. Therefore a traditional antenna design approach requires a much larger antenna than is used for GSM - an antenna that is in fact larger than the current handsets available in the market.
The problem, at least until recently, was that the antenna required for low frequencies such as 200MHz was too large to fit inside a handset and therefore had to be external. A recently launched UK handset partly solved this problem by using the headphone cable as the antenna, but this rendered the device useless without the headphones.
Internal antennas must surely then be the answer but “in those cases where an internal antenna was used,” says Sanz, “the handsets were forced to be far bulkier than traditional GSM models, something subscribers will not accept.”
Mobile TV also posed major challenges to antenna designers due to the differing effects of users’ hand and body positions on device performance when viewing the TV screen (usually towards the lap) or making phone calls (usually against the head) on mobile devices. “This means that any device has to work in several modes, each of which has a significant impact on antenna - and also handset - design,” Sanz explains.
You would hardly expect a company that had not overcome these problems to be putting them in the past tense. And, sure enough, Sanz says that Fractus was the first telecoms antenna developer to announce a suite of DVB-H and ISDB-H internal mobile TV antenna solutions for all three mobile TV frequencies: VHF, UHF and 1.6GHz L-band.
All of which means that a fully customised mobile TV antenna can be discreetly housed within the handset. Job done? Not quite. There’s still the inevitable question of the combination of DVB-H and interactive (possibly HSUPA) services to further monetise mobile broadcast TV. Will this prove a challenge for antenna design?
As Sanz reminds us, the need for a low frequency for digital TV (DTV) applications is by itself an important design challenge. Adding new applications that also require a compact antenna increases the challenge. Take HSDPA as an example. “When a second antenna for Rx [receive] diversity is needed it has to be properly correlated with the main antenna, possibly affecting the position of the DTV antenna within the device - and consequently its performance,” he says. “The same design challenge would arise when combining a WiMAX application with Rx diversity and a DTV antenna within a small space. These design challenges are something happening now, not in the future,” he adds.And speaking of the future, what could a growth in consumer demand mean? The need for handsets to deal with multiple broadcast technologies perhaps?
Sanz is certain this will happen. “As there is no single standard for mobile TV being deployed around the world, antennas will be expected to integrate multiple mobile TV spectrum bands in even smaller devices, so enabling them to be applied in all form factors available today,” he says. And the end user won’t accept excuses if this doesn’t happen. “Where a few years ago subscribers would accept that a handset may work in Europe, but not in the US (or vice versa) due to the GSM/CDMA divide, today they expect ubiquitous coverage,” says Sanz. “With mobile TV, this will be no different and users will expect access regardless of the standard in the region,” he points out, and, with, presumably, opportunities as well as challenges in mind, he adds: “This will drive antenna and handset innovation in response.”
http://www.telecoms.com/itmgcontent/tcoms/events/gsmwfo/61/20017434790.html
June 06 2007 at 02:19 PM
Barcelona, 5th June 2007 – Fractus, the pioneer developer of fractal antenna
technology, has achieved the milestone of its 50th invention and patent family.
The latest invention is an upgrade of fractal antenna technology specifically developed
for the next generation of multifunction wireless devices (MFWD).
Fractus CTO Dr. Carles Puente submitted the world’s first fractal antenna patent
application in 1995. The Fractus IP portfolio now covers a wide range of fractal antenna
and related technologies that can be applied across the telecommunications and mobile
industries. The 50 patent families include a total of 140 individual patents and patent
applications around the world. The company also has a healthy pipeline of new patent
applications currently in progress.
“Fractus’ 50th patent family reinforces our position as the foremost innovator and
developer in the field of fractal antennas and a world leader in antenna technology,”
said Fractus CTO, Dr. Carles Puente. “It also continues our consolidation as an IP-based
company with a strong focus on innovation and R&D.”
The management of multimedia content and the provision of high-speed data
processing are some of the characteristics of a new generation of mobile wireless
devices that will become something far beyond the conventional cellphone. The
challenge is to pack this functionality into small, slim devices while maintaining efficient
wireless communications together with minimum power consumption and maximum
battery life.
By specifically shaping some of the geometric characteristics of antennas to enable
these developments, Fractus is contributing to the feasibility and success of MFWD.
“With new services being constantly launched, the ability to easily and quickly integrate
them into tiny and stylish wireless devices becomes increasingly important. This groundbreaking
MFWD technology will help antenna designers to address the challenge of
integrating multiple services into increasingly smaller appliances, enabling the
development of tomorrow’s wireless devices,” Dr. Puente added.
Fractus miniature and multi-band antennas use the unique properties of fractal
geometries, delivering high performance antennas that are cost-effective and easy to
integrate using existing manufacturing and assembly technologies.
Fifteen percent of Fractus employees hold a PhD and 60% are telecoms engineers.
Fractus team has published over 50 IEEE papers and spoken at dozens of international
conferences on the latest advances in mobile device and base station antenna
technologies.
Companies employing Fractus antennas in their devices include global leaders such as
Samsung, Sagem, CSR, Atheros Communications, NXP Semiconductors and Siemens.
May 30 2007 at 05:12 PM
Fractus’ micro antennas key factor in reducing handset size by 45%
Barcelona, 30 May 2007 - Fractus, the fractal antenna technology pioneer, has enabled Swedish handset manufacturer Neonode to create its ultra-compact Neonode N2 handset by developing a miniature internal quad-band GSM antenna for the device.
Fractus provided an antenna that is just 40.8 x 10.74 x 7.45 mm enabling Neonode to produce one of the smallest, lightest handsets on the market at 47 x 77 x 14.7 mm - 45% smaller than its predecessor, Neonode N1.
The antenna was custom-designed by Fractus to deliver the required performance with a significantly smaller size, despite being positioned extremely close to other electronic components. Traditionally the antenna is isolated as much as possible from other components to avoid RF interference.
The handset features multiple technologies that could interfere with an antenna including a 5.08cm (two inch) optical touch screen display – so it has no keypad, a two mega pixel camera, miniSD memory expansion and a multimedia player capable of playing back MP3, AAC, WAV, MPEG4 and WMV formats as well as supporting internet radio recording.
“Fractus helped Neonode to achieve great antenna integration for such a small device, and that meant Neonode could continue to develop this compelling and feature-rich phone,” said Alfonso Sanz, Product Manager, Products and Services Division, Fractus. “The antenna design evolved together with the device’s design in a smooth way. Working with Neonode to achieve this win-win approach, we have clearly shown the level of handset design innovation that is possible to achieve by using Fractus antenna technology and capabilities.”
The quad-band antenna operates over GSM on the 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 frequency bands.
This product is protected by one or more Fractus’ patents . For further details : Fractus Patents
April 25 2007 at 08:28 AM
Barcelona, 24 April 2007 – Fractus, the fractal antenna technology pioneer, has developed a custom-built DVB-H antenna for SAGEM’s new myMobileTV handset making it the smallest DVB-H handset on the market with an internal antenna.
The miniature antenna measures 33x10.5x7 mm3 and supports the DVB-H standard on the UHF (470 – 750 MHz) frequency band. The myMobile TV handset is just 97x47x23 mm3 in size, with a 56mm x 40mm swivel impressive QVGA colour screen.
The vast majority of mobile TV handsets currently on the market use an external antenna, while the few using internal antennas are much bulkier than SAGEM’s new design. Fractus also overcame other RF challenges as the GSM and DVB-H frequency bands used in the phone intersect, potentially creating a major interference issue.
“Simply put - DVB-H is the single greatest challenge facing handset designers today as consumers are not willing to compromise on the aesthetic of their device in return for new features,” said Alfonso Sanz, Fractus Lead Engineer, Products & Services Division.
“Most people could be forgiven for thinking that the external mobile antenna had been relegated to the history books, but mobile TV has brought about its reappearance.”
To save space, the antenna for the myMobileTV handset was designed using Fractus’ patented fractal antenna technologies, allowing Sagem Communication to create a smaller phone platform than what has been achieved by other mobile TV manufacturers.
Mobile television raises major interference challenges caused by overlapping DVB-H and GSM frequencies and also from the differing body position when holding the phone in front of the body (watching TV) as opposed to the typical position against the head when making a call. Sagem’s myMobileTV posed additional antenna design challenges because its swivel QVGA colour screen enables the handset to take multiple form factors - each of which demands meticulous RF planning to ensure consistently high reception.
Fractus provided SAGEM with complete antenna design, development, support, testing, manufacturing and approval services to ensure the customised antenna was as effective as possible within the handset, while respecting SAGEM’s mechanical and design requirements.
Fractus was the first telecoms antenna developer to announce a suite of DVB-H and ISDB-H internal mobile TV antenna solutions for all three mobile TV frequencies; VHF, UHF and 1.6GHz L-band, in late 2006. The Fractus TVNowTM range of antennas for Mobile TV was commended for the GSM Association’s Global Mobile Awards 2007.
March 06 2007 at 11:00 AM
Antenna the size of a grain of rice leaves more space for multimedia applications in mobile devices
Barcelona, 6 March 2007 – Fractus, the pioneer developer of fractal antenna technology, has set a new standard for antenna miniaturisation with the launch of its smallest
antenna for the ISM 2.4GHz band. The 3,7mm by 2mm Micro Reach Xtend antenna is the size of a single grain of rice, providing device designers with significantly more
available space to enable new multimedia applications or reducing the space needed within devices.
The miniature antenna was designed using Fractus’ patented fractal antenna technologies and developed especially for Bluetooth headsets and mobile handsets. It
supports all standards working at the 2.4GHz ISM band, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Zigbee. Using fractal geometry with its extremely economical use of space, Fractus has created a solution that offers the maximum performance-to-space ratio as well as reduced costs.
“Handset manufacturers are faced with the contradictory demands of consumers who want more and more applications in even smaller handsets. This is becoming an
increasingly important challenge as new multimedia applications are introduced in the market,” said Albert Algans, Manager, Technical Sales & Client Support at Fractus. “The new Micro Reach Xtend antenna will enable manufacturers to incorporate more new multimedia applications into devices as well as allowing them to wireless-enable a wider range of consumer electronic devices.”
The Micro Reach Xtend antenna requires a minimal area on the PCB, therefore freeing up space to incorporate new multimedia applications. This gives device designers and
manufacturers more freedom to include compelling new features and services into smaller and more attractive devices being demanded in the consumer electronics
market.
Fractus can provide complete development support, testing and approval services to ensure that the antenna is as effective as possible within a device, enabling product
designers to concentrate on developing the device capabilities without employing in-house RF expertise.
February 20 2007 at 10:36 AM
Long-Range, Low-Power Wi-Fi Tag Accurately Tracks people and assets
Barcelona, 20 February 2007 - Fractus, the fractal antenna technology pioneer, is providing specialised discrete Wi-Fi antennas for Ekahau’s T301-A Wi-Fi tag enabling improved range, a smaller device and improved power efficiency.
Ekahau’s T301-A Wi-Fi tag is part of Ekahau’s real-time location system (RTLS). Ekahau RTLS is an ideal solution for locating people and assets using inexpensive off-the-shelf Wi-Fi access points as opposed to proprietary sensors used by legacy Active RFID systems. Ekahau’s system is in use in healthcare, manufacturing and supply chain industries for managing mobile assets and work force.
Fractus has developed and integrated two Slim Reach XtendTM chip antennas for each tag. The two signals are combined to resolve interference caused by environmental obstacles thereby allowing the tag to be easily tracked through walls and floors and in a maximised distance. By applying fractal geometry the antennas achieve a maximum ratio performance vs size (7x3x1mm) enabling a device which is small and easy to append to people or goods (45x55x19mm).
“The ability to accurately track assets and people in real-time is an extremely attractive proposition to various industries but the exorbitant costs to implement them in a real
environment have presented a major obstacle,” said Ekahau’s Director, Product Management, Arttu Huhtiniemi. “Fractus has provided vital support in overcoming Wi-Fi’s traditional shortcomings, helping us to create a high performance yet cost-effective solution that makes mass-market asset tracking a commercial reality.”
“Wi-Fi is rapidly becoming the short-range wireless technology of choice with its fundamental virtues of low cost and high bandwidth. In the past bulky antennas and limited range have limited Wi-Fi’s usage, but these limitations are easily surmountable with Fractus’ RF expertise and patented fractal antenna technologies,” said Albert Algans, Manager, Technical Sales & Client Support at Fractus. “Fractus is increasingly working with innovative companies like Ekahau to bring RF technology to suit specific strategic markets.”
February 12 2007 at 07:00 AM
Barcelona, 12 February 2007—Fractus, the pioneer developer of fractal antenna technology, has been granted key patents for Space-Filling antenna technology. This new approach results in smaller antennas thereby enabling new smaller handsets or existing models that have the capacity to accommodate new in-demand multimedia features. In addition the technology allows small antennas to operate on lower frequency cellular standards that have formerly required a bulky internal antenna or even an external design.
The Space-Filling Antenna patents have been granted in the US under patent #7148850, #7164386 and in other strategic markets. The technology is based on fractal geometry meaning that antennas can occupy a small space in the most efficient way possible. This results in far smaller antennas - and therefore devices - or given a fixed size specification, an antenna that can operate on lower frequencies than existing designs.
This new technology will create extra physical space for various other technologies increasingly entering the mobile handset such as digital cameras and MP3 players as well as
the variety of technologies required for more powerful smart phones. There are also a range of other applications including the ability to more discretely wirelessly enable laptops, USB
modems, PC cards and other devices such as watches.
Additionally, there is currently significant operator interest in lower frequencies which enable far larger cell sizes thus reducing the cost of network roll-out as well as improved in-building
penetration. GSM, CDMA and FLASH-OFDM are being deployed at 450MHz as well as numerous mobile TV standards in the sub-600MHz range, but these lower frequencies typically require larger antennas and therefore larger end-user devices. Fractus’ technology allows existing terminals which operate at higher frequencies to be re-purposed for these
low-frequency standards.
“We live in an exciting age where new cellular standards are enabling compelling new features and services. However, accommodating these standards into a small attractive device is no mean feat – this is where we’re beginning to make a name for ourselves,” said Dr. Carles Puente, Fractus’ CTO.
“Global recognition of our Intellectual Property by patent offices worldwide proves Fractus’ invention in antenna design and development and its relevance to the industry as a whole.”
Fractus’ patent portfolio encompasses 49 inventions including 140 national patent and patent applications world wide. 10% of Fractus employees hold a PhD and 60% are telecoms
engineers.
Fractus has published 50 IEEE papers and spoken at dozens of international conferences on the latest advances in mobile device and base station antenna technologies. Its customers
include global leaders, such as Samsung, Sagem, CSR, Atheros Communications, Philips Semiconductors and Siemens.
February 09 2007 at 02:55 PM
Barcelona, 9 February 2007 - Fractus, the pioneer developer of fractal antenna technology, today announced its TVNow range of antennas for Mobile TV handsets has been short-listed for the GSM Association (GSMA) 2007 Award for Best Radio Access Product or Service.
TVNow products are the first internal TV antennas available for all three of the DVB-H/ISDB-H frequency bands being considered by operators around the world. The antennas are so discrete that they can fit into most existing handset designs, achieving significant production and design efficiencies.
“Mobile TV represents one of the greatest challenges for handset design today,” said Alfonso Sanz, Fractus Lead Engineer, Products & Services Division. “Fractus provides the
technical performance and the size reduction necessary to enable mobile TV in both existing form factors and completely new DVB-H/ISDB-H handset platforms.” The GSM Association’s Global Mobile Awards are an established centrepiece of the world’s largest and most successful mobile industry event, the 3GSM World Congress, and are specially designed to recognise the wealth of talent, ingenuity and creativity from all corners of the mobile industry’s global eco-system.
The awards’ winners will be announced on Tuesday February 13th during the 3GSM 2007 Awards dinner in Barcelona. Nominees for the Best Radio Access Product or Service will
be judged on the following criteria: evidence of efficiency gains or capacity enhancements, how easily the product/service can be integrated into existing network infrastructure and systems, and potential revenue opportunities for operators. Additionally, judges will take into consideration how innovative the short-listed products and services are as well as the range of benefits they offer to operators.
Fractus’ chief technology officer, Dr. Carles Puente, will be speaking at the GSM World Congress’ Technology Symposium on Mobile TV on Thursday afternoon, February 15th.
For additional information on the GSM Association’s Global Mobile Awards please visit http://www.gsmawards.com/index.shtml.
February 05 2007 at 12:51 PM
Barcelona, 5 February 2007—Fractus, the pioneer developer of fractal antenna technology, has appointed Ron Epstein as a Board member. Ron brings over 18 years experience in complex intellectual property based transactions to Fractus and will assist in developing and implementing its licensing business plan.
Ron has previously served as Director of Licensing at Intel Corporation, where he was responsible for its IP licensing strategy, including defense against assertions and the creation of Intel’s value licensing program. Ron is currently founder and CEO of IPotential, an intellectual property brokerage and strategic consultancy, which works with companies to obtain the maximum business and economic value from their intellectual property.
“The past decade has seen the mobile communications industry become embroiled in an arms race between rival device manufacturers intent on bringing to market increasingly small and appealing devices equipped with all the latest wireless standards,” said Fractus President Marcel Rafart. “Ron’s expertise in patent licensing programs will help us exploit the considerable intellectual property we have brought to the telecoms industry over the past 9 years.”
“Fractus is a true innovator in the area of wireless system design. Their invention of fractal based antennas has changed the face of mobile phone design, supporting the elimination of the external antenna and extending the ability of mobile phones to support communication on multiple bands,” said Ron Epstein. “The value of that innovation is amply confirmed by Fractus’s development of a dominant patent portfolio, an asset that will allow Fractus to capture the full value of its inventiveness.”
October 31 2006 at 02:28 PM
Barcelona, 31 October 2006—Fractus, the pioneer developer of fractal antenna technology, has appointed Marcel Rafart as president and non-executive chairman. Rafart has been a Fractus board member since 2003 and brings more than 13 years experience in the telecoms market. His main focus will be to drive Fractus’ global new business growth and to launch Fractus’ technology licensing business.
“Marcel’s extensive experience in technology licensing combined with telecoms and strategic finance is a strong addition to our team and will help us achieve our mission of becoming a trusted partner for the world’s most innovative OEMs/ODMs,” said Fractus CEO Ruben Bonet.
A founder of Cluster Consulting, Marcel helped merge its operations with Diamond in 2000, thus launching telecoms powerhouse Diamond Cluster. In 2004, Marcel co-founded Nautacapital, an international venture fund based in Barcelona, Spain.
October 26 2006 at 02:57 PM
Comprehensive DVB-H/ISDB-H antenna suite marks end of the mobile TV antenna concealed in the headset wire
Barcelona, 26 October 2006—Fractus, the pioneer developer of fractal antenna technology, has launched a suite of DVB-H internal antenna solutions for all three mobile TV frequencies; VHF (200MHz), UHF (600MHz) and L-band (1.4GHz). Fractus offers a fully customized internal antenna solution for 200MHz, and a customized and integrated solution for 600MHz and 1.4GHz. The TVNow™ range also includes a modular and compact standard antenna for 600MHz and 1.4GHz, with a size of just 40 x 4.8 x 5mm3, that can reduce mobile TV handset size by as much as 25%. This innovation in mobile TV also works for the ISDB-H standard used in Japan and Brazil.
“Mobile TV represents one of the greatest challenges for handset design today,” said Josep Puig, Fractus Director, Mobile Handset Antennas. “Fractus provides the technical performance and the size reduction necessary to enable mobile TV in both existing form factors and completely new DVB-H/ISDB-H handset platforms.”
Implementing mobile television in handsets raises major antenna design challenges including interference from overlapping frequencies including GSM and UMTS, and differing effects of users’ hands and body positions on device performance when viewing the TV screen (usually towards the lap) or making phone calls (usually against the head) on mobile devices.
A problem with a traditional antenna design approach for low frequencies such as the 200MHz band is that the antenna required is longer than the handset. A recently launched UK mobile TV handset for example uses the headphone cable as the antenna, rendering the device useless without the headphones.
Fractus technology enables a fully customized antenna discretely housed within the handset, no matter what the mobile TV frequency.
For UHF and L-band, Fractus has a modular TVNow™ antenna that can be applied in existing handsets or new platforms enabling up to 25% reductions in handset size compared to other antennas. The modular antenna is the only SMT (Surface Mounted Technology) design currently available and helps OEMs and ODMs reduce product development costs and time to market.
October 09 2006 at 02:59 PM
Barcelona, 9 October 2006—Fractus, the pioneer developer of fractal antenna technology, has been chosen to co-chair a roundtable discussion and take part in a panel session assessing the impact of multiple radios on device design and manufacturing at the Short Range Wireless Forum 2006 in Amsterdam this week.
Dr. Jordi Soler, Fractus’ Short Range Wireless Division Lead Engineer, will be providing expert opinion on how to factor various radio options into the design process for consumer electronics devices. He will cover how to use measurements as a way to identify and eliminate interference, and provide different approaches for improving the co-existence of numerous short-range wireless standards within one device.
“Jordi’s involvement in these roundtables will allow companies focused on developing and launching wireless devices to understand the key issues affecting their product development and directly interact with Fractus to help them get to market faster and cheaper,” said Fractus Short-Range Wireless Division director Tim Hillison.
The Short Range Wireless Forum will examine the latest short range wireless technologies emerging on the landscape including NFC, UWB and ZigBee and look at their co-existence with more mature technologies such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
For more information on the Short Range Wireless Forum 2006 and to view the current program, please visit the web site at: http://www.informatm.com
About Dr. Jordi Soler
“Dr. Jordi Soler leads Short-Range Wireless (SRW) engineering team at Fractus, managing antenna product development and R&D projects for consumer and industrial electronic devices. He also manages SRW technical support service to customers worldwide. Jordi is author of more than 40 technical papers and inventor of more than 10 patents. Dr. Soler was awarded the 2005 Nokia Prize by the Spanish College of Telecommunications Engineers for his work on antennas for Mobile Internet and Third Generation Mobile Solutions.
September 26 2006 at 03:00 PM
Antenna in package (AiPTM) technology drives faster, cheaper and simpler wireless enablement
Barcelona, 26 September 2006—Fractus, the pioneer developer of fractal antenna technology, has been granted the world’s first technology patent for an integrated circuit package including a miniature fractal antenna. The technology, commonly referred to as Antenna in Package (AiP), has been granted in the US under patent #7095372.
Fractus technology allows the antenna, traditionally a separate component, to be integrated with other RF components such as the radio and RF processor. Using fractal geometry with its extremely economical use of space, Fractus has created a solution that is small enough to be incorporated onto the IC (Integrated Circuit) and accommodate multiple bands (frequencies) to support numerous short-range wireless standards.
“The ability to integrate the antenna into the semiconductor package will dramatically reduce product development and manufacturing costs for OEMs and ODMs worldwide” said Dr. Carles Puente, CTO and IPR Director at Fractus. “Ownership of this patent highlights Fractus’ pioneering role for the future of short-range wireless communications.”
AiP reduces the bill of materials, component size, motherboard complexity, design cost and time to market for devices where wireless capability already exists such as mobile handsets. It also facilitates the implementation of discrete wireless functions within mobile devices such as mobile phones, digital cameras, MP3 players and other myriad devices using short-range wireless technologies. AiP technology is suitable for Bluetooth, WLAN, GPS, UWB and Zigbee.
Fractus is working with leading semiconductor manufacturers to bring AiP to market and has extensive experience developing other short-range wireless solutions with leaders such as CSR, ST Microelectronics, SiGe Semiconductors, Atheros Communications and Philips Semiconductors.
Currently Fractus owns 42 patent families, translating into 199 national patents and patent applications that span Europe, US, China, Japan, Korea, India, Russia, Brazil and Mexico. Ten percent of Fractus employees hold PhDs and 60% are telecoms antenna engineers.
September 06 2006 at 03:01 PM
Barcelona, 6 September 2006—Fractus, the pioneer developer of fractal antenna technology, has been chosen to lead a technical session on the multi-band predicament facing the mobile phone industry at the Antenna Systems & Short-Range Wireless 2006 Conference in Washington DC today.
Dr. Jaume Anguera, R&D Manager for Fractus’ handset division, will explore how the growing number of wireless standards entering the mobile handset is putting a major strain on the antenna. The presentation will assess the various geometry-based and materials-based solutions to the multi-band predicament as well as technology that allows one antenna to operate in multiple bands and modes simultaneously.
“The pace of innovation and advancement in antenna systems and technology for short-range wireless is constantly accelerating, with Bluetooth now pervasive and new standards such as UWB moving the frontiers ever onwards,” said conference chair Jeremy Martin. “With speakers such as Fractus, the conference is bringing together 40 of the leading innovators in their fields to create a platform for continued innovation together with networking opportunities and the chance to build lasting business relationships with technology leaders drawn from multiple ”
Antenna Systems 2006, again co-located with Short-Range Wireless 2006, is a once-a-year opportunity to network with and learn from the foremost experts involved in advancing antenna systems and short-range wireless standards and technology.
For more information on Antenna Systems 2006 and to view the current program, please visit the web site at: http://www.antennasonline.com/ast_conf2006_index.htm
About Dr. Jaume Anguera:
Dr Anguera manages research and development for Fractus’ Mobile Handset division worldwide. He joined Fractus in December 1999 following extensive research experience in the field of antenna technology. In October 2003 Jaume moved to Fractus’ Korean office to lead design and development of miniature and multi-band antennas for mobile handsets. There he worked closely with customers such as Samsung, LG, Bellwave, Innostream, EzzeTech, and Pantech-Curitel. He holds a degree and a PhD from Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya (UPC).
July 18 2006 at 03:02 PM
Barcelona, 18 July 2006—Fractus, the pioneer developer of fractal antenna technology, has launched a family of internal passive DVB-H antennas that enable handsets far smaller than current DVB-H devices.
The move toward implementing DVB-H in mobile handsets brings a new set of challenges for RF designers and handset manufacturers. DVB-H operates on a lower frequency than traditional cellular systems - 470MHz-862MHz - as well as utilising a broader bandwidth. It therefore requires a much larger antenna than is used for either 3G (1900-2025MHz & 2110- 2200MHz) or GSM (890-915MHz & 1710-1785MHz) systems.
The first generation of DVB-H handsets is far larger than non-DVB-H models. Operators continue to demand improved functionality without compromising on the form factor, however handset manufacturers must implement innovative antenna design technologies to create a smaller, second generation of DVB-H handsets and become more competitive in this newly created market.
Fractus has applied its expertise in developing specialised, low-profile internal passive antennas for handset manufacturers such as Samsung, Sagem and other OEMs worldwide to create the new range of passive DVB-H antennas. Fractus is also working closely with OEMs and ODMs to manage interferences that result from the coupling of DVB-H and cellular antennas to achieve optimal device performance.
“DVB-H is changing the way handsets are designed and built, after all, nobody wants to pay a premium for a new service if they struggle with a large archaic looking device,” said Josep Puig, Director Mobile Handset Antennas, at Fractus. “Fractus enables OEMs and ODMs to reconcile ever greater consumer demand for multimedia functionality and connectivity in a handset that is increasingly small and fashionable.”
Fractus has developed different DVB-H demonstrators for varying handset form factors as antennas operate differently in separate usage scenarios. Fractus’ DVB-H demonstrators include a clamshell phone (95 x 45mm) with an 8x35x7mm antenna and a candy bar phone (100x45mm) with a 10x43x7mm antenna.
June 09 2006 at 03:03 PM
Barcelona, 8 June 2006—Fractus has been named to FierceWiFi’s annual Fierce 15 list, honouring Fractus for its innovation in the wireless broadband marketplace. FierceWiFi is an internationally recognised email newsletter published by FierceMarkets (http://www.fiercemarkets.com), designed to provide executives with up-to-date information on the burgeoning WiFi marketplace.
“Fractus is a technology-savvy company applying the principles and properties of fractal geometry to antenna design; the company’s approach allows it to produce antennas which offer reduced size and enhanced performance; these are the features the market is looking for,” said Ben Frankel, editor of FierceWiFi.
Fractus produces a wide range of miniature short range wireless antennas covering the 802.x spectrum of standards and all other major short range standards such as Zigbee, RFID, Bluetooth and UWB. The company also produces mobile handset antennas for international brands including Sagem, Samsung and Grundig.
“We look to FierceWiFi to provide us with the necessary information to remain informed and competitive in today’s fast-paced mobile broadband industry,” said Tim Hillison, Director of Short-Range Wireless at Fractus. “This award is further proof of the quality of Fractus’ technology and products.”
The Fierce 15 celebrates the spirit of being “fierce” — championing innovation and creativity, even in the face of intense competition. The complete list of Fierce 15 companies is available in today’s issue of FierceWiFi and on the FierceWiFi Web site at http://www.fiercewifi.com.
June 08 2006 at 03:04 PM
Prize awarded for thesis on multifrequency and small monopole antenna techniques
Barcelona, 8 June 2006 - Fractus, the fractal antenna technology pioneer, has announced that Short-Range Wireless Division lead engineer Dr Jordi Soler has won the 2005 Nokia Prize for the Best Doctoral Thesis about Mobile Internet and Third Generation Mobile Solutions awarded by the Spanish College of Telecommunications Engineers.
The award was for Dr Soler’s thesis titled “Novel Multi-frequency and Small Monopole Antenna Techniques for Wireless and Mobile Applications”.
Dr Soler was presented with the award at a ceremony today at the El Pardo palace in Madrid. The event was the 26th of the College’s annual award ceremonies.
The College (Colegio Oficial de Ingenieros de Telecomunicación) is the leading Spanish association for telecoms engineers and academics and was established in 1967. “Jordi Soler’s award highlights the high level of antenna technology skills that Fractus brings to the antenna market,” said Fractus Short-Range Wireless Division director Tim Hillison. “Dr Soler is one of 5 PhD’s working at Fractus to constantly improve the capabilities of our antennas and of our customers’ devices.”
Dr Jordi Soler has been working on the design and production of cellular mobile terminals, wireless components, semiconductor applications, motor vehicles and RFID projects since 2000. He is the author and co-author of more than 40 technical papers and holds more than 10 patents on fractal and other related antenna inventions. In 1999 he received the Spanish College of Telecommunication Engineers Award on New Technologies Applied to Antennas and Radiating Systems, and in 2000 received the AP2000 Millennium Conference on Antennas and Propagation Award for Best Poster Paper on Antennas.
May 08 2006 at 03:05 PM
Barcelona, 8 May 2006—Red Herring has recognised Fractus, the fractal antenna technology pioneer, as one of the most innovative technology companies of 2006 with its inclusion in the top 100 private companies in Europe and the Middle East, announced today. This follows high profile Fractus contract wins in 2006, significant patent awards and the release of a revolutionary “plug-and-play” short-range wireless product.
“This has been a landmark year for Fractus as the wireless industry has recognised our IP and capacity to deliver with a series of major contracts” said Ruben Bonet, CEO, Fractus.
“We now encompass the entire wireless marketplace: amongst others Siemens sells our base station antennas, Samsung uses our handset antennas and Richardson Electronics distributes our short-range antennas into more than 73 countries worldwide.”
In the first quarter of 2006 Fractus announced its antennas have been selected for a variety of Samsung tri-band handsets that incorporate WLAN; Grundig’s flagship 3G i-Mode handset and Sagem’s new my300X ultra-slim mobile phone range. In March, Fractus was awarded the world’s first patent for multilevel antennas which represents a major step for the provision of increased frequency bands in a smaller physical space. Fractus’ patent portfolio currently encompasses 42 patent families and in total some 199 national patents covering Europe, US, China, Japan, Korea, India, Russia,
Brazil and Mexico.
At 3GSM Fractus unveiled a revolutionary wireless innovation, FWSiP (Full Wireless System in Package), a “plug-and-play” single package complete wireless solution which means that any device can be easily and cost-effectively wireless-enabled without the need for the manufacturer to have any RF expertise.
Fractus’ short-range wireless have been adopted by leading semiconductor manufacturers such as Atheros Communications, CSR and Philips Semiconductors.
Fractus will further consolidate its position in 2006 with expansion plans in all markets, particularly in China through customers such as Haier, NEC and Intel.
May 03 2006 at 03:05 PM
Long-Range Bluetooth Headset Reaches 300 feet
Barcelona, 3 May 2006—Fractus, the fractal antenna technology pioneer, announced that it provides antennas for Nextlink’s ground-breaking Bluetooth headsets. The Nextlink Spider maintains a Bluetooth connection over a range of more than 300 feet, far in excess typically seen range in a Bluetooth headset.
The long-range headset contains a built-in microphone that allows the user to conduct a conversation with far greater flexibility when connecting to a mobile handset or a PC for use with a Skype-type VoIP package.
“The Spider headset transforms the way in which consumers can use both their desktop computer and mobile phone,” said Albert Algans, Manager, Technical Sales & Marketing at Fractus. “The Nextlink Spider is a tribute to what innovative design combined with leading edge antenna technology can achieve.”
“When you’re looking to miniaturise something like a Bluetooth headset, the size of the antenna can be the deciding factor,” said Fredrik Olsson, CEO of Nextlink. “Working closely with Fractus and drawing on their technical expertise, we’ve been able to design some of the world’s smallest, feature-rich Bluetooth headsets available.”
Other Nextlink headsets using Fractus antennas include the Bluespoon 5G - the smallest and lightest headset in the world weighing just 5,85 grams and measuring just 30 mm long and 17 mm wide. In the fiercely competitive mobile peripherals market, Fractus’ technical expertise enabled Nextlink to develop smaller headsets for a styleconscious market, reduce its product development costs and accelerate its time to market.
Fractus Short-Range Wireless Antennas are distributed in 73 countries worldwide by Richardson Electronics.
The Nextlink Spider will be available in retail stores in late Q2 2006.
April 26 2006 at 02:37 PM
GSM and CDMA mobile phones benefit directly with expanded coverage and services in a smaller form-factor
Barcelona, 26 April 2006 - Fractus, the fractal antenna technology pioneer, has developed an antenna technology which lowers PCB resonance, enabling easier provision of multi-band performance, greater flexibility in antenna design and, in some cases, improved SAR value management. All of these factors are critical for the development of next generation handset and mobile devices.
Fractus’ proprietary BandXpand™ technology is linked to the antenna on one side of the circuit board. This shapes the current electromagnetic path, enabling resonance at lower frequencies, thus making it easier to have additional frequencies with broader bandwidth in both mobile handsets and other wireless devices.
Antenna designers can then fine-tune frequencies to deliver improved lower frequency performance and multi-band functionality.
An antenna designer could, for example, develop a single quadband antenna with GSM 900/1800 and CDMA 800/1900 capabilities without the need for a switchplexer, and a separate UMTS antenna, isolated from the quadband antenna by 12dB – producing a device that could handle two way voice calls anywhere in the world at the same time as downloading a multimedia file.
“Fractus BandXpand™ provides another tool for mobile designers to enable smaller, high capability handsets and devices, so antenna design can conform even more to the mechanics required by device OEMs and ODMs,” said Fractus’ Dr. Carles Puente, CTO. “This technology means antenna and device designers, working together, have greater flexibility in terms of antenna and device performance than ever before.”
Fractus has developed demonstrators of its BandXpandTM technology which are available for demonstration to key clients.
March 28 2006 at 03:10 PM
Barcelona, 28 March 2006—Fractus, the pioneer developer of fractal antenna technology, has been granted the world’s first patent for multilevel antennas.
The Multilevel Antennae patent has been granted in the US under patent #7,015,868 and in Europe under EP1223637. It has also been granted in Russia and Mexico with further international application responses expected in the coming months.
Multilevel antenna technology allows mobile systems and devices to provide increased frequency bands in a smaller physical space. This allows wireless devices to incorporate more wireless standards and more frequency bands and also helps device designers achieve small and stylish form factors. The multilevel technology developed by Fractus provides a systematic reference for geometry-based designs using fractal mathematics. Its application spans industries from telecommunications to automotive.
“Fractus is committed to create smaller, better performing antennas for tomorrow’s wireless devices” said Dr. Carles Puente, Fractus CTO. “Global recognition of our Intellectual Property by patent offices worldwide proves Fractus’ invention in antenna design and development and its relevance to the industry as a whole.”
Fractus’ patent portfolio encompasses 42 patent families and in total some 199 national patents covering Europe, US, China, Japan, Korea, India, Russia, Brazil and Mexico. 10% of Fractus employees hold a PhD and 60% are telecoms engineers. Fractus has published 50 IEEE papers and spoken at dozens of international conferences on the latest advances in mobile device and base station antenna technologies. Its customers include global leaders, such as Samsung, Sagem, CSR, Atheros Communications, Philips Semiconductors and Siemens.
March 16 2006 at 03:13 PM
Barcelona 16 March 2006 – Fractus, the fractal antenna technology pioneer, is pleased to announce that it has received a new grant from the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce for the PROFIT program through the National Plan of Scientific Research, Development and Technological Innovation (2004 – 2007). This program has permitted Fractus to continue to provide groundbreaking research and development activity in designing and developing fractal antennas worldwide for the telecommunications industry.
The scope of this grant focuses on development of ongoing R&D projects relating to:
The Integration of Antennas into System-In-Package/System-on-Chip modules to create Full Wireless System-in-Package (FWSiP)
- The relationship between antenna geometry and radio electric performance in mobile telephones
- Triband Fractal Antennas® with variable electric tilt in slim-site configuration for 3G mobile telephony base stations
- Metallised foam in low cost antennas
- Wireless technologies for small area networks with embedded security & safety
For more information on the PROFIT program, please visit: http://www.mityc.es/es-ES/index.htm
February 13 2006 at 03:16 PM
Barcelona 13-February-2006 – Fractus, NordNav and SiGe Semiconductor today announced a GPS USB reference design that enables a high-performance navigation system for laptops, Smartphones, and PDAs. The reference design combines SiGe’s SE4110L GPS radio with GeoFind antenna technology from Fractus, and E5000 GPS software from NordNav. Using thereference design, manufacturers can create GPS accessories with the small size, and low current consumption required for USB On-The-Go connectivity.
The reference design will be demonstrated at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona from February 13-16, 2006, at the SiGe Semiconductor booth D82, Hall 1, and in the NordNav
booth G81, Hall 2.
“We have worked closely with Fractus and NordNav to deliver a complete solution that takes the guesswork out of design so that OEMs can go to market quickly with GPS USB accessories,” said Stuart Strickland, product line director, SiGe Semiconductor. “GPS USB addons provide a significant opportunity, allowing manufacturers to leverage investments already made by their customers to provide high performance GPS at a minimal additional cost.”
Small size and low current consumption ideal for USB On-the-Go connectivity. The new reference design provides all of the circuitry required to enable GPS capability in small form factor USB accessories. Using the reference design, a GPS USB add-on can be built to fit a portable 60mm x 15mm form factor. The small form factor is made possible by the highly integrated SiGe GPS radio, NordNav GPS software and Fractus antenna.
SiGe Semiconductor’s SE4110L GPS radio IC is based on an integrated architecture, supplying a complete receiver chain in a small 4mm x 4mm package. The high integration of the SE4110L eliminates external components to reduce the system bill of materials, cost and required board area. The device interfaces directly to the Fractus Geofind slim GPS chip antenna. The antenna uses Fractus’ patented space-filling technology to reduce size while increasing satellite sensitivity for robust performance. The antenna is an ideal solution for small form factor USB accessories, since it is substantially smaller than traditional, large patch ceramic antennas.
“Our unique antenna design delivers performance rivaling that of larger antennas, which tend to be costly, power hungry, and too large for mobile operation,” said Tim Hillison, Director, Short Range Wireless and Corporate Marketing, Fractus. “We are pleased to combine the benefits of our antenna with the technologies from SiGe and NordNav. As a result of our collaboration, manufacturers can deliver wireless end-products that are competitive relative to overall cost and feature integration.”
The reference design provides a low-power solution, ideal for portable applications. Typical power consumption is approximately 100mW operating from a 5V supply.
Software-based GPS enables low cost, small form factor high-performance GPS applications GPS USB systems based on the reference design will be used with NordNav’s E5000 GPS software to deliver high accuracy positioning applications. The software will run transparently on the laptop, Smartphone, PDA, or other USB-enabled devices and effectively leverage the processing power available while being conservative on battery power. NordNav’s E5000 software GPS provides faster time to first fix than most hardware based GPS solutions and gives users continuous tracking and advanced navigation filtering even in the most challenging environments.
“Software based GPS provides significant advantages with lower cost, smaller foot-print and the ability for users to continuously upgrade the GPS performance. We are very excited about releasing this competitive product together with SiGe and Fractus,” said Mattias Åström, CEO of NordNav.
Availability
The complete reference design is available now. Anticipated retail price for end products based on this design, including all components and licenses, is around $25. Packages bundled with mapping and application software will vary.
February 13 2006 at 02:47 PM
Barcelona, 13th February 2006 - Fractus, the pioneer developer of fractal antenna technology, will unveil the world’s first commercially available full wireless system in package (FWSiP) technology at 3GSM 2006 in Barcelona.
FWSiP is a single package complete wireless solution which means that any device can be easily and cost-effectively wireless-enabled without the need for the manufacturer to have any RF expertise.
FWSiP is the next stage of the evolution of SiP (System in Package) technology which delivers most of the functions of an electronic system within a single package on the PCB (Printed Circuit Board). Traditional wireless SiP technology has however required a separate antenna component which demands additional space, electronic interconnections and other measures to avoid RF interference.
“The history of telecommunications has been in connecting the phone and the computer; the future is in connecting everything else,” said Tim Hillison, Fractus’ Short-Range Wireless Division Director. “For the first time ever, within a small section of a PCB, a manufacturer can completely wireless-enable any device from watches to washing machines. We fully believe that this technology will revolutionise the wireless marketplace.”
FWSiP will also help reduce the bill of materials, component size, motherboard complexity, design cost and time to market for devices where wireless capability already exists such as mobile handsets. It also facilitates the implementation of discrete wireless functions within mobile devices such as cameras and PDAs.
Fractus will license FWSiP to electronics component and semiconductor manufacturers who will incorporate FWSiP wireless components into new or existing packages and chipsets.
The product is very flexible so that OEM/ODMs can just advise what wireless standards they want the device to support and the component manufacturer can simply add the relevant FWSiP onto an existing chipset.
Fractus will be demonstrating the effectiveness of the technology with a transparent Bluetooth USB dongle adaptor on their booth on Stand J40 (Hall 2, Level 1).
February 09 2006 at 03:19 PM
Barcelona 9-February-2006 – Fractus, the fractal antenna technology pioneer, has worked with CSR, the wireless technology provider and world leader in Bluetooth connectivity, to develop an example design of a Bluetooth/WiFi Combo card that provides VoIP and Bluetooth calls running at the same time inside a mobile handset device.
The Bluetooth/WiFi Combo card design brings together two Fractus Slim Reach Xtend™ antennas, and CSR’s Unifi-1 Portable WiFi chip and BlueCore 4 ROM Bluetooth chip on a single card that delivers a very small, high performance co-existent design.
“We evaulated antennas from different developers worldwide and found the Fractus antennas to offer the best value and size for our customers – performance, price and technical support,” said CSR VP Marketing Simon Finch.
“The CSR Combo card highlights the flexibility of Fractus antenna technology to enable a 2.4 GHz diversity system within a handset powered by CSR,” said Fractus Short-Range Wireless Division Director Tim Hillison.
CSR is making the Bluetooth/WiFi Combo card example design available to key customers of request and will demo this solution during 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona, February 13-
16th.
Fractus Slim Reach Xtend antennas ship worldwide in the millions. They are used for a wide range of devices from mobile handsets, to stereo Bluetooth® headsets. Fractus has a variety of solutions for short-range wireless communications within all mobile devices covering the Zigbee, GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi and UMTS standards.
February 07 2006 at 02:51 PM
Barcelona 07-February-2006 – Fractus, the fractal antenna technology pioneer, has become a Samsung Approved Vendor, providing antennas for a number of different Samsung handsets. The efficiency and flexibility of Fractus’ antenna technology permits Samsung’s development of next generation mobile phones combining sleek design and rich functionality with a wide range of communication protocols.
Fractus is working with Samsung on clamshell and slider handsets, each of which comes with its own separate RF challenges. Fractus antennas allow Samsung designers to optimise the performance of the handsets while still addressing demand for smaller, sleeker form factors packed with features such as multimedia and short-range wireless connectivity.
As more and more components like cameras and multimedia applications compete for real estate inside phones, the space taken up by the antenna cannot be an afterthought. Working with Fractus, Samsung has been able to maximise the size/performance ratio of its devices and deliver mobile phones which respond to customer demand worldwide. Samsung believes that Fractus’ fractal antenna technology enables smaller, multi-band antennas that help deliver the next generation of mobile phones.
“As one of the top three mobile phone OEMs in the world, Samsung is successful because of its ability to constantly innovate,” said Sam Chin, CEO, Fractus Korea. “Fractus antennas also give Samsung the flexibility of design and rapid prototyping ability that means they can continue to develop the most compelling and feature-rich mass market mobile phones. We’re delighted to be an Approved Vendor for Samsung and to be working with them to develop the next generation of handsets.”
The Fractus tri-band antennas used by Samsung support GSM900, DCS (1710-1880) and PCS (1850-1990). Fractus antennas are currently shipping in, and being developed for, Samsung phones including clamshell and slider GSM tri-band (GSM900/DCS/PCS) camera-phones and a slider phone with both tri-band and WLAN antennas.
February 06 2006 at 02:55 PM
Barcelona, 6 February 2006 - Fractus, the Fractal Antenna® technology pioneer, provides a penta-band antenna for Grundig’s latest slider handset –the G600i. One of the first by any European manufacturer to support i-mode—this is Grundig’s first 3G handset.
The internal penta-band antenna operates over UMTS as well as GSM on the 850 MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz and 1900MHz frequency bands in Europe and the US. It measures only 38x10x10 mm.
Fractus and Grundig’s handset engineers worked together from concept to delivery to ensure superior handset performance. The Fractus antenna provides seamless functionality with the G600i’s MP3 Player and revolving camera when the slider phone is in the open and closed positions, thus improving overall user experience of the handset terminal.
“Demand for feature-packed phones offering advanced roaming capabilities and multiple-bands presents technical challenges for handset manufacturers” said Vitelcom’s R&D Hardware Engineering Director , José Luis Córdoba. “Increased handset complexity invariably increases the risk of interference amongst components, potentially reducing overall handset quality.. Our work with Fractus and its team of expert antenna engineers ensured that our flagship 3G handset delivers an aggressive range of features while assuring high product quality.”
“The mobile handset market is transforming yet again as third-generation technology achieves market acceptance,” said Josep Puig, Fractus Director, Mobile Handset Antennas. “Soon the rise of CDMA2000 and other versions of 3G in the handset market as well as Wi-Fi and UWB will become commonplace. As a result, we are seeing more interest around next-generation multi-band antenna technology and antennas that can support six or more bands.”
September 29 2005 at 03:24 PM
Barcelona, 29-September-2005 - Korean mobile handset manufacturer Innostream has selected an internal tri-band GSM antenna from Fractus, the fractal antenna technology
pioneer, for the Inno P10 slider phone which was released today.
The Inno P10 is a slim, high-end model including a 1.3 megapixel camera and MP3 player. The antenna operates over GSM 900/1800/1900 band frequencies.
The design of a slider phone creates interesting performance challenges for the antenna developer as it must maintain robust performance in both the closed and open (talk) positions.
Fractus was selected to provide the custom tri-band antenna for the Inno P10 following extensive competitive research by Innostream. After a series of field trials involving both passive and active tests, Innostream concluded that Fractus provided the strongest value equation for the development of its mobile phone.
“Korean handset manufacturers such as Innostream are fast establishing a growing international reputation for the high quality of their devices,” said Sam Chin, CEO, Fractus Korea. “The local team at Fractus Korea combines the international expertise of its engineers with a deep understanding of the needs of Korean manufacturers to deliver excellent local support through the complete handset production lifecycle. The P10 is a testament to the close work between Innostream and the team at Fractus Korea.”
Innostream, one of Korea’s top five mobile phone manufacturers, also uses Fractus dual-band GSM antennas in its Inno 50 and A10 mobile phones.
September 13 2005 at 03:28 PM
Barcelona, September 13, 2005 - Fractus, the pioneer developer of fractal antenna technology, has launched an Ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna for the short-range wireless market. Measuring just 10x10x0.8mm, this small UWB antenna combines an omni-directional radiation pattern and high efficiency level to deliver the largest bandwidth possible.
The new Fractus UWB Media+ Chip Antenna meets the requirements of reference designers, OEMs and ODMs utilizing the 3.1–5GHz spectrum as specified by the WiMedia Alliance, which includes members Intel, Texas Instruments, Microsoft, Philips Electronics, Nokia, Staccato Communications and others for UWB development.
Its miniature size provides flexibility to device designers and easily integrates into space-limited PCBs in digital cameras, home-cinema equipment, PC peripherals, PDAs, mobile phones, and
compact-flash cards.
“UWB and the extensive range of devices that are about to become wirelessly enabled represents a huge opportunity for device manufacturers” said Tim Hillison, Fractus’ Short-Range Wireless Division Director. “Manufacturers who choose Fractus’ fractal technology gain a clear competitive advantage in terms of cost, performance and device size.”
The Fractus UWB Media+ Chip Antenna has been tested by fabless semiconductor company Staccato Communications as part of its Team Staccato Partner Program. The Fractus UWB Media+ Chip Antenna is as an option for Staccato customers using the company’s single chip all-CMOS UWB solutions.
“Fractus has developed an innovative, low-cost and small-footprint Ultra-wideband antenna that will help ensure that total bill of material costs remain low to fuel mass market adoption of Certified Wireless USB products,” said Jarvis Tou, Vice President of Product Marketing for Staccato Communications. “We look forward to continuing working closely with Fractus as an active member of our Team Staccato Partner Program.”
The Fractus UWB Media+ Chip Antenna is available in 73 countries through Richardson Electronics.
July 26 2005 at 03:29 PM
Fractal antenna technology key innovation for the vehicle of tomorrow.
Barcelona, 26 July 2005 - Ficosa International, a multinational automotive systems and components company, and Fractus, the pioneer developer of fractal antenna technology, have negotiated an agreement in which Ficosa has become sole proprietor of Advanced Automotive Antennas (A3), a joint venture company created by Ficosa and Fractus in 2002 to develop fractal-based antennas for the automotive sector.
The agreement includes an exclusive license to Ficosa for Fractus’ fractal antenna technology in the automotive sector worldwide.
The acquisition of Fractus’ 50% share of A3 allows Ficosa to integrate the business into its corporate structure, increase its product portfolio and more effectively build on the penetration of Fractus’ antenna technology already achieved in the international automotive sector.
The A3 joint venture has introduced fractal-based antenna products in vehicles from Fiat and the French group PSA (Peugeot-Citroën). In early 2005, A3 also signed a worldwide technology licensing agreement with Japanese-based Nippon Antenna to develop and produce antennas for its clients Nissan and Mazda.
In 2005, A3 became the first Spanish company to receive the prestigious PACE award for theb est innovation in the automotive sector worldwide.
Fractal antenna technology allows significant reductions in traditional antenna sizes and replaces the traditional exterior vehicle antenna with a powerful multi-use internal antenna inside wing mirrors, rear vision mirrors or other vehicle components. The technology also allows a single, optimized antenna to deliver a range of telematics services such as radio, GPS and telephone.
June 16 2005 at 03:35 PM
Barcelona, 16 June 2005 - The Antenna Systems & Short-Range Wireless 2005 Conferences today confirmed that Fractus will lead a technical session on fractal technology and the emerging field of Antenna-in-Package.
Dr. Jordi Soler, R&D Manager at Fractus, S.A. will present FracWave Antenna Technology for Full Wireless System in Package and introduce the Fractus Antenna-in-Package (AiP) Solution with particular focus on the technical innovation behind it. The advantages of the proposed solution for wireless component manufacturers will also be presented. The validity of the AiP solution will be addressed showing the design considerations and performance results of a demonstrator for Bluetooth applications.
“The pace of innovation and advancement in antenna systems and technology for short-range wireless is constantly accelerating, with Bluetooth now pervasive and new standards such as UWB moving the frontiers ever onwards,” said conference chair Jeremy Martin. “With speakers such as Fractus, the conference is bringing together 40 of the leading innovators in their fields to create a platform for continued innovation together with networking opportunities and the chance to build lasting business relationships with technology leaders drawn from multiple markets.”
Antenna Systems 2005, again co-located with Short-Range Wireless 2005, is a once-a-year opportunity to network with and learn from the foremost experts involved in advancing antenna systems and short-range wireless standards and technology.
March 16 2005 at 02:42 PM
Fractus’ antennas key factor in making handset range 25% slimmer
Barcelona, March 16, 2005 - Fractus, the fractal antenna technology pioneer, has allowed French mobile handset manufacturer Sagem Communications to create its new ultra-slim my300X mobile phone line by developing an ultra-slim internal tri-band GSM antenna.
Fractus has provided Sagem Communications with an antenna that is just 5mm high, some 37.5% smaller than previous antenna designs, enabling a handset that is 25% slimmer than its predecessors.
To conserve space the antenna was custom-designed to deliver the required performance despite being positioned extremely close to other integrated components. Traditionally the antenna has been isolated as much as possible from other components to avoid interference.
The handset market is experiencing unprecedented pressure to produce smaller and more fashionable handsets which is putting an increasing strain on handset designers. As an approved antenna vendor, Sagem has relied on Fractus throughout the handset design process to produce innovative technical solutions that have helped meet the increasingly ambitious style requirements of their handset designers.
“The next-generation of antennas will need to either integrate within other components or at the very least sit closely next to them,” said Josep Puig, Fractus Director, Mobile Handset Antennas. “Fractus jumped in early in the design process. Working with Sagem, we have clearly shown the level of handset design innovation that is possible using Fractus antenna technology.”
The tri-band Fractus antenna operates over GSM on the 900MHz, 1800MHz and 1900MHz frequency bands in Europe and the 850MHz, 1800MHz and 1900MHz in the US.