Sony Technology Could Replace Wires

By Doug Lung
published


At the International Solid State Circuit Conference, Sony presented technology that provides data transfer rates up to 11 Gbps over distances of 14 mm (slightly more than 1/2 inch) using a 1 mm antenna.

Sony said the distance could be increased up to 50 mm (about 2 inches) using more directional antennas. The test transceiver uses frequencies in the 30-300 GHz band, and a complete system fits on a 13x13 mm chip, including the short antenna.

While these distances may appear to be too short to be of any practical use, the high data rates and small size could make it a replacement for cables between modules inside such devices as laptop computers or TV sets. The technology should improve reliability and make it easier to build modular systems with modules that can easily be swapped out to add new functions or capabilities.

More directional antennas would allow multiple devices in a stack of electronic equipment to communicate with each other without external cabling between them.

An article on reghardware.co.uk said Sony is already gearing up to release a device-to-device near-field data transfer kits that operates up to 560 Mbps under the "TransferJet" brand.

Doug Lung
Doug Lung

Doug Lung is one of America's foremost authorities on broadcast RF technology. As vice president of Broadcast Technology for NBCUniversal Local, H. Douglas Lung leads NBC and Telemundo-owned stations’ RF and transmission affairs, including microwave, radars, satellite uplinks, and FCC technical filings. Beginning his career in 1976 at KSCI in Los Angeles, Lung has nearly 50 years of experience in broadcast television engineering. Beginning in 1985, he led the engineering department for what was to become the Telemundo network and station group, assisting in the design, construction and installation of the company’s broadcast and cable facilities. Other projects include work on the launch of Hawaii’s first UHF TV station, the rollout and testing of the ATSC mobile-handheld standard, and software development related to the incentive auction TV spectrum repack.
A longtime columnist for TV Technology, Doug is also a regular contributor to IEEE Broadcast Technology. He is the recipient of the 2023 NAB Television Engineering Award. He also received a Tech Leadership Award from TV Tech publisher Future plc in 2021 and is a member of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society and the Society of Broadcast Engineers.